Exactly one month from today, Americans will elect a new president. A long, noisy and sometimes frenetic campaign will be over. Although the outcome probably won’t be known until the wee hours one month from tomorrow, Americans can be assured of one thing – a peaceful transition of power.

It’s a blessing worth counting in light of the stunning events of recent days in Yugoslavia. There, citizens went to the polls Sept. 24 and voted overwhelmingly to remove the barbaric Slobodan Milosevic from office. But Mr. Milosevic refused to cede power to the victor, Vojislav Kostunica. He used the state-controlled news media to cast doubt upon the election results. He used the judges he controls to order a phony new election. He no doubt was prepared to use the military and his own brutal nature if necessary.

But Yugoslavian people responded with extraordinary courage. A general strike brought Belgrade to a standstill. Tens of thousands of unarmed demonstrators joined striking miners, stood up to armed troops and routed them. Laborers poured in from the countryside and used farm equipment to smash barricade4s and to seize the Parliament building. Police and government security forces shed their uniforms and defected.

Mr. Milosevic fled the capital city late Thursday and apparently is holed up in a bunker in eastern Serbia, guarded by still-loyal army troops. For him, it is no longer a matter of political power, but a matter of life and death, or at least life imprisonment. He is under indictment by the world War Crimes Tribunal for the genocide in Kosovo, as are several members of his cabinet and military leaders. Although the people have reason to celebrate the victory of their people’s revolution, it is for now a fragile victory.

The rest of the world must help strengthen it. Mr. Kostunica, a bitter opponent of the NATO intervention in Kosovo, says he will not turn the dictator over to The Hague for trial. The NATO powers should not press the issue of internal asylum,, but at the same time it must be made clear that amnesty for Mr. Milosevic and his henchmen is unthinkable. Economic sanctions against Yugoslavia must be lifted immediately, aid to rebuild the shattered country must be quick and generous. It is through such decisive action that the offer by Russia to, as they say, “contain the situation,” can tolerated but, given Russia’s muddling during the Kosovo operation and its record of coddling Mr. Milosevic, not permitted to dominate. The heroic people of Yugoslavia risked too much.

Back in this country, the televised presidential debate Tuesday drew an audience of about 30 million, less than half of what was projected. There is much argument over whether Gov. Bush was too snide or Vice President Gore too condescending. Some NBC affiliates are being criticized for broadcasting the debate instead of a baseball game. Amazing how small some things appear when seen in the reflection of events half a world away.