711.60H/8–2447: Telegram
The Ambassador in Yugoslavia (Cannon) to the Secretary of State
967. I returned this morning from Zagreb whither I had gone Friday1 night for an interview with Marshal Tito yesterday. Though I had expected, and as the event proved, that this my first extended conversation with him would consist largely of civilities, I had gone prepared to discuss a variety of topics if the opportunity arose. I introduced several of these themes but they elicited nothing more than desultory though friendly and at times humorous rejoinders.
He showed a spark of interest in the tourist passport matter curiously stressing the need of tourists’ dollars more than the political aspects. He deplored (and it was he who introduced this theme) the rough language in some of the exchanges between our governments and asked our indulgence for “impetuous, young and only partly trained officials”. He would see that those things were changed. I thanked him but supplemented his remarks by adding that I was more interested in the substance. He invited me to come to him personally whenever I felt his intercession might be needed. Though he said this three times in the course of our talk and I shall not forget it, I still am not sure it meant more than the assurance customary in this type of interview.
There was only one remark in the whole conversation which he may have intended to carry some significance. This was his statement “of course there are some fundamental problems and differences which you and I, as we work on these problems here, even with all good will, shall not be able to change”.
- August 22.↩