Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-02-16
j SERBIA HOPES TO BE
REAL AMERICAN STATE
BEFORE MANY YEARS
Correspondence Associated Press.-)

Correspondence Associated Press,-)
Nish, Serbia, Jan. 19-Nish. normally
town of some twenty thousand. mas
been transformed by the war into
city % Inore than one hundred tnous-
and souls. The stranger within the
city gates wonders where all the peo-
pie seen on the streets sleep at night.
The small public park. as well as the
two principal shopping streets. are as
crowded during the daylight hours as
Broadway and Fifth avenue on late
afternoon. The problem of caring for
the thousands who fed here from Bel
grade and the northern communities OF
the country when war was deciareo
has been difficult one.
Every house with vacant rooms was
corn ndeered by the government but
even this action failed TO provide smell
ter for hundreds OF fugitives from the
battle districts In the delimuat IN
which the Serbian people found them
selves the American Red Cross mis-
sion came as veritable God send.
Everywhere the Associated Press cor
responded has travelled he has encoun-
tered evidences OF good work done by
American citizens and has everywhere
found grateful appreciation on the
part of the Serbian people. This appre-
! citation was officially expressed by NJ.
] Mitosh Petronieyitch, one of the ad-
ministrators OF the diplomatic press
bureau, who speaks English perfectly.
Our constitution" said VI. Petron-
/ ievitch. and all of our institutions are
really modelled from those of the Unit
ed States of America, and some day
| re hope TO be really an American state
! here at the end of Europe and the be-
| ginning of Asia. That, as well as the
sympathy and aid for our wounded
sent us by the American Red Cross
during all three Of our recent wars, &C
| counts for the very warm welcome
| we shall always give TO any American
| who cares to come out and study US
at closer range.
I'VE are not so hospitable to all for
eigners. Serbia is more accustomed
to having enemies than friends. From
the time the Herbian empire came un-
der the Turks in the fourteenth century
until its liberation in the early part
of the nineteenth century, Serbia was
cut off as a state from all the rest OF
the world Her Turkish tyrants had
but one idea, TO destroy the soul OF
the race. the memory OF it's glorious
and martial past, of its aristocratic
traditions and of its racial unity with
the other Slav peoples. It's chivalry
persisted in the great battle OF KossoVa
in 1889. Kossova is vast plain about
100 miles southwest Of Nish where the
battle of Turkish conquest between
the forces of the Sultan Murad !. and
the Serbian Emperor Lazar was fought
in the fourteenth century. This great
battle ended with the complete over
throw of the Serbian empire and the
five hundred year domination OF the
whole Of southwest Europe by the
Turks. This domination included al
the peoples now comprising the Balkar
states. All the sons of the noble Ser
bian families were carried off to Con
stantinopie to form the famous guare
OF the Janissaries. They were reared
in complete ignorance OF their parent
age and with but one ideal the Sui.
tan, certain number OF the grea'
Serbian families escaped into Russia
Austria and Montenegro. From thes'
and subsequent emigrations nav
! sprung the members OF the race wh'
are today outside the Kingdom OF Ser
bia. Bosnia, Herzegovina and Dial
. malta are integrally a part OF tn
kingdom. tho detached from o.