"I ORDAIN THEE A HERO."

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 230, 28 September 1929, Page 10 (Supplement)

"I ORDAIN THEE A HERO."

HUNGARY'S WAR ACGOLADE. POMP AND PAtGrEANTRY AT BUD A PEST. REGENT HORTHY'S BIG DAY. "In the name of the Lord of Ware I ordain thee a Hero!" were the words repeated 3000 times by Governor Horthy, when on the occasion of 'Mβ recent birthday amid much pomp and pageantry he touched with a sword the shoulder of each of the 3000 ex-soldiers kneeling before him, so admitting them to the Order of Heroes. For in this festival which is begun with prayers by a Roman Catholic prieet and a Piroteetant minister, itha Hungariani ioeroee , are made members of the order on behalf of a pagan diety, known in Hungarian poetry as Lord of Wars. The Order of Heroes, though it was founded only ten years ago, reminds one of feudal times. Members are titled "Hero" and are endowed with a small landed property. r £hey swear allegiance to the Governor and pledge themselves' to defend him against external and internal (foes. To-day by internal foes are meant the Communists, though, at the time of its inauguration the order was directed against liberalism and democracy as well. At the beginning the new institution was fervently attacked in Parliament as the renewal of tfeudaliem, while the Legitimists, adherents of "King Otto," opposed it because the oath of allegiance was rendered to the Regent, ( A considerable number of Hungarian Legitimist "Valiants" 3iave deliberately renounced their claim to a title and property. This will be fee last occasion on which Regent Horthy will ordain Heroes, for as he eaid in his epeech at the festival, his chief care must now ibe to provide the necessary property for the ■members of the order. Since inauguration the title has been conferred on 12,479 ex-soldiers, including 3,030 officers. 3a the last occasion the title was bestowed on Minister of War Gombos and Ivan Hejjas, one of the most dreaded leaders of the so-called "White Terror." General consternation was created 'by the Governor's declaration that this was the last occasion whereon the title would 'be conferred, for the newspapers, especially those of- the Left parties, contend that in a land in whose cemeteries lie 600,000 warriors, surely more that 12,000 deserve the title Hero. Tiie Opposition partiee regard the bestowal of the title aa a mere rewarding of the adherents of the Horthy and Bethlen regime. This last festival of Heroes was celebrated with unrivalled splendour. The members of the order were arrayed in long lines, all in uniform. Amid the blast of trumpets the rata-plan of drums and the strains of the national anthem Regent Horthy made his appearance. Above his chair, according to .German custom, a great shield was hung which the captain of the order struck thrice with a sword oe a sign for the beginning of the festival. The new members of the order, the officers in gala uniforum, the others in the uniforms of their county or in black peasant clothes, and wearing their war medals, filed past the Governor, each, kneeling to receive the stroke on the shoulder. Finally old and new members marched past the Governor amid the acclamations of the onlookers.