Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-07-14

The Iron Curtain was no more than an
unimpressive wooden pole across the road,
painted white and red, with q bored soldier
leaning against his sentry box hundred
yards away. There were the usual formalities
at the frontier-though fewer than I met
with the Americans on my return journey from
Czechoslovakia into Germany-and within half
an hour we were driving over the bad roads OF
Yugoslavia, through a countryside which
showed little change from the Austrian fields
behind us.
Looking back on the three or four weeks
that spent in Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, dur
ing which time covered about 1850 miles by
road, find 1t hard to pass on. IN few con-
else sentences the impressions which received.
Yugoslavia is such . tumble OF countries. more
diverse in many ways than the United States.
In the north there Is Croatia, with its close
association with Southern Austria; along the
Danube Valley there are the plains OF Banat,
and nearer the Adriatic the mountainous coun-
tries of Bosnia, Montenegro and Macedonia,
and the fascinating coastal area Of Dalmatia
with its italian appearance and strong Italian
influence Bulgaria is more homogeneous, but
even here there are many types and problems.
In spite of the difference in country and
people, there was similarity wherever I
went in the friendliness with. which was
received do not believe it had any political
significance or that it was directed to me as an
Englishman and as somebody from the West
It was natural reaction toward any stranger.
Coupled with this friendliness, in most cases,
was official courtesy and a much freedom as
wanted. Expeditions to places Of interest were
arranged for me and interpreters supplied, but
when wanted to travel alone there were, apart
from few formalities, no dimculties put in my
way
Turkish Feeling In Bosnian Streets.
One of these unescorted journeys was par
ticularly fascinating-from Belgrade through
the heart Of Bosnia to sarajevo and on to
the Dalmatian coast. We drove hrst along
the Sava through good land indinerently
farmed and through shabby war-damaged VII.
lagos. After several hours we crossed the
River Drina, into Bosnia, and suddenly were
confronted with an entirely different atnlos-
phere The mountains were close upon Us, the
streets were narrow and crooked, there were
minarets, yelled women and general Turkish
feeling. Soon we started to climb, and after .
while there appeared to the north q magnifi-
cent view over the plain toward Belgrade, q
patchwork of blue, yellow, purple, orange and a
dark shadow from . few clouds on the hills,
with here and there some green. We climbed
up to the snow and the forests and continued
on top of an uneven plateau through pine
woods which were being felled and past occa-
sional badly damaged villages already partly
rebuilt and newly erected lumber camps.
The sun was setting as we reached the top
of the Romano Mountain and started to come
down into the valley where sarajevo lay 20
miles away. But 1t was already dark when We
arrived at the hotel. Although the establish
ment was nationalized we were treated with
embarrassing attention; the head waiter led Us
through the long queue to . reserved table
in the corner, rubbing his hands in the
approved manner Of all head walters, and