The Cordova daily times., 1915-03-29
SERBIA HOPEFUL OF FREEDOM
 SLAV STATES
(By Associated Press Correspondence)

(By Associated Press Correspondence)
 KRAGUJEVATZ, Serbia, March 10 The distressing feature of the situa- ton in Serbia is the difficulty of re- habilitating the hundreds of thous- ands who were obliged to abandon homes and lands that became battle areas during the Austrian invasion. Officers of the Serbian government see no reason why the people should not return, but the difficulty lies in pro- viding them with grain for replant ing and feeding them until new crops are harvested This task has been undertaken but the government is handicapped by lack of railway facil- ities and the almost impossible roads. Help abroad is being sought by the government for this agricultural re- mobilization.
 Societies that have operated in form CT years to instruct the rural popula- tion in methods of intensive farming have been demoralized by three wars in such rapid succession. Therefore, despite all the government is seeking to accomplish a visitor is apt to get the impression that nobody in Serbia is doing anything that does not pertain to the support of the army. Women and children have to be sacrificed to the needs of the grown male popula- tion who must be kept in fighting trim and in the fighting lines at any cost.
 Everywhere in Serbia The Associat ed Press correspondent heard the na- tional plea that the country 'fs fight ing not only for the maintenance of her present area, with it's population of over four millions, but for the lib- eration of the Slav states of Austria Hungary" If she succeeds, some eleven millions will be added to her population and every one recognizes that so gigantic a task, even with Russias aid. cannot be accomplished without supreme sacrifices.
 The Serbians are accustomed to poverty and hardships, but there are said to be a million persons really suf fering distress from lack of food and clothing. They have never been re- duced to such destitution before. Ana the Serbians are contented with so little. The army lives chiefly on bread and soup and most of the peas ants, even in normal times, do not eat meat except on fast days. Help from the Slavs in America, liberal though it has been, is not adequate to meet the situation. Everyone here IS pinning his hope for life upon Ameri- ca's resources. The government in- sues a loaf of bread a day to every destitute family. but this is far from sufficient in many cases.
 There are some six thousand wound ed soldiers here now and medical SUD- plies are still inadequate. At the first reserve hospital are a party of English nurses, who were brought here at the beginning of the war with Madame Grouitich, the American wife of the Serbian under-Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Madame Grouitch also help ed organize the Red Cross work at Nish and it was on her advice that the American Red Cross Mission was placed at Belgrade. All this work and the fact that she has gone to Ameri- ca to seek additional aid to relieve the suffering of Serbia bas made ba,. ,o,,,,, and that of American doctors and nurses beloved by the whole Serbian people. There are several other American women married to Serbians --one to a member of the Royal fam fly. another to Serbian Minister in Paris-and this Is cited as a reason for the United States doing for Ser bia what she is doing for Belgium.
 Although this city, until 1870 the capital of Serbia, is at present the headquarters of the army, there is not much that foreigner can see except life in the streets and cafes. Cabinet meetings are held in strict secrecy as are all the deliberations of the chiefs of the army. There is a great magazine and arms factory here.