Evening star., 1952-12-18
Tifo-vatican Split Stir!
Fear Of Weakening
Anti-Soviet Front
BY the Asseeiated Press

Marshal Tito's break with the
Vatican aroused fresh worry here
today over the weakest link in
the chain of anti-Soviet ma
tions in Europe-relations between
Communist Yugoslavia and Cath
olic Italy.
The American Governments
concern with the situation arises
from its desire, as a matter of
major policy, to establish the clos
est political and military Coop
Grafton among all the European
countries, in and out of the North
Atlantic alliance, in the interest
Of checking Soviet power.
Tito's diplomatic break with the
Vatican yesterday probably will
make it more difficult to achieve
this aim in two regards: Cd Ty-
ing Yugoslavia closer to the West
ern European nations, and (2)
trying to solve the Italian -Yugo-
slav dispute over Trieste.
Furthermore, some officials
think there may be difficulties
with Congress, where the anti
Soviet Communist government of
Yugoslavia has always been re-
garded with skepticism by many
members.
Tito Regarded as Asset.
Tito broke with Russia in mid
1948. Since that time the United
States has frightened it's relations
with him and provided substantial
military and economic assistance.
During the fiscal year which
ended last June 80 the United
States, Britain and France to-
gether provided Tito with $120
million; this year their help to-
tails 500 million. In both years
the American share has been $78
million.
The Truman administration has
regarded Yugoslavia as a great
asset to the West because O it
is a living example of the ability
of satellite nation to break with
Moscow and survive, and (2)
Tito's 30-odd divisions. though
they have been badly in need of
moderniZation, are a valuable ad-
dition to anti-Soviet strength.
Trieste Is ThOrny Problem.
Efforts to get along with Tito
have been marked by frequent diff
f1culties. He has repeatedly made
clear he is doctrinaire Commu-
mist with no interest in adopting
democratic ways or policies. More
over. he has had long fued with
the Roman Catholic Church. cul-
minated yesterday by the diplo-
matte break.
A particularly thorny problem
IS posed by the rival claims of
Yugoslavia and Italy to Trieste,
lying between them at the head
of the Adriatic Sea. Repeated
United States efforts to work out
a settlement have come to moth
ing. The dramatic nature of Tito's
break with the Vatican. with it's
probable repercussions in Italian
politics, now make the problem
far more difficult.
One example of the kind of new
difficulty which is now feared was
found in press reports that Tito
might cancel an impending visit
to Britain because of the chance
that Foreign Secretary Eden
would seek to discuss church prob
lens with him.
In the last few days, also, there
has been some Italian press specu-
lation that the United States
might withhold aid from Yugo-
slavia unless Tito settled the Tri-
este problem. Officials here said
today that there is no founda-
tion for such speculation. Never
thelesS, it was noted that such
talk may have prompted Tito to
consider the possibility of follow
ing a completely independent
course in world affairs.
In all these developments the
tendency to disharmony and i'll
will runs contrary to American
policy for tightening the anti
Soviet front at all points.