DARK RUSSIAN HINTS

Chronicle (Levin), 13 August 1948, Page 5

DARK RUSSIAN HINTS

(N.Z.P.A.

— Reuter

Tngoslavia May Be In The Cleft Stick

. Covvriaht)

Received Thursday, 7 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 11. The impression is growing in London that the quarrel betweeu Russia and Yugoslavia is entering a new phase, and that the Soviet is in the process of organising a system of economic sanctions against the Yugoslavs with the ohject of hringing Marshal Tito to heel. Albania, which had the closest po;sible ties witli Yugoslavia, recently oxpelled her trade representatives and severcd trade relations, while Bulgaria, after some preliminary hesitation, has also virtuallv severed ielations. Thb was followed by the announcement thnt Yugoslavia would buy a large quantity of oil from the Anglo-Iranian Company, which is taken as a plain indication that Rumania, under Russian pressure, has cut off yfarshal Tito's oil supplies. The latest evidence of the trend of events comes from Prague, where it was announced this week that Yugoslavia \vould have great difficulty in ob taining iinport permits from Czeehoslovakia. Simultaneously the official Czech travel agencv announced that all organised tours to Yugoslavia have been stopped. If these developments continue, Marshal Tito will be placed in a well-nigh imetenahle position. At present the great hulk of Yugoslavia 's trade, hoth inwards and outwards, is with the coimtries of the Eastern bloc, and the Russians are in a position to hamstring his army hy cutting off supplies of heavy munitions. Correspondents attgnding the Danubian conference in Belgrade report plain signs of friction between the Russians and the Yugoslavs, Alexander Werth, 'writing in the Manchester Guardian, says that behind the scenes, Mr.- Yvshinsky and his delegation have been "hinting darkiy that Yugoslavia has it coming to her." Afi'. Werth says that the first uprush of entliusiasm for MarshaS Tito which the GoTiiinform denunciation evoked in Yugoslavia has now subsided and theYugoslavs are showing distinct signs of nervousness. They are beginning to foel tliat they have no friencls anywhere. They are unable to patch up their quarrel with the Boviet politicallv, and psycliologicallv thev are in a poor position to timi wholelieartedly to the West. Ro far there are no outward indica tions that the Western Powers are taking anv steps to make friends wiri) Marshal Tito. Tndeed, it is general ly agreed that in the present state of af fairs nothing- would be gained by this Tt is beeoming increasingly evident tliat ^Marshal Tito must soon drop tlnpretence that he can quarrel with +!ie Gominform and still remain friendly with Russia and begin to educatp his countrv to make new friends. Tlns it would be extremely difficult for him to do in view of the wholehearted manner in which Yugoslavia has adopted the ■rommunist doctrine.