Evening star., 1949-08-21
Tito and the West

Although some risk may be involved, the
administration has acted realistically
in deciding to let Yugoslavia buy an
American made steel mill. The Tito gov
ernment is an iron-f1sted dictatorship that
processes to be 100 per cent Communist,
but events within the past year or so have
brought about such change in its posi-
ton yis-a-vis Russia that the United
States and the West as whole have good
reason to take cautious but measurable
steps toward closer relations with it.
Thus, ever since June, 1948, when the
Soviet-controlled Cominform openly de-
nounced Tito as heretical, anti-Kremlin
"deviationist," the rift between the two has
been widening day by day, so that now it
seems to be an almost unbridgeable gulf
In fact, the division has become so deep
and bitter that Moscow, operating through
its still-obedient satellites such as
Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria-is waging
undisguised economic and political war
fare against its erstwhile ally. It is doing
so Cd by means of trade boycott cal
culated to create paralyzing crisis within
the country, and (2) by means of ceaseless
intrigue and propaganda aimed at melting
the Yugoslav people to overthrow Tito and
his regime.
Tito, for his own part, has responded to
all this with unwavering defiance. Pro-
claiming himself to be true Marxist, he
has branded the Soviet Union and its
Cominform as enemies of Yugoslavia, and
he has gone on from there, step by step,
toward a, complete break-a&ay that has
ripped great, gaping hole in the Iron
Curtain. In the course of his rebellion,
moreover, although disavowing any in
tention to ally himself with bourgeois,
capitalist" countries, he has made several
bids for a rapprochement with the West.
To that end, in addition to seeking help
from the World Bank and looking for nom
have stopped aiding the Communicated
Greek guerrillas, and he is reported to be
ready to negotiate friendly settlement Of
outstanding differences with the legitimate
government of Greece.
Viewed against this background, the
steel-plant decision makes sense. Although
opposed at first by the National Defense
Department, it has been agreed upon now
by all parties concerned including the
Security Resources Board, as q risk well
worth taking. AS q result, Pittsburgh
firm will make the mill-at price of
$4,000 000-for shipment to Yugoslavia in
about a years time. The Tito government
has said that the plant is needed for the
production of rails and structural steel,
and the State Department has taken the
view that such production can do much
to promote Yugoslav economic recovery
and thus prevent the kind of internal
crisis that could conceivably cause Tito's
downfall thing ardently desired by the
Kremlin.
AS for the risk involved, it does not seem
to be particularly great one. Although
the mill has a certain war potential (its
shipment will be the first of its kind in
recent years to Communist-run country,
it is not the type that can increase Yugo-
slavia's basic steel production. Further
than that, when it is ready for delivery a
year from now, the decision to send it will
be reviewed, and whether 1t will actually
be shipped or not will depend on the state
of Tito's relations with Moscow at that
time. Certainly, it will not 60 out If the
two meanwhile stage a reconciliation-a
possibility that looks extremely remote at
the moment.
Everything considered, therefore, this
deal seems sound It should help to bolster
Tito in his opposition to the Kremlin.
Moreover, coupled with increased trade
with the free world and such possibilities
q 1oo,, froy,, tho World no nh which r,ouy
is studying the subject, 1t can help to pull
Yugoslavia completely out of the Soviet
orbit. That is an objective of first impor-
tance. If achieved, it could mean q per-
manent shattering Of the Iron Curtain in
key area of the. strategically crucial
Balkans. The West ought not to neglect
any move to that end.