A Lesson from Yugoslavia
Mr. Milovan Djilas got a severe rap on the knuckles for his temerity in letting his thoughts run freely and publicly in the direction of the liberal practices of social democracy. In some respects (his observations on the morals of Communist Party leaders and their wives, for example). his criticism had a personal pungency that would not be Wekqme in the most liberal of democracies. Considering the nature of Commu- nism. it says something for the Yugoslav party that it was Mr. Djilas's knuckles that took the rap, not the back of his neck. Ile has been expelled from office, but not from the party. He has been called a crocodile, but at least he is still a free one. This is all the more surprising in view of the fact that he has not eaten his, words. He adheres to his heresy; he has not ' learned his lesson.' It is to be hoped, though, that the sentimental left-wingers in this country, from Mr. Aneurin Bevan downward, have learned their lesson from the Djilas incident. To be thankful that Yugoslavia stands outside the Russian orbit is one thing; to see in Marshal Tito a substitute for the greater god that failed is another. Communism is Communism in all its unpleasant essentials whether Moscow pulls the strings or not. The democracy of which Mr. Bevan, for example, is a representative is still its bitter enemy. It was this that Mr. Djilas overlooked in his enthusiasm, 'and for demanding "more democracy, more free disCussions, freer elections " he has paid the penalty.
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