Chile Alleges Jugoslav Communist Plot

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 October 1947, Page 6

Chile Alleges Jugoslav Communist Plot

BELGRADE, October 11.

The Jugoslav News Agency said today that as a result of Chilean charges that Jugoslavia had instigated a widespread Communist plot in South America, Jugoslavia had broken oft diplomatic relations with Chile, and accused Chile of “fantastic slanders and the violation of the most elementary principles of international relations.” A Jugoslav Foreign Office communique said: “Jugoslavia has done nothing to justify the expulsion, from Chile of two Jugoslav diplomatic officials. It is clear that this insult was part of a premeditated step in the interests of the expansionist tendencies of certain Powers which have conducted Chile’s home and foreign policies.” The Moscow radio said that while Chile was suppressing so-called Communist activity, it was permitting pro-Fascist organisations to act lyAccording to a report from Santiago on the eve of the announcement from Belgrade, the Chilean Communist Party proposed that the expulsion of the two Jugoslav diplomats on charges of “Communist agitation” in Chile should be referred to the United Nations.

At the same time, the Chilean Government published translations of three documents alleged to have been found in luggage owned by Mr Dalibor Jakasa, secretary of the Jugoslav Legation in Buenos Aires, who was visiting Chile when he was expelled. The Government claimed that the documents supported the charges made against Mr Jakasa. “Vast Movement in Chile”

A statement accompanying the documents alleged that numerous members of the Chilean Communist Party had “lent themselves to a vast movement which may be described as aggression inspired and directed from abroad.”

The Chilean Government, in a new statement today in connection with the expulsion of the two Jugoslav diplomats, alleged that a Communist fifth column, working under a foreign director, was trying to Sovietise Latin America. It said that the two Jugoslavs were working to consummate a vast plan which, among othei' things envisioned a wave of strikes in Chile’s vital industries. The statement added: “The aim was to paralyse completely the country’s ability to participate in the defence and security of the hemisphere.” The Chilean director of investigations (Mr Luis Brum), in a separate statement, announced that Chile and Argentina would take joint simultaneous action against “Continental Communism.” Chilean Labour Troubles

Meanwhile the President of Chile (Mr Gabriel Videla) has ordered the drastic rationing of coal to conserve stocks depleted by a week-end coal strike. Mr Videla said the refusal to resume work of all but 50 of the 16,000 miners on strike in. the Concepcion area, in spite of Government orders and an offer of a wage increase, confirmed that the strike was political and revolutionary. Simultaneously, four more alleged Communist agitators were arrested in the strike zone on the south Chilean coast. This brought to nearly 50 the number of those either gaoled or transported to Tierra del Fuego. The Chilean Foreign Minister (Mr Vergara) issued a statement saying that Chile regarded with the highest disdain Jugoslavia’s rupture of diplomatic relations. Chile had no interest whatever in maintaining relations with the puppet Government of Belgrade, and rejected Belgrade’s “cynical imputation” that Chile had acted under foreign pressure.