Evening journal., 1916-03-21
SERB|ANS ALMOST
WIPED OUT BY WAR
100000 Killed by Sword,
100000 Survivors Now
Face Starvation
APPEAL TO THE
ALLIES FOR HELP
BY HENRY WOOD.

AnNtu IItrr lnNdll ANiif-lNhAilAs
ROME, March 2l.-Serbia has lost
nearly 100000 OF her 100000 people
through death by tho sword, by starva-
tion, or in the recent typhus spidcmic,
the Prince Regent Alexander informed
The United Press yesterday.
The remaining 4,000,00O face starvu-
tion. II is TO save them from the greatest
calamity in history that Prince Alexon-
der, the Prime Minister Pachitch and
the Foreign Minister Jovanovitch have
begun a tour OF allied capitals. They
hope 10 secure military action In the
balkans that will insure the restoration
Of their native country.
"Americans can only form an idea Of
the conditions in Serbia by imagining
the situation in Belgium, had not Amer
ica undertaken 10 feed the civilian,
reputation" said the Prince Regent.
Even this picture is inadequate because
Scrbia wes not nearly the productive,
prosperous country that Belgium was
hcforc the war.
Terrible as have been the losses
in our army, they have been vastly
less than our civil losses. During the
first two Austrian invasions Of 1914,
practically the entire civilian popula-
ton in the devastated districts was
either massacred or carried of into
captivity in Austria.
Then came the typhus epidemic,
carrying off more than 100000. Hard
~ had this been overcome when the
Germans invaded last October. Hun
dreds of thousands more either fell
I..N t..r 4 amI -
countries. hoping to escape death. Our
population has been diminished by at
least one-fifth, a greater percentage
than has been suffered by any other
nation involved In the war"
Prince Alexander realized, ne said.
that only by keeping intact Serbia's
sighting forces could he, hope TO re-
deem his country from its enemies.
For this reason everything else was
abandoned during the disastrous re-
treat through Albania.
The aged King Peter. suffering in
tensely from the hardships of the re-
treat through the mountains. left his
armed forces in command Of his son.
Prince Alexander refused TO leave the
Albanian coast until the last Serbian
soldier had been transported to Corfu
or elsewhere, for reorganization. He
has himself just recovered from the
sufferings he shared with his men in
the Albanian retreat
with the Serbian army which re-
treated before the combined German.
Austrian and Bulgarian forces, vastly
superior in number and equipment TO
their own. there retreated thousands
upon thousands Of women, children
and old men," said Prince Alexander.
Remembering the atrocities com
mitted by the Austro-iIungarians
during the invasions of August Sep
tember and November. these women
and children and old men fed under
the most terrible conditions imagin-
able. despite repeated orders and
recommendations OF the Serbian gov
crnment that they remain.
unfortunately. Il has since devel-
oped that these poor people were only
too right. We of the Serbian govern
nient were only too wrong. For in
formation reaching us from Serbia.
Montenegro and Albania gives the
most somber picture OF the general
situation.
"Inhml0N dIIllios We NetNA ANNA h''i
have taken from the Serbian popula-
ton every means Of existence. There
are whole districts where the entire
population is dying Of hunger and
disease.
Those Serbian refugees who fled
across the Albanian Alps suffered un-
told tortures during their wanderings,
The greater part would surely have
died. but for the help extended by
your noble Americans. Thanks TO this
energetic assistance. thousands Of lit
tie children. with their parents. were
saved. For me it is truly a pleasure
to be able TO say this publicly. In
the terrible disaster which has be-
fallen the Serbian people. and amidst
the general horrors OF war every
where. il is no small consolation Ia
see the noble American people un-
dertakng a work Of humanity with
solf-abnegation. admirable as well as
incontcstable.
"But despite all the Serbian poo
pie have suffered. those here with me
10 the last man. have unshakable con-
fidence in tho ultimate victory foi
liberty and justice, which. without
fail. serves 10 aggrandize and ennoblS
every people, especially the people oi
the Serbian race"