CRISIS PASSING

Evening Star, Issue 25494, 26 May 1945, Page 7

CRISIS PASSING

YUGOSLAVS MORE REASONABLE (N.Z.E.F, Official "War Correspondent.) (Rec. 8 a.m.) TRIESTE, May 24. There are indications to-day that Marshal Titq's forces in Trieste aro adopting a more reasonable attitude and even that they may be preparing to withdraw some of their troops from the city. ■ Cases have occurred where the Yugoslavs have left their machinegun posts unmanned at times, a thing unknown a day or two ago, and there are fower of their armed patrols in the streets. Not infrequently one may sco Yugoslavs walking about the streets unarmed, a thing which was formerly unknown. It is obvious that the move forward of the Allied forces in the past two days into the province of VeneziaGuillia, which includes the back country around Trieste, has given Marshal Tito's froops some food for thought. Compared with the Yugoslavs the force the Allies can and have mustered 'is overwhelming, both in men and armaments.

Meanwhile, although each side is watching the other carefully, everything is quiet in the sector, both in Trieste and in the country occupied by the New Zealanders. Machine-gun posts face each other on opposite sides of the streets, tanks are disposed with guns poking around corners, but there have been no incidents recently which might have caused trouble among the troops. A Yugoslav commander into whose territory American forces pushed yesterday tried to blufF them into retreating by issuing something in the nature of an ultimatum, but the American commander visited him and talked it over, with the result that the Yugoslav smilingly admitted it had been a deliberate " try on."