Evening star., 1949-09-04
Yugos|avs Deny Story
That They Anticipate
Soviet Army Invasion
BY the AssocIaied Press

the effect that the Yugoslav gov.
ernment is supposedly considering
the possibility of an invasion o1
Yugoslavia by Russian troops.
1T is officially stated that this
news to the effect that Yugosla,
official circles made such state.
ments is an ordinary fabrication
and arbitrary guesswork of the
correspondent Of the United Pres.
in Belgrade"
(The United Press in New
York had no comment on the
denial immediately
Complaint on Ship Denied.
Tito's Ministry of Information
also denied a voice of America
broadcast which said Belgrade had
complained to the international
Danube Commission about the
presence Of an armed Soviet ship
on the Danube River last month
1T is officially announced" the
ministry said, that the news
about this complaint is untrue >
Un New York, a Voice of
America spokesman declined
comment. The spokesman said
q Voice broadcast yesterday
quoted an unidentified Yugo-
slav official as saying his gov
ernment had registered the
complaint to the commission.
CHowever, the same source
said, a Voice broadcast today
will carry a statement by a
Yugoslav spokesman denying
that Tito's government had
made such a complaint)
Tonight Yugoslavia blasted Bull
garia for refusing to permit
Yugoslavia to participate in the
official Bulgarian fair in Plovdiv.
A ministry statement said it ap-
peared from the Bulgarian refusal
to admit Yugoslav products for
exhibition that Sofia authorities
would not "be able to guarantee
peace in their country if Yugo-
slavia participated.
The statement said Bulgarian
authorities are afraid of showing
the results of socialism in Yugo-
slavia as would be done through
Yugoslav exhibits.
The government also denounced
Hungary's refusal to permit a
delegation from this country to
participate in a world congress"
at Budapest.
For the past week rumors have
spread through Europe and Amer
ica that Russia is sending troops
to the Yugoslav border. A widely
publicized one said five Soviet
divisions were grouped in Romania
and Hungary near Tito's frontier.
In Washington. Secretary Of
State Acheson said such reports
appear to be part of a war Of
nerves. American and British
diplomatic sources in London said
they'd heard nothing to indicate
the reports were anything but
rumors. American Army circles
in Austria were skeptical of the
reports.
Belgrade Remains Calm.
Belgrade itself remained calm
amid the flood of rumors.
Joza Vilfan, Tito's spokesman at
the United Nations, was asked by
reporters in London how he felt
about Russian threats against his
country.
There is always a feeling of
confidence in Yugoslavia," he said.
Russian threats against the Bal
kan country began Is months ago
when the Moscow-run Cominform
accused Tito of not following the
Kremlin's political line.
Today, the Petars and the Mis-
has of Yugoslavia-the average
men and women who work for
their daily bread-reacted calmly
to the news that Tito had severed
two of his chief commercial ties
with Russia.
Word that the joint Yugoslav-
Russian civil aviation and Danube
River shipping companies had been
dissolved came as no surprise to
the Yugoslav people.
The agreement under which
most Of Tito's aerial and water
shipping was handled by these
companies had. in effect, stopped
operating months ago.
Deal Found One sided.
It was the same sort of arrange
ment Russia set up with other
satellite states when the war
ended. In the role of big brother,
Moscow lent its name along with
a promise to push the develop
ment Of joint enterprises in the
mutual interests of Communist
nations.
= In Yugoslavia' case, at least,
Belgrade found it was a one e-sided
deal. Tito had to put up labor,
money and equipment in return
Tor the privilege of sharing the
prof1ts-if any-with Russia on a
$3.50 basis.
. . But the Petars and the Mishas
weren't getting excited over the
end Of this commercial deal, any
more than they were about all the
plain and fancy rumors of troop
concentrations on their borders.
PopoI Regent in Belgrade
Received by Pope Plus
= CASTEL GANDOLFO, Sept. 3
@.-Pope Plus XII today received
Archbishop Joseph Patrick Hurley,
9apal regent in Belgrade and
bishop Of st. Augustine, Fla, in
1rivate audience.
= Archbishop Hurley has been in
Rome several weeks.
Rondolph Pate Promoted
To Broader General