Omaha daily bee., 1909-04-25

and Rumania. there would be considerable
smuggling but for the watch which is kept
Up on both sides Of the river. for the i'm
port duties OF servia are very high in
consequence Of the little country's heavy
military and government expenses. Along
the Drlna a week seldom passes now with
out a frontier incident with the troops
OF the hostile empire, and the Turkish
border must be watched continually to pre-
vent ipcursions on the part Of the Alban-
ians. those lawIess mountain men whom the
Turkish government has kept in arms for
centuries for the purpose OF offering a
check 10 the advance Of western civiliza-
ton.
Simulate Passion Easily.
Many things that the servians do seem
most artificial. The passions into which
thew sometimes work themselves seldom
strikes one as very real, and If they may
be Judged by the way they are able to shlft
their affections their loves are not deep
rooted. They are talking now, for instance
OF throwing over Russia, who has played
them false-I use their own expression
end entering the protecting fold OF Austria
Hungary this though their army is stu
mobilized as much as 1t ever was against
the neighbor across the river.
In their political demonstrations one man
will throw a stone, not impulsively because
he is unable to restrain himself, but be-
cause It is the thing to do at public meet
ings Of protest. The government controls
the press and encourages or says nothing
about public gatherings, and II the press
or some one through it does not put for
ward such a suggestion the idea never
occurs to the people as a community. When
crowds are gathered for this purpose the
schoolboys take the lead, while grown men
stand atout the edges of the meeting; and
a leader gives the word or signal when IL
is time to shout.
It was said yesterday by the man In the
street that unless there was war with Aus
tria-Hungary there would be revolution
here. But the government had no FEAR Oh
this. Having put itself Tin the hands oil
Europe" 1t declared that Europe's dictates
would be obeyed, be they for war or peace
and the government knew that the Servlan
people as a whole would obey orders
disappointed Editor Weeps.
1t is interesting to notice the effect Whlch
the governments withdrawal OF the de-
mands on Austria has had upon the people
The average man is like the waiter OF my
hotel, who, having been a most ardent
advocate of war, now disposes OF the mat
ter with the general declaration 1T is the
politics of Europe that keeps Servia from
plunging into the conflict. The editor oil
the Politika. author of the fiery editorials
now sits silent in the Cafe Moscow ano
has been seen to weep. And it is said tha'
several college students. too young to be
called TO the colors and therefore only
volunteers, have committed suicide.
From no one is there shouting and noisy
protest. The Legion of Death still
parades through the streets because the
governments order to make the daily snow
has not yet been countermanded SINAI
boys, college students and men going II
the same direction pany the legion
pledged to the use of dynamite in the form
Of bombs and otherwise. The employment
of dynamite is copied from the Bulgarian
insurgents of Macedonia.
Yesterday morning the last troop OF cav
airy left Belgrade going in the directlon
Of the Drina. where it is supposed the Aus
trains will cross If they mean to nave wal
in spite of Servia's withdrawal of It's de-
mands, and in the afternoon the last bat
terry of artillery left the old Turkish for'
above the Danube and the Sava at thelr
junction. The artillery was loaded on rail-
way trucks to be taken in the direction OF
Semendria, a likely crossing place on the
Danube. Yet there was no outward show
Of enthusiasm, spontaneous or by govern
ment order. Where were the youths Of the
university?
King Peter is Ignored.
Before the palace on SUNDAY a fair sizec
.rowd stops on its way TO the cafes to see
he guard mount. But nobody calls foi
.Xing Peter. And l remember when th'
ing arrived in Belgrade TO take the place
II the murdered Alexander, for l was her,
n that occasion-that the school children
md the various clubs and organization
which turned out to do him honor were
previously drilled to cheer his triumphan
entry. Even the ex crown prince, though
he is the hero Of the war party, receives
only a lift of the hat when he appears II
public, which is very often.
-Four days ago, when the war scare wal
at a height it had not attained before, tn,
term of service Of several thousands re
s~ervists who were stationed here came t
an end and for the same day, naturally
an equal number of other reserves wer
/, called out for fifteen days training. l saw
3 both the coming and the going of thes
5 peasants, each with his striped carpet bai
slung over his shoulder, pattering softl
over the cobblestone streets in his lace
/ moccasin-like sandals, Neither those VIII
went away thinking there would now b
peace, nor those who came to the color
for the third time this winter. thinkin
that there would now be war, gave or re
ceived a single cheer
n The other day out on Banitza hill, whe
: the third or final class of reserves. tn
men Of 40 and over, received their rifle
$ and ammunition from the government al
senal a number of them gathered abou
me. amused at my camera; / was takin
d photographs Of different groups and type
e In their picturesque cloaks of red home
: spun or their rusty brown rags. Sud
I denly a youthful soldier in uniform pushe
a through the crowd and commanded m
s peremptorily TO come before his officer.
ChildIike Warriors.
y I thought that In the cause of discipllr