The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-12-17

\ French war CORE spondent who was
in the Balkans during the second war has
given the world graphic picture of tho
battle of the Brcgalnitza. which dis
cided the fate of Bulgaria and dis
closed the true spirit of Scrvia to an
astounded Austrian audience. The night
before the battle began Servian officers
dined with Bulsarians. no war had been
declared. the armies facing each other
were still friendly. fellow victors Of re-
cent Turkish battles.
But jus: before daylight the Bulgarian
army moved suddenly forward. captured
or killed the Scrvian advance guards.
swept on and for some hours advanced
until they occupied a ridge beyond the
Bregalnitza which dominated the whole
surrounding country. The purpose had
been to crush Servan military power by
an unexpected attack and terrorize
beaten enemy. They had built in the
world, most strongly among their neigh
bois, legend of Bulgarian invncibility .
they hoped to make Bulgaria the Prussia
OF the Balkans.
The first onset found the Servians UNI
prepared Then followed some hours or
confusion, but about noon the Bulgarians
IN their newly won position saw the
Servian masses descending the hills to
the attack. Neither the monetary ad-
vantage won by the sudden breach VI
truce nor the Bulgarian reputation for
military prowess had cowed the Serbs.
What followed has remained obscure
to the world. interested in results. not
details. In sum, before this Servian ad-
vance halted the Bulgarian armies were
fleeing in two widely separated masses
toward the frontier. the victors of ku-
manovo had conquered those of IMle Bur
gas. and Servia had won Monastir and
Macedonia.
Something OF the same spirit which
won the Bregalnitza is discernhle In
this new rally OF Servia, this new
triumph which comes at the precise mo
ment when the world was fearful les I
1t should see another tragedy sucn A.
that of Belgium. Instead We have -
scene that belongs TO other centu les
than our own The white haired Peter
rides before his troops, he is welcoma Il
with cheers by his broken regiments. who
rally return to the charge. prevail. aId
now we have the Austrian hosts fleeing
back from Belgrade. from Naljeyo. from
Seryia The Serbs have escaped Sec
oud kossoVo.
Planned 10 Crush serNia.
Aside from romantic circumstances
what has happened in ServIa is plain.
when Germany launched her threat az
Warsaw in October and the whole Rus
sian line was compelled to go back a
huge Austrian force. thus released. was
sent south to oyerwhclm the Serbs who
from the time of their victory at the
Jedar in August had maintained the fight
ing in Bosnian territory. Il was the
hope and the expectation OF the Austro-
German commanders that the Serbs would
be crushed before Russian offensive he.
came dangerous.
This calculation failed. Fly mid-Novem.
Der Russian armies were back IN western
Galcis. We're across the Carpathians In
Hungary were threatening new raids
toward budapest and the prompt captur,
Of Cracow. At this same time the Ser.
Wan army, beaten, driven. was far back
in Servian territory and belgrade seemed
about 10 fall, did fall shortly. But the
Servian spirit was unconquercd. the army
shaken but defiant.
With its work stll uudouc IL was thcr
necessary for the Austrian army to b,
weakened. Three army corps out of seven
dispatches assert. were sent north e
Hungary. toward Gdlicia 10y the Dukla
pass. BAT the four that We're left were
. incapable OF holding back the Scrviar
army. and having been routed are now
In headlong flight Belgrade. much bonn
barded, after a brief Austrian occupation