The Washington herald., 1914-12-03
king WATCHES
REALM Dying
Last Drops of Montenegro S
Blood Falling In the
Trenches.
MONARCH IS BROKEN
Hopeless Fight of Little Nation and
: Slaughter of Its Men Is More Than
Nicholas Can Stand.

Rome, Dec 2-The latest private in
telligence from Cettinge depicts the situ-
alton in Montenegro as extremely serious
and such as 70 arouse the greatest pity
for the valiant unhappy nation which
events have forced to go through three
wars in two years
While the last remains Of the poorly
fed, nl-clothed, but noble phalanxes Of
Montenegrin warriors are being moved
down on the banks of the Drin and on the
Bosnian frontier, under Gen. Martinovich,
the aged monarch King Nicholas is
wasting slowly away on the highest peak
of Mount Lovchen. The spectacle of the
remaining male population of his kingdom
dying in a hopeless fight against an en-
emy which, although weakened by the
Russian onslaught on the eastern border.
is still powerful enough to hold in check
and play at its ease with its two neigh
bors, Servia and Montenegro. is more, 1t
is said, than King Nicholas could stand.
Information Is Scant.
The scsnt information reaching the
Italian public about the role Montenegro
is playing in the present war against
4. Austria conveys the impression that the
. situation in the little kingdom is from
civil point of view almost desperate. As
usual, winter is bringing to the women
and children of Montenegro the greatest
hardships, and the need for bread and
clothes is becoming every day more press
ing.
Apparently, Montenegro has no more
able-bodied men left to send to the front,
and those who are fighting in the trenches
side by side with the Servians are men
from fifty to seventy-five years old.
Visitors from Montenegro who have
just returned here say that the pick and
flower Of Montenegro's youths, as well as
majority Of the men in the prime OF
life, fell at the seige of Scutari, and that
when, in July, Servia called on King
Nicholas to march against Austria every
man still able to bear arms deserted
the fields to join the colors. At that time |.
there was not a single home in the whole /
Of Montenegro not mourning the loss OF /
one or two men, and the few infirmartes .
supported by Queen Elena's charity were (
filled with sick and invalids. The Ital- |
ian Queen is a daughter Of Nicholas.
BIesses His Soldiers.
King Victor and Queen Elena advised
the old monarch to lend to Servia only
what he could give to her without en-
dangering the life OF Montenegro as a
nation-namely. his moral support. and |
devote instead his efforts TO foster the |
cOuntrys prosperity The aged monarch, |
however, interpreted the existing treaty /
according to the impulses of his generous
soul, and. although his heart ached at
the Signt OF his last SUBJECTS marching /
to the front. never. perhaps, to return,
yet he summoned up enough courage to
bless them in front of the KOnak and to
remind them of their duty to crush the
enemy at whose behest the European
powers had deprived Montenegro of the
prize Of her bloody victory around Sou
taTi.
Since the French placed the heavy siege
guns on Mount LCvchen the old monarch
has never slept a night in the Konak
Together with Crown Prince Danilo and
his younger son, MrkO he spends most
Of his time under a tent not far from the
batteries which necessarily lombard the
forts OF Cattaro. Armed with a powerful
field glass. Earbed in the picturesque
custom Of his country, a clay pipe stuck
between his teeth, King Nicholas sits on
a rock observing the effects of the fire
and complimenting the French gunners
"n their workmanship whenever a shot
leaves a visible trace on the forts below.
Those who have seen him last say that
the man on whom age seemed never TO
tell is now utterly depressed. Although
his courage has not as yet deserted him,
and he still seems insensible to the hard
ships of camp life, yet II looks as II he
moved about with difficulty, as if the
once strong physique is now slow in an
swering the call Of the ever-vigilant mind
which since King Nicholas ascended the
throne. siXty-four years ago, has dreamed
Of one thing only, the greatness of Mon
tenegro.