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But the prospect of a dual government was a challenge that Kadar's Russian bosses could not abide. Last week Kadar's newly revamped secret police began arresting leaders of factory workers' councils. Workers in a dozen plants struck in protest, and the roused patriots of Budapest tangled with Kadar's cops in the streets. Four died in one fight that started when Kadar forces paraded the Red flag past the West railway station. In the countryside scores were reported killed fighting against police and Russian soldiers —ten in the mining center of Tatabanya alone. The Budapest Workers' Council, chief spokesman for the rebels, posted word in factories that "if this keeps up, the workers will turn against the government for good, and the end will be a general strike, bloodshed and a new national tragedy." Next day the government released 69 of 200 arrested men, but Kadar told a delegation he would destroy all council leaders who opposed him as "counter-revolutionaries."
This week, as the Budapest Central Council ordered a two-day general strike to begin Monday night, the government dissolved all workers' councils, declared a state of martial law, and cut off all communication with the outside. The struggle for power went on in hapless Hungary.
At the rate of 2,400 a day, Hungarians continued to flee west over the Austrian border. Though well below last month's peak daily rate of 8,500, the arrival of more thousands left great numbers of people to be fed, cared for, and—with luck—moved elsewhere. At week's end there were some 73,786 refugees in Austria. In all, 121,504 Hungarians have crossed the frontier since Oct. 28. The U.S. has agreed to take 21,500. France, Britain and Canada have set no limits.