Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-09-15
U. 5. Is Reported
Asking Tito for
Use ofAir Bases
Request Said to Have
Been Made to Premier
By Admiral Cassidy
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associoted Press
BELGRADE. Yugoslavia, Sept.
l5.-The United States has asked
Premier Marshal Tito of Yugo-
slavia for greater cooperation in
the joint defense of Southeastern
Europe, including the use by
American planes of air bases in
this country.
From a responsible source it
was learned that Vice Admiral j,
H. Cassidy, commander in chief
of the Mediterranean-ba based 9Th
Fleet. laid the proposition before
Marshal Tito last week aboard the
giant aircraft carrier Coral Sea
during his visit to Split.
1t was presented in the course
of a special brief1ng, before the
Coral Seas sailors and aviators
put on demonstration of Amer
lean sea and air power. Marshal
Tito was shown charts outlining
how and where carrier = based
planes, operating from the Adri-
attic. could strike in Hungary, Ro-
mania and Bulgaria if Yugoslavia
was attacked by the Soviet satel-
liteS.
Admiral Cassidy was quoted as
paying a glowing tribute to Yugo-
Slavias resistance against Rus
sian pressure since it's break with
the Soviet-led Cominform in 1948.
He expressed American gratiflca-
ton at this country's recent meas
ures to increase defensive cooper.
alton with Greece and Turkey.
Important Suggestions.
But he said the United States
would like even greater direct CO.
operation with Yugoslavia-co-
operation already marked by in
creasing shipment of American
arms to equip Marshal Tito's
tough. well trained troops.
Admiral Cassidy repeatedly Of
fered two informal yet highly i'm
portant suggestions. He said he
would like to see:
/. Yugoslavia grant American
flyers the right to operate over
this country and to use Yugo-
slav air bases in order to become
better acquainted with the terrain
in the event they are called upon
for aid in case of war. 80.
2. Participation by the Yugoslav
navy in joint maneuvers with
units of the American Navy in
the Adriatic.
Both suggestions underscore the
reason behind the decision of the
Navy and the State Department
to send a flotilla-one of the
worlds three largest carriers, a
modern heavy cruiser and four
destroyers-here for the most
impressive demonstration of West
ern strength since the wars end.
Remains N0ncommittal.
Poker faced. Marshal Tito re-
NAMED noncommittal. This came
as no surprise. The briefing was
in English-a language in which
he has made such progress dur.
ing the past two years that he de-
clined a translation. There were
English-speaking aides with him
who could fill in any details he
might have missed.
But it was unlikely, in any
event, that he would make an on
the-Spot decision. Presumably.
the question how far Yugoslavia
should 60 in cooperation with
the Western world will arise next
month at a conference of the
country's ruling Communist Party
at Zagreb-the first since the
Cominform break nearly five years
ago.
For Marshal Tito there existed
two problems. On the one hand.
agreement to Admiral Cassady's
suggestion probably would be in
terpreted by the Cominform prop
agandists as a sign of yielding
to what they term Western pres.
sure.
On the other hand, agreement
undoubtedly would mean in
creased aerial and naval aid for
Yugoslavia - both of which this
country desperately needs plus
financial assistance in developing
sea and air bases.
Marshal Tito must make his
choice against the background of
an incident seven years ago when
Yugoslavia, then an ally Of Russia
and proud of control of its own
skies. shot down an American
Army plane off course above this
country.