Evening star., 1949-07-03


all we need from the West and
for our machinery? OF course.
us machinery and equipment. We
would give the West what we have
and can, money for goods anc
vice versa. If they wish to trade
with us on this basis, it's all right
If not, they can expect nothing
else from US
Cominform barbs and Western
Wishful thinking aside. Yugoslavls
remains Communist country
Moreover, Western opinion here
maintains that even the whip OF
economic necessity is not likely
soon to drive Yugoslavia into the
capitalist camp. Nothing will, ex-
cept a direct armed thrust by the
Cominform countries. And this
even Yugoslavs believe, is out OF
The question.
Tito's Hand Stronger
A year after his break with the
Cominform, Marshal Tito Is
stronger politically than he has
been in the past II years of un-
derground, war and state leader
ship, according to a survey OF
Western diplomatic opinion just
completed by this correspondent,
With the notable exception OF
the French, Western diplomats
here believe that the Cominforn
campaign against Tito has, if any
thing, heightened his popularity
They think that the Communist
Party, which he purged and took
over in 1887 on Comintern orders,
is largely-though not wholly
behind him.
They think that Tito can count
on the support of the army and
the very large militia. They are
finally, convinced that the major
ity of Yugoslavs see the conflict
with the Cominform in national
rather than Communist terms
Most of the people side with Tite
against the Cominform, as they
sided with him against the Ger
mans.
No Western observed here is in.
clined to underestimate the vigol
or variety o. Cominform pres.
sures. According to Yugoslav Off
cials themselves, the hostile move
have ranged from anti-Tito prop
aganda all the way to industria
sabotage and espionage.
IUneasiness Evident
Caught in a political wise be-
tween the East and the West
Yugoslavia today remains in .
state best described as uneas.
tranquility.
Contrary to rumors circulated
abroad, there are no troop move
ments, no Notifications being bull
to fight anti-Tito guerrillas, an,
according to the best-informe,
foreign opinion here no sucl
guerrillas.
Arrests continue, and one keep
hearing Of this or that intellec
tual, union officer or party func
tionary picked up by politica
police. There are. however, n,
mass roundups, and the ascertain
able number of arrests is lowe
than one would expect in view B.
the great political pressures a
play here.
On the other hand, there is !.
measure Of uneasiness. It is i'm
possible to gauge it, but it keep
cropping up in private converse
ton. Many Yugoslavs feel tina
the country cannot remain indef
initely in no-man's land, between
the East and the West. and the.
fear the steps that one side O.
the other can take to disturb
Yugoslavia' precarious balance.
Readiness to trade with tn
West is one Of the byproducts o
the break with the Cominform
Yugoslavia Is exactly midway il
her first five-year plan. She ha
started well enough, but the breal
has now deprived her Of the ma
chinery she expected to get from
the East. Today, she has to shoI
elsewhere.
Thus far, she has done littl
more than study the market. Tn
Hotel Majestic here is packed wit
Western buyers and salesmel
seeking metals and lumber o
offering trucks, oil drills and en-
tire steel mills. They find tn
Yugoslavs interested, but deter
mined to shop around until the.
can get the best terms.
One Big Deal Closed
Much Of what is to happel
hinges on the current Anglo-Yu
goslav trade talks. II they ar
successful. $500. 100000 worth o
goods will change hands In tn
next flve years-primarily Yu
goslav timber for British ma
chinery. rubber, wool, oil ant
industrial chemicals. English
officials here are confident the &C.
cord will be signed sometime thi!
month.
The only major deal actually
concluded thus far has been with
the British engineering con.
sultants, Murdo Mackenzie & Co
Under the contract, the firm is tt
plan, build or modernize mum.
Der Of industrial plants, for a tcta
fee said to be in the neighbornooe
Of 20,000,000. The zenitsa stee
works In Bosnia, on which tn,
firm is working, will be Yugo'
slavia's largest by 1851.
The best publicized deal, with