Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-08
As THE SUNDAY STAR Washington, D. c.
Yugos|avs Confused
By Contrary Trends
In Tito's Policies
ey Ernie Hill
Foreign Correspondent Of The stor and
the chieese Dolly News


the chieose Dolly News
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia. Aug. T..
Yugoslavs are extremely confused
about how to treat the Americans,
Britons and French attending the
11-nation Danubian conference
here.
They don's know whether to be
openly hostile, politely cool. helpful
or cordial.
They have been taught to dislike
and distrust the so-called i'm
pearialists" of the West. But on
this special occasion, as a corner Of
the iron curtain Is lifted, they have
been instructed to be friendly.
Yugoslavs are confused also about
their boss, Marshal Tito, since he
was read out Of the Cominform by
Moscow. Some are uncertain about
the direction he is headed POLITICAL
ly-East or West.
Guards at conference headquar-
ters are overly polite on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays-grim and
inscrutable on Tuesdays, Thursdays
and Saturdays.
People Talk Furtively.
Hotel managers engage in the
friendliest of conversations for Is
minutes. Then suddenly look pam
icky, glance over their shoulders
TO see If any one has been listen
ing and quickly excuse themselves.
Shop proprietors are that way,
too. They glare hole through
YOU for 10 minutes, suddenly turn
on the hospitality-only to become
frightened and aloof again.
Well informed and laxative Yugo-
slavs say:
I'VE may be fighting against you
as an enemy tomorrow. Or, maybe
we will be on your side. Or, maybe
there won't be any war. Who
knows?"
1t makes for confusion. In news
papers they read all the bad names
Andrea Vishinsky, Soviet Deputy
Foreign Minister, and Ana Pauker
Romanian Foreign Minister are call
ing American and Britain. Still they
see Yugoslavia voting with Russia.
Then they see that Tito is still being
bit in the back Of the neck by the
Soviet Union, Albania, Bulgaria and
other satellites.
Yugoslavia is politically muddled,
although there Is a general belle1,
and every indication, that 1t will
stick with Russia.
"Yugoslavia is open to co-opera-
ton with any country which re-
spects its independence proclaims
Tito's Communist Party central COM
mittee. That is construed as f1irt-
ing with the West
Most persons have talked Win,
however, say they see little chance
OF the country spinning out of Rus
sia's orbit. They say Russia is too
important economically and has too
many troops and military equipment
parked on their border.
Still Marshall Plan aid Is hard
bait to swim away from.
Tito is still Yugoslavia's strong
man. He was one of the big military
leaders who chased the Nazis out OF
the country during the war. ;,
Personal Following Big. +" ID
His following is still big. 1t. is a
personal following. 1t would stick
with him regardless Of whether he
went West or East. That is the
general concensus among Yugo-
slavia's politicians and observers
who are willing to talk on the SUBJ
ject.
Tito's legions are extremely patrlo-
tic. They are extremely nation
allistic.
They are rebuilding their coun-
try faster than most others wrecked
by war. Youths work on railroad
reconstruction jobs under a vol
untary CONSUMPTION plan. Men and
women put on their working clothes
and rebuild churches without any
hope of pay.
Yugoslavs are industrious and
diligent people. They work harder
than most of their neighbors.
If there is an even breakup OF
Communist Middle Europe domlna-
tion-although this is distinctly re-
mote-Yugoslavia may be among
{1ooco loo dino II