New Diplomacy

Miloje Smiljanich, career diplomat in King Peter's Government and head of the Yugoslav delegation to the Allied Advisory Council in Rome, was at lunch in delegation quarters. Suddenly Marshal Tito's aging (75) Foreign Minister Josip Smodlaka confronted him. Curtly Smodlaka told Smiljanich to have the full delegation staff on hand at 3 p.m. next day.

Promptly at 3, Smodlaka's black limousine drew up. Behind it a truck disgorged 35 Partisan soldiers, each with Tommy gun.

Said Smodlaka to Smiljanich and his staff: "Those of you who are not diplomats will enroll with the Partisans. None of you need set foot in here again." Smiljanich and his staff looked at the Tommy guns, silently filed out.

Shortly after, the new Yugoslav delegation was installed. Its chief, a towering Dalmatian Partisan captain, Jaksa Dubrovnik, stalked into the office of the Allied Advisory Council. Thumping his chest, he announced to U.S. Captain Steve Riggio his assumption of power, in the only three English words he knew: "Yugoslav delegation me."

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