MIHAILOVICH HERO TO MANY YUGOSLAVS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 96, 8 July 1946, Page 3

MIHAILOVICH HERO TO MANY YUGOSLAVS

The conflict between Tito and Mihailovich was nothing less than a full-scale civil war, fought with all the intensity and violence of the Balkans, says the World Review. The real issues underlying the civil war had nothing to do with the question of who collaborated with the Germans against whom.

Negative propositions are difficult to prove conclusively. The fact that the Germans offered 100,000 gold marks for the heads of both Tito and Mihailovich; the fact that the Axis press abused Tito and Mihailovich in virtually the same terms; the fact that Madame Mihailovich J died in a German concentration camp, where she was being held hostage; the fact that in August, 1941, the Americans evacuated from Chetnik territory 260 Allied airmen who had been rescued at various times by the Chetniks (followers of Mihailovich) at an estimated cost lof 1000 Chetnik lives; the fact that | British and American military missions have reported positively on Milailovich—all these facts may not be sufficient to prove that Mihailovich did not collaborate with the Germans. But certainly they place a terrific burden of proof on the prosecution.

This is not a matter of defending Mihailovich as an individual. In Yugosalvia itself, and in Serbia particularly, there are some liundreds of thousands who regard Mihailovich as a national hero and who, because they themselves have taken part in the struggle against the Germans under the command of Mihailovich, remain completely unconvinced by the propaganda against him. They may not have seen eye to eye with Tito on the manner in which the struggle for national liberation should be carried on. But, all their weaknesses and misdemeanours notwithstanding, they were faithful and worthy allies. All they ask is a fair trial.