YUGOSLAVIA’S PERIL

Evening Star, Issue 23729, 9 November 1940, Page 3

YUGOSLAVIA’S PERIL

THE WARRIOR TRADITION [By W.G.8., in the ‘Melbourne Age.’] One of the most significant and tragic consequences ot Hitler's Balkan policy was tne announcement on October 20 of a German-* ugoslav trade agreement, signed under “ extreme pressure.” it is for history to disclose tne moans used by the Nazis to force this trade pact on the Yugoslavs, who, previously, had so heroically resisted tiie Nazi attempts at economic domination, but the extent of the pressure can perhaps be gauged by the outburst of Premier Tsvetkovitch on October 14, one week before the pact was signed. With the armies of the Axis massed on three of Yugoslavia’s frontiers, and a powerfully organised “ fifth column ” white-anting from within, Tsvetkovitch replied to Italian threats in the following words: “We warn everybody that we founded Yugoslavia with blood, and only so can it be taken from us.” This was the authentic voice of Yugoslavia, and Tsvetkovitch’s words were a cry wrung from the hearts of the Yugoslav people. It was .probably the challenge contained in these words that caused Hitler to be content with a trade pact rather than risk a Balkan war in an attempt to secure complete domination of the country. They were brave words of M. Tsvetkovitch, but they were not empty words. To appreciate fully the spirit of the Yugoslavs, one must know the story of Kossovo, a story which is known and told in every peasant’s hut throughout Yugoslavia. On the plains of Kossovo in il;iß9 the whole of Southern Slavdom combined in an attempt to stem the advance ■ of the Ottoman armies. Under the command of Tsar Lazar of Serbia, 100,000 Slav troops opposed 000,000 Turkish troops led by their Sultan, Murad. For 12 days these Slavs frour Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia, and Herzegovina carried on the unequal contest, and then it was only by the treachery of one of their leaders that they were conquered. The Turks carried the day and slaughtered their opponents with the ferocity of their age. Even the beloved Serb leader was beheaded. To avenge Tsar Lazar’s death, his son-in-law, Milosh Obilitch, one of the few survivors of the battle, rode alone, in full daylight, into the Ottoman camp, and slew the Sultan in his tent. This episode has left a deep impression on the Serb people. The horror of their defeat, the humiliation of the Ottoman yoke, were tempered throughout the centuries by the flaming deeds of their heroes. The memories of these deeds, perpetuated and nursed by illiterate peasants, helped to kindle the spark of nationalism, which ended in their becoming a nation. A RALLYING POINT. Yugoslavia has been the rallying point for the free peoples of the Bal-/ kans, and has steadfastly resisted Nazi 1 ' intimidation. If Rumania and Hungary had followed the example set by the"Yugoslavs, the territorial integrity of the Balkan nations could have been preserved, and Yugoslavia could havo resisted these latest demands of the Nazis. ■ For a time it seemed that the spirit of defeatism and frustration which has swept through South-eastern Europe had also embraced Yugoslavia, but in the last 18 mouths a remarkable change has occurred. The regeneration dates from January last year, when, following the elections of 1938, Dr Matchek, the veteran Croatian Peasant leader, presented to the Yugoslav Parliament a manifesto signed by 103 of its Deputies. The manifesto, which is destined to become an historic document, reads as follows:—“ It is ascertained by docnm’ents that these elections were carried through by means of terror and deception, corruption, and forgery. Therefore, the majority which the Election Committee proclaimed in Belgrade on January 10 cannot be regarded as the people’s representatives.” The charges which Dr Matchek made were so well proven that pro-Nazi Premier Stoyadinovitch—acclaimed personal friend of Hitler—was dismissed, and a new Cabinet formed under Tsvetkovitch, who also replaced Stoyadinovitch as leader of the Sorb Radical Union. The first task assigned to Tsvetkovitch was that of coming to terms with the Croat Peasant Party. The Nazi agents, following their usual strategy, had been urging the Croats to fight for autonomy and separation from Yugoslavia, and at the same time bringing pressure to hear on Prince Paul to resist the Croat demands. But Dr Matchek, the Liberal, anti-Nazi leader, saw through the Nazi plans, and urged the Croats to form an anti-Nazi united front with the Serbs. Already before the 1938 elections they had combined with the Serb Opposition parties in an attempt to unseat Stoyadinovitch. A WARNING. Protracted negotiations wore entered into by r the Serb and Croat leaders. Time after time they reached agreement, only to have it repudiated by Prince Paul, until the patience of both sides became exhausted. In March of last year, however, something happened which rocked Yugoslavia to its foundations—something which impressed on Prince Paul and the party leaders the necessity for immediate unity. Following the German occupation of Czecho-Slotakia, the Nazis turned their attention to Yugoslavia. On the nights March 26-27, 1939, bands of Nazis invaded Yugoslav territory near Ptuj. German planes flew over the country, promising the Slovenian Germans that their “ liberation ” was at hand. In several of the frontier towns, where the Gormans have been buying up land for years, young Nazis actually succeeded in planting the swastika flag on the public buildings. Documents subsequently discovered showed that even civil governors had been nominated for the districts of Slovenia and Voivodina, in anticipation of the entry of Nazi troops. The effect of times events was electrifying. Under the slogan “ Unity For the Defence of tjie Fatherland,” political, non-political, and religious bodies of all shades of anti-Nazi opinion combined together, pledged to defend the independence of Yugoslavia. This striking demonstration of national unity gave pause to the Nazis, who no doubt

thought they could afford to wait until fcJioir internal agents had better prepared the soil. Even Prince Paul must have been impressed by the urgency of the situation, and a few months afterwards, on August 24. the agreement, arrived at between the Serb and Croat loaders was ratified. Immediately a fundamental change was wrought in the political life of Yugoslavia. Internally Croatia was granted complete autonomy except in matters of foreign affairs, trade, and defence. Externally, the previous pro-Nazi attitude was changed to support' for the democracies, and steps were taken to eradicate Nazi influences inside the country. PEACEFUL PURGE. Last October drastic measures were taken against German “ tourists ” and agents inside the country. Final proof was obtained of Stoyadmovitch’s Nazi activities in April of this year. Together with the former Belgrade prefect of police and Minister of the Interior, Stoyadinovitch was arrested. At the same time CO persons found distributing pro-Gorman leaflets in Belgrade were arrested, the activities of a German spy organisation in northern Yugoslavia was exposed and 50 German officers posing as geologists were ordered out of tho country. All “ permis de sejour ” regardless of date of issue, or duration of validity, were carefully examined, and those foreigners who could not give good reasons for their presence in Yugoslavia were expelled. During the period of demoralisation in the Balkans Yugoslavia provided the shining example of a small country refusing to he bullied or cajoled by Axis threats. The Yugoslavs know what it is to “ groan under the oppressor’s yoke.” They have suffered under the Turks and the Austrians, but never without .fighting. They have never counted the odds when freedom was the stake.