The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-25
SERBIAN RELIEF.
DR.. Pupin Discusses and Discredlts
Charges Of advancement.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SuN-Sir: In
your paper of December % sou have a
reprint of an article which appeared in
the Chicago Tribune relating to Serbian
relief supplies. In this article the
charge IL openly made that owing to
acknowledgement and incompetence, and
even dishonesty. the supplies sent to
Serbia for relief never reached the
proper persons who were to be relieved.
IL Is also suggested that a responsible
organization should be formed for the
purpose of distributing efficiently all re-
lief supplies sent to Serbia.
Permit me to state here that owing
to the Information which I received from
Mr.. George T~revelyan. the English his
torian. who visited this country nine
months ago. I la the first to make an
effort Of aiding Serbia In the distribu-
lion of relief supplies, and at my solicit
tationf the Committee of Mercy. the
Serbian Relief Committee and the Serbo-
American National League contributed
nearly $4,000 for the purpose Of send
Ing Il volunteer squad of students to
Serbia for tho purpose of distributing
the supplies.
This volunteer squad consisted of
twenty-five university students, mostly
from Columbia, and twenty-five Serbian
immigrants In this country who were
to act "a assistants to the students.
They went to Serbia equipped with
twenty-five automobiles and "A complete
field equipment. When they reached
Serbia the Serbian Government did
everything to aid the squad in perform
ing the work for which they were sent.
and the work was done.
Most Of these student volunteers have
returned in time to taxi up their work
at the opening of this academic term.
Some Of them remained in Serbia, and
"A few OF them joined the Serbian army
as volunteers. All the young Serbian
immigrants " no went with the students
are still in Serbia. Those students who
returned had nothing but the highest
praise for the Serbia ns and their Gov
eminent, and they all confirmed Mr..
Trevelyan's first statement to me that
the Inefficient distribution of supplies In
Serbia was due at the time when he
was there 10 a lainen'able lICk OF trans
p~ortation facilities. 1t is brutal, to say
at least, to insiuuate, as the article in
the Chicago Tribune does. that the In
efficient distribution of supplies was due
to Incompetence or even TO dishonesty.
II the BulCarlans have found in Nish
a store of supplies which they captured.
that store was not sent from America
for distribution among the sufferers in
! Serbia.
since inc heg1nning or the IeutOnlC
invasion Of Serbia in October all the
allied relief committees Of New York and
Tioston have been cooperating for the
purpose Of not only sending supplies TO
Serbia but also for the purpose of or
ganizlrg an American commission which
will efficiently distribute these supplies
when they reach Serbia, or Greece. or
Albania and the various allied commit
tees in New York and Boston will bear
me out IN the statement that much has
been accomplished already In this direc-
ton so much. indeed. that I can state
with perfect assurance that the relief
~suDplioS sent to GrerCe, Albania or
Montenegro will certainly he distributed
most efficiently among the Serbian
refugees and that this distribution will
he performed by our own American citi-
zens. who enjoy our full confidence. and
that these men will nnd In their work
most efficient aids among the Serbian
, officials.
Unfortunate Incidents will. Of course.
occur now and then. as for instance the
incident in Monastir when the American
relief workers were hrutally arrested
and the supplies which they wore dis
tributing among Serbian refugees were
confSrated by +he savage bulgarian
hordes We trust. however. tina such
incidents will hc few hut whenever
they do occur We can expect the Bull
car,an offenders 10 charge the results OF
their rapacity against the incompetence
and dishonesty OF Serbian officials
NJ l. PuPIN.
NEW York. December %.