Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1915-02-23
WANTS
HER PEOPLE
TO RETURN
Distressing Feature of Situation in Serbia
is the Difficulty Of RehabiIitating Hundreds
of Thousands Who Were Obliged to
Abandon Their Homes.

Correspondence of the Associated PreSs.)
Kragujevatz. Serbia. Feb. =J.-Thc dis
tre~sing feature III the situation III Serbia
u the difficulty ~ rchahilltatinc the hun
dredS of thousands who were Obliged 10
abandon homes and lands that became bat
tie areas during the Austrian invasion. Of
ficers Of the Serbian government see no
reason why the people should not return.
but the difficulty lie III preceding them
with grain for rcplanring and feeding them
until new crops are harvested This task
has been undertaken hut the government
j. handicapped by 4 lack u srrIway facili-
ties and the almost lmpa sable roads. Help
abroad II bciaL sought IN the government
for thi- agricultural rehabilitation.
Socirtir- that have operated III former
years % instruct the rural population ~
methods of intensive farming have been
dcmuralizrd IN three war; N such rapid
succession. Therefore. despite ~ the gov
eminent J. seeking ~ accom- fish \ visitor
IL apt H. get the impression that nobody Ia
Serbia j. doing any thing tiiat does not
pertain "a The support NJ the army. Women
and children haze 10 ~ sacrificed ID the
needs NJ the grown NAL, population who
must h. kept III lighting trim and ~ the
lighting line III any cost.
Everywhere IN Serbia The Associated
Press correspondent heard Tie national
plea that the county IL fighting not only
for the maintenance ~ her r-e-rnt area
with IT, population of over fonr millions.
but for the liberation Of the >lav states uf
Austria Hungary" III she Srt ceeds, some
eleven millions will be- added IL her popula-
tiun and every one recognizes that - n
gantic task. even with Russia aid, can
not be- accomplished without supreme sac
riiiccs.
The Scrhian~ are accustomed to poverty
and hard~hip~. but there are said ~ b. 4
million persons really suffering distress
from Lack Of food and clothing. They have
never been reduced 10 such restitution be-
fore. And the Serbians are contcnted with
- little. The army lives chiefly on bread
and soup and most ~ the peasants. even
IN normal times. do not ca: meat except
on fast days. Help from the Nlavs in
America. liberal though IL has been. l. not
adequate 10 meet the situation. Everyone
here i pinning hi hope for life upon
Americas philanthropic r--rarc,~. The
government issues 4 loaf ~ bread 4 day Ia
every destitute family. hut this II far from
u~iliricnt ~ many eases.
There are some ~ix thousand wounded
-nlhicr~ here now and mcdica, supple, are
still ia%adequatc. Al the first reserve hos
pital are 4 party Of English nurses. who
were brought here al the beginning Of the
war with Madame Slavko Grouitch, the
American wife IT the Serbian under ~ecrc-
tary ~ foreign affairs. Macamc Grnuitcl
also helped organize the Red Gross work
~ Ni-h and il wa on her advice that the
American Red Gross mission wa placed IN
Belgrade. All this work and the fact that
she ha> gone ~ America to seek additional
aid 10 relieve the suffering III Serbia. IN,
made her name and that VI American doe
tor and nurses beloved ~ the whole Ser
ban people. There are several Other
American women married 10 Serhians-on,
o. 4 member III the royal family, anothc,
10 a Serbian minister III Pan--and thi~ i
citcd ~ 4 reason for the Tnitcd States Ia.
Ing for Serbia what ~hc i doing for Bel.
gum.
Although this city. until 1870 the capita
Of serbia. ! At present the headquarters.
of the army. there i not much that \ for.
cigner can zee except life Ia the street.
and cafes. Cabinet meetings are held il
~~iricte>t secrecy n are all IN deliberation.
~ the chiefs Of the army. There j. /.
great magazine and arms factory here. il
fact. the only one in the Balkans. and thon
sands Of men are working night aud day /,
keep the army fully equipped.
Soldiers are constantly marching an,
counter marching in the streets. I'm theit
idle moments they >it IN the cafes. drinkin,
Turkish coffee or the mid ,crr of IN,
country and discuss the future plans Of IN,
army or the scenes Of the last battle.