Evening star., 1945-05-20
Jap Okinawa Attack Beaten off,
y. S. Casualties Reach 3O>526;
Tito Strikes Back at Alexander
Declares He Will
Not Be Tricked Out
Of Territory Rights

Of errItory Rights
TITO PROPOSAL on Trieste dis
pute rejected by U. S. Page Al
Ey the Associated Press.
Yugoslav troops remained In
disputed Trieste last night as
Field Marshal Sir Harold Alex
ander declared that Marshal
Tito apparently intended to back
his territorial claims with force
"a course which he said was al
too reminiscent of Hitler, Mus
solini and Japan.
Tito, expressing resentment" at
Alexander's statement, again re-
jected an American British request
that his forces withdraw from the
port city and all of Northeastern
Italy and Southern Austria, saying
YugoslavS had the right to occupy
territory they had liberated.
Can't Throw Away Principles.
Developments included:
l. Alexander, as Allied commander
in the Mediterranean, told his troops
he had been unable to come to an
agreement with Tito and that I'VE
cannot throw away the principles
for which we have fought"
2. Tito, replying in an interview
with the Yugoslav Telegraph
Agency, said he felt resentment
and surprise" and asserted that IAN
accusation" such as Alexander's
can only be thrown into the face
of an enemy" He reiterated that
Yugoslavia was prepared to cooper
ate but cannot allow herself to be
humiliated or tricked out of
her rights
3. The Belgrade radio broadcast
that the Yugoslav leader in formal
reply to American and British notes
on Trieste said the presence of his
troops in the disputes zone would not
prejudice decisions of the peace con-
ference as to whom these territories
belong"
Grew States Position.
4. Acting Secretary of State Grew
said in Washington that a Yugoslav
note had been received and could
not be reconciled with the American
position. 1t reiterated Yugoslav
territorial claims, Mr.. Grew added,
and proposed method for solution.
The Acting Secretary said the Uni
ted States was consulting with other
governments concerned, presumably
Britain and Russia.
5. In Trieste Yugoslav authorities
issued DEGREES banning Fascist So
cieties, confiscating property owned
by Germans, and dividing the area
into three districts for government
purposes. There was no evidence
of a Yugoslav withdrawal. Yugo-
slav and Allied troops in the city
remained on friendly terms. Two
British destroyers, with guns point
ing to the hills behind the city.
were in the harbor with a number
Of other vessels.
6. An Associated Press dispatch
from Belgrade said Tito's note
caused disappointment at the
United States Embassy there, but
a feeling persisted that a settlement
could be reached. Reliable sources
in London said the note necessi-
tated a further exchange of views.
Agreement on Occupation.
Alexander's statement to his
troops was made public with a head
quarters statement saying Tito had
agreed in July. 1914, and again in
February of this year that Alexan-
der's forces, for military purposes,
might occupy Venezia Giulia Prov
ince, which embraces Trieste
Yugoslavia agreed to occupy terri
tory to the east to line running
north of Fiume. This line ap-
proximates the 1899 Yugoslav -Ital-
ian border.
Alexander told his forces that all
his efforts to come to a friendly
agreement" with the Yugoslav
leader had failed.
The question had been checked
back to the governments of the
United States and Britain, he said.
and they now had taken up the
matter directly" with Tito.
I'VE are now waiting to hear
whether Marshal Tito is prepared
to cooperate in accepting a peace
full settlement of his territorial
claims or whether he will attempt
to establish them by force.
Il send you this message so that
you may know the issues which are
now at stake"
Alexander said the Soviet gov
ernment had been kept fully in
/C11 rYnSN