bjilas Persecuted
THE re-arrest of Milovan Djilas comes as an unpleasant reminder that Yugoslavia, mild though its regime may be in comparison With those in force in other East European countries, is still nothing approaching a liberal State. Mr. DjilaS seems to nave offended by the impending publication in New York of his record of conversations with Stalin, and it is true that the book may be an embarrassment to Yugoslav relations with the Soviet Union as Well as a breach of the undertaking not to en- gage in political activity which was a condition cit. iis author's release from prison last year. But Ministers and officials in all countries must often wish that individual citizens had acted otherwise, and embarrassment is the price that must be paid to ensure that the latter are not subject to arbitrary action on the part of the authorities. If Mr. Djilas's book infringes some Yugoslav official secrets act, then he ought to have been asked to cut the offending passages. As it is, President Tito and bis government have under- taken a course which is one of political per- secution. Incidentally, they have also made them- selves laughing-stocks: their patent nervousness over the activities of one man is a ludicrous spectacle.
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