860h.00/10–3045: Telegram
The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Patterson) to the Secretary of State
[Received October 31—9 p.m.]
601. Yesterday Senator Pepper70 had 2-hour conference with Tito, with me as an observer.
[Page 1277]Senator, saying he was speaking as individual and member of Foreign Relations Committee of US Senate, bluntly told Tito there was impression in US that terms of Yalta Agreement have not been complied with in Yugoslavia and that if Marshal expected American economic and financial help he would first have to show that conditions in his country were democratic. The Senator said frankly opinion in US is that there are neither freedom of press nor personal liberty in Yugoslavia; that there is oppressive secret police, and electoral laws are so framed that opposition has no opportunity to express itself. He added United States had requested Hungary [Bulgaria?] to postpone elections.71 This had been done and things had gone better there since.
Senator told Tito and asked us to quote him in our telegram as follows: Tito should make friendship with US and Russia basis of his policy so that [he could say not only that he had liberated people from Germans]72 but also that he had support of two greatest nations of world; US friendship would be of great value to Yugoslavia in helping repair war damage and rehabilitate economy of country, while all we wanted in return besides reasonable assurances of repayment was that Tito should assure Yugoslav people minimum requirements of democracy.
Senator said he hoped there would be an opportunity soon for Marshal Tito and President Truman to talk things over in America and find a harmonious understanding between the two countries.
In reply Tito said the sympathetic feeling of Yugoslavia for America has never weakened and acknowledged with appreciation that US has given Yugoslavia more help than any other nation. He maintained his government had fulfilled Yalta Agreement in expanding Avnoj and in preparing for elections. Stating Grol was put in Cabinet at suggestion of Kardelj without any suggestion from King, Tito said Grol resignation had no connection with Tito–Subasic Agreement or Yalta. Tito also said he had had no conflict with Subasic until his resignation. Subasic had been selected by Cabinet as number two delegate to the Foreign Ministers Conference London but on eve of Conference was urged by Machek party leaders to resign. He suffered stroke and Tito gave orders for his remaining completely quiet until he recovered. When he recovered he claimed Tito–Subasic [agreement had not been]73 fulfilled and resigned. Subasic thus gave in to his friends in Croatia who had collaborated with Pavelic and some of whom are still in prison. Subasic had asked Tito to free them [Page 1278] but for political reasons he could not. Tito said real reason for refusal of Grol and Subasic to take part in elections was to provoke US and Great Britain to intervene in Yugoslavia. He added government is now putting a special box at all polling places for convenience of voters opposed to front.
There is now more freedom of press than ever before, Tito continued, and intentions are to prepare a new constitution which will be completely democratic. Referring to corruption in pre-war Yugoslavia Tito said country now enjoys secret ballot and has 8 million voters whereas formerly there were only 3½ million.
Finally Tito said Yugoslavia cannot recover without aid from US and that if US was going to invest in Yugoslavia it had right to know what was going on there. He added that future plans for Yugoslavia included extensive roadbuilding, railroads in Bosnia, electrification all over Yugoslavia and shipbuilding.
Senator, who saw and approved this cable, left for Bucharest after writing Tito a letter of thanks which concluded as follows: “I do hope at an early date it will be possible for you to visit the US for I am anxious to have our President and our people know you. You will be warmly received.”
Sent Department as 601, repeated London 47 and Moscow 39.
- Claude D. Pepper (of Florida), who was traveling through Europe and the Near East as a member of the Senate Special Committee on Small Business with the object of studying the means by which small business could obtain access to foreign trade.↩
- For details of the Bulgarian election postponement, see vol. iv, pp. 282–310, passim.↩
- Corrected on basis of text of telegram 39, October 30, from Belgrade to Moscow, in Moscow Embassy files.↩
- See footnote 72, above.↩