Crisis in Croatia

For four nights last week, students rioted in the Croatian city of Zagreb. The demonstrations, which left 400 students under arrest, were one of the worst outbreaks of civil disorder in Yugoslavia since the Communists took control more than 26 years ago. What brought on the violence was a long-simmering dispute between the 4,300,000 fiery-tempered Croats, who form the second-largest and politically most troublesome of Yugoslavia's six republics, and their ancient enemies the Serbs, who have traditionally dominated the central government in Belgrade.

The confrontation took place despite the best efforts of President Josip Broz Tito to prevent it. Tito last summer forced the central government to surrender much of its political and economic powers to the country's six republics and two autonomous provinces. The Croats, as it turned out, were not satisfied. Encouraged by extremist exile groups in West Germany and Eastern Europe, many Croats continued to accuse the central government of taking away too much of the republic's earnings from foreign tourists and giving the money to less prosperous Yugoslav regions. Some Croatian nationalists even demanded a separate Croatian army, a separate airline and separate membership in the United Nations.

Out of Control. Croatia's Communist leaders, most notably Dr. Savka Dabcevic-Kucar, the brilliant woman economist who for the past three years has served as chairman of the Central Committee, seemed either incapable or unwilling to halt the separatist agitation. In fact, some observers suggested that committee members secretly welcomed the agitation since it forced the Belgrade leaders to grant even more concessions to Croatia.

The showdown began three weeks ago when 30,000 Croatian students went out on strike in support of the nationalistic demands. The revolt convinced Tito that the republic's Communist leaders had lost control of the situation and that Yugoslav unity was endangered. He denounced the strike as "counterrevolutionary" and sharply criticized Croatian party leaders for allowing the separatist forces to exploit the republic's economic grievances. At a hastily convened conference of Croatian leaders, Tito declared that he had lost faith in their promises to work harder at controlling the separatists. "Criticism as a kind of confession, followed by sinning again, is not enough," he told them.

They took the hint. Two days later, in an unusual televised session of the Croatian Central Committee, seven ranking leaders, including Dr. Dabcevic-Kucar, confessed their shortcomings and handed in their resignations. At Tito's behest, one of his old associates from partisan days agreed to supervise the rebuilding of the Croatian party. He is Vladimir Bakaric, 59, who is a member of the Executive Bureau in Belgrade, which is the party's equivalent of a collective federal presidency. He favors greater economic and political autonomy for Croatia but within the framework of the Yugoslav federation.

The purge touched off more demonstrations by students and other young Croatian nationalists. While police helicopters circled overhead, and gray land rovers full of armed militiamen cruised the streets, the protesters milled about beneath brightly lit New Year's decorations on Republic Square in the center of Zagreb, throwing fire crackers, singing nationalistic songs, and chanting the names of their arrested and ousted leaders.

At week's end, Zagreb was quiet. But there was still a possibility that unrest might break out again in Croatia. One newly appointed party leader even charged that the demonstrations were part of a plot to establish a pretext for Soviet intervention. Now 79, Tito is determined to create a viable federal system that will enable his factionalized country to survive after he is no longer there to act as its stern father. The Croatian crisis is a reminder that that task may be too much even for Tito.

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