Staying in Power Without Turning Grey

If the deposed Nikita Khrushchev loomed over the outspoken Supreme Soviet meeting in Moscow, his lingering influence was felt even more strongly at the Yugoslav Communist Party Congress in Belgrade, where things were relatively frank too.

Addressing Yugoslav Communist delegates, as well as emissaries from most non-Peking parties abroad, Marshal Josip Broz Tito praised Nikita by name for his destalinization, his promotion of "freedom of expression," and for improving Soviet-Yugoslav relations. This part of Tito's speech never saw the light of day in Russia--frankness can go only so far.

Western reporters in Belgrade were surprised to be admitted to all sessions of the Congress, which had never happened before. They felt, perhaps ungratefully, that the occasion left some thing to be desired --there was simply nothing to compare to the famed "Sex Congress" of 1952, when one delegate took the rostrum to accuse another of having stolen his wife's affections.

Tito evidently felt confident enough to renew his attacks on the Chinese Reds, even if Moscow has tempered its own; the Chinese, he sneered, had over-estimated "their role in the world," and he condemned their "persistent efforts to discredit the policy of peaceful and active coexistent." Tito also sounded relatively secure in dealing with domestic matters, including the age-old feuds among Yugoslavia's many nationalities, which Tito has greatly subdued but not eradicated. Though claiming that "we are among the first countries in the world in rate of economic growth," Tito admitted to inadequate labor productivity and poor administration, although he dodged mentioning the falling value of the Yugoslav dinar, which in three years has gone from 750 to the dollar to 1,000.

He lamented the unruly behavior of the young and their restlessness under Communism, warned that "broader and more frequent distinctions are developing between intellectual and working class youth." Tito was also obviously interested in getting new blood into his government. In the party's most sweeping change to date, the Central Committee was expanded from 135 to 155 members, and 71 new men were appointed, bringing the average committee age down to 45 years from 52.

Despite his 72 years, Tito himself looked remarkably fit, and his hair, doubtless with the help of his barber, still showed scarcely any grey. He betrayed his age only by taking a 45-minute recess midway in his three-hour speech; in the old days, Tito could go on for hours without getting winded.

Later, at a press conference, he smilingly knocked down rumors that he was planning to retire.

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