Evening star., 1946-08-25
Yugoslav Note in May
Assailing Pressure
By U. ). Disclosed
By the Associated Press


charged in a note to the United
States last May that American re-
fusal to release $4,000, 900 in Yugo-
slav shipping constituted political
pressure to force Marshal Tito to
support Observation-Disclosures of the
Danube, Yugoslav source said to-
day.
This informant said the note pro-
tested that American failure to re-
lease 173 units of Yugoslavias Dam
ube feet had cost Yugoslavia $40
100000 in lost productivity, and that
Titos government had threatened
to take all steps to defend her in
terests.' He said the ships were
held in the American zone of Aus
tria.
He SAID the representative of the
American Embassy in Belgrade had
declared that if Yugoslavia sup
ported the American plan for inter-
naturalization of the Danube,
then something may be done about
the ships"
Britain Told of Exchanges.
A similar attitude was encoun-
tered in American authorities in
Vienna, who informed Yugoslavia
the issue was closely connected with
lnternatlonalization of the Danube,
the source said. The American au-
thorlties were said to have told
Yugoslavia that it would be a good
thing if Yugoslavia supported the
American plan for interna tjonaliza-
tion of the Danube"
The informant said Britain was
informed of the exchanges with the
request that her good services" be
offered to assist in the matter. He
said Britain has made no reply.
(Acting Secretary of State
Acheson, when asked in Washing
ton Friday about the Yugoslav-
Danube situation, told reporters
that the United States wanted to
discuss reopening navigation on
the Danube for all countries bor-
dering on the river.
CAS- for the ships themselves,
he said the United States has
some in Austria that were the
property of individuals other than
Austrians. Officials at the de-
partment yesterday would not
make any further comment.)
Appeal Filed With U. n.
At the British Foreign Office to-
day a spokesman said Britain was
aware of Yugoslavia's exchange with
the United States on the question of
Danube shipping, but that officials
could not disclose whether any &C.
ton was taken.
1t was announced yesterday that
Yugoslavia earlier this month had
filed an appeal with the Economic
and Security Council of the United
Nations asking for return of l67 of
the vessels held on the upper Dam
ube. That appeal did not mention
the United States specifically.
The informant said that through
American neglect several Yugoslav
ships and barges had already cap
sized.
He said the frozen" ships in
cluded all Yugoslavias oil tankers
used to transport Romanian oil down
the Danube and that their loss
caused serious results to the regu-
lar supply of fuel for the country"
He added that the ships also were
needed to transport food to hungry
areas.
Is Tankers Included.
The vessels include 13 first-class
passenger ships, 8 motor ships, 13
tankers and the rest barges and
other craft, he said, adding they had
been removed from Yugoslav rivers
in the fall of 1914 by the retreat
ing Germans.
Saying that on several occasions
in 1945 and 1916 Yugoslavia asked
for release of the ships, he added
THE Americans gave evasive an
swers, stating there was serious
obstacle in the river area near Tuln
(the Linz area) where a bridge
barred all traffic. They promised
that the obstacle would be removed
by December, 1945, and the Ships
would be allowed to proceed down
the river"
He added that this did not ma
terialize, and when an expert COM
mission was sent to inspect the Dan
ube in the American zone it found
mo obstacles which would prevent
the ships sailing down the river"