YUGOSLAVIA RETURN OF THE BAKER THROUGH ALL THE YEARS OF MARSHAL TITO'S 
COMMUNIST RULE, A SPECIAL NICHE HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR THE SMALL 
PRIVATE BUSINESSMAN WHO WAS SOMEHOW ABLE TO SUPPLY PRODUCTS AND SERVICES 
THE STATE-CONTROLLED ORGANIZATION COULD NOT MATCH . BUT A YEAR OR 
SO AGO, THE PROFITS OF THE BARBERS, BLACKSMITHS, PASTRYMAKERS, COBBLERS AND 
TAILORS BEGAN TO GET OUT OF HAND ; THEY BOUGHT CARS 
AND RENTED SUMMER HOMES ON FASHIONABLE LAKESIDES . LAST MAY TITO'S 
REGIME DECIDED TO WIPE THEM OUT . TAXES ON PRIVATE BUSINESS 
WERE RAISED SEVENFOLD . A PRIVATE TAILOR WITH ONE HELPER PAID 
THE SAME AMOUNT OF TAX AS A BELGRADE TAILORS' COMMUNIST COOPERATIVE 
WITH SEVEN EMPLOYEES . IT WAS TOO MUCH FOR ANY ARTISAN 
. BY THE END OF 1962, NEARLY 10,000 PRIVATE CRAFTSMEN CLOSED 
UP SHOP, 3,000 IN CROATIA ALONE . THE THEORETICIANS WERE HAPPY 
AT THE TURN OF EVENTS, BUT MANY OTHER YUGOSLAVS WERE NOT 
. THEY FOUND IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE IN SOME AREAS TO OBTAIN 
THE SERVICES OF A PLUMBER OR ELECTRICIAN . TO GET A 
PAIR OF SHOES REPAIRED TODAY TAKES A MONTH . BELGRADE'S FAMED 
CANDY AND PASTRY SHOPS ARE NEARLY ALL CLOSED, AND THE STATE-BAKED 
PITA A SERBIAN PASTRY FILLED WITH FRUIT IS NO EDIBLE SUBSTITUTE 
. THE GRUMBLING GOT SO LOUD THAT EVEN PRESIDENT TITO ADMITTED 
IN A SPEECH THAT " A REAL WITCH HUNT WAS STARTED 
AGAINST THE ALLEGED ENRICHMENT OF ARTISANS, AND EXCESSIVELY HIGH TAXES WERE 
LEVIED AGAINST THEM . " HE SUGGESTED THE MATTER BE ATTENDED 
TO . LAST WEEK THE YUGOSLAV PARLIAMENT WAS PREPARING TO PASS 
A NEW TAX LAW THAT " WILL NOT DISCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT 
OF CRAFTS . " THE PARTY'S OFFICIAL MOUTHPIECE, BELGRADE'S DAILY BORBA, 
OFFERED A DISTINCTLY NON-MARXIAN RATIONALE FOR THE RETREAT : " THE 
LAW TREATS PRIVATE CRAFTSMEN AS AN ADDITIONAL BUT SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC BRANCH 
WHICH FITS WELL IN THE SYSTEM OF SOCIALIST ECONOMY . / 
