Evening star., 1943-11-07
Question Of Small Nations
Unsolved by Moscow Pact
BY Constantine Browu.

Will become unit Of the Soviet Union
In one shape or another.
The situation in Yugoslavia Ia even
more tense. The Partisans, commanded
by Gen. Josip Broz (Tito), a Croatian
Communist who has been trained in
Russia, is openly fighting the forces Of
King Peters Minister OF War and leader
OF the Chetniks, Gen. Draja Mihailo.
vich
The communiques we are receiving
daily about the activities of the Partisan
armies may or may not be correct as far
as their successes against the Nazis ara
concerned The Partisan radio station
gives the world the news from Tiflis, the
capital OF Caucasia and is situated
farther from the scene OF operations
than London.
But while the successes of the Parti.
sans are somewhat discounted in mill
tary quarters their battles against the
Chetnlks are fully confirmed Moreover.
in recent weeks the Partisans are said
to have accepted as partners units Of
the famous Ustachis, a pro-Nazi Croa-
tian organization which was responsible
for the massacre OF at least 800, 900
Serbs after Yugoslavia was defeated by
the Germans
There were two divisions OF Ustachis
at Stalingrad and they fought so bravely
against the Russians that Herr Goebbels
ordered the Croat national anthem
played when the news Of the Stalingrad
disaster was announced
KlnC ppfnr uyhn ir nit ~
eminent in Cairo, believed that because
he unhesitatingly joined the Allied
cause at the particular bidding Of Presi-
dent Roosevelt he would be reinstated
in his country after the war.
But in view OF the activities OF tbs
soviet-supported Partisans who appear
more determined to destroy the Pas
cist' forces commanded by Gen. Mihail-
ovich, he begins to have his doubts
about his future. There is no question
that the people of Yugoslavia should
have the right to decide their future
| form Of government. 1t would be Just
| for them to decide whether they want to
| live together as one nation or prefer to
be separated. 1t would be right that
! they should decide whether they want .
| monarchy or republic.
Similar Situation in Greece.
But the Yugoslav government In exile
feels that the form Of government
should be left to the people themselves
and not rammed down their throat by q
minority representing q government
with definite political tendencies. But
1t is hardly probable that the United
States and Britain will press the point,
particularly If in future fighting ths
forces of Gen. Tito contribute largely to
the defeat Of the Nazis
A similar situation exists in Occupied
Greece, where two groups OF patriots,
one opposed to King George and his
government and the other In favor Of
the King. are fighting each other.
1t is also obvious that Russia is keenly
interested in the Eastern Mediterranean
because it now offers to the Soviet the
best exit to a warm sea.
| Premier Stain has sent his best diplo-
mats, not to London and Washington,
! but to Algiers Sofia and to the noun
tains of Yugoslavia. Former Deputy
Foreign Commissar Vyshinsky, who il
said to have been chiefly responsible for
the drafting Of the documents which
were signed last week in Moscow, il
going to represent Russia on the
| Mediterranean council.
This extremely able and astute Russian
statesman will have the general SUPER
vision Of all affairs pertaining to tho
Eastern Mediterranean. The United
States is represented on the council by
a routine career diplomat, Edwin Wilson.
who was until recently Ambassador to
Panama. Mr.. Vyshinsky, who Is one Of
Russias ablest jurists, was sent to Latvia
and Estonia in 1910 to organize the
plebiscites which brought those two
Baltic states into the Soviet Union.
Government In Exile Uneasy.
Russia's trouble shooter, Vladimir
Dekanozov. has just been appointed
Minister to Bulgaria. He also Is a star
Soviet diplomat AS Ambassador to
Berlin he brought the Russian-Japanese
nonaggression pact which still Is in
effect. Later he went to Kaunas In
Lthuania and engineered the plebiscits
which completed the annexation Of the
three Baltic states to the Soviet Union.
This Is the picture of the situation
In Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
Naturally representatives in exile Of the
nations involved are uneasy. They feel
that the agreements just signed in Mos
COW and WHICH we hail as milestone
In history will in effect make them q
part and parcel of the Russian Empire.
They might be right. But to those
responsible for the successful ending Of
the war in Europe the fact that Russia
has pledged itself not to abandon ship
and continue to fight the Nazis on our
side, these are relatively minor questions.