Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-18
,oudencp OF the Associated Press

| Correspondence OF the Associated fFess
| LONDON, February Bulgaria is
carrying out a policy of sweeping out
the natives from Serbian Macedonia, in
order completely to Bulgarize the occu-
pied territory. and for this reason the
Bulgarian authorities refused to allow
/, the American Red Cross to carry out
relief work in that section, according
to Richard Schellens. an American OF
Greton, Conn, who has been serving
with Lady Pagets contingent.
Mr. Scheliens has just arrived in
London from Uskup. and brings copies
Of official correspondence between Di-
rector Edward Stuart Of the American
=! Red Cross party and the head officials
of the Bulgarian Red Cross. Mr.. Stuart
is now working at Belgrade, where the
Austrians, whose treatment of the con
quered inha bitants is conciliatory, has
given his party every assistance.
Serbs Ordered to Leave.
Ten days before he left Uskup says
Mr. Schellens. the Serbian element was
put in a panic by Bulgarian procla-
nation ordering all Serbians who had
resided in the country no longer than
the past two years to pack up and
leave. The period was expiring the
day he left. No exceptions were made
! in this order-old people. children. ba-
bieS. women expecting to become moth
ers. the sick and wounded. This, he
SAYS. was the last act of course of
systematic discrimination against and
persecution of the Serbians, which in
the dead of winter. with the roads in
ff-ISy hi ftI NJ h..
death of many on their long march
through bleak country that had been
denuded of its food supplies.
IF there ever was a country that
needed relief said Mr.. Schellens. lit
is Serbian Macedonia The American
Red Cross was willing to do this work.
1t has plenty of money and there is a
big supply of corn. wheat and other
foodstuffs stored UP in Rumania to
draw on. But the Bulgarians did not
hear too much. Their excuse is that
the work would interfere with mill
tary operations. This does not hold.
however. for they actually wanted the
American doctors and sanitary experts
to stay on. for King Ferdinand has a
perfect monomania on the subject of
plaques and epidemics. Such an invi.
tation was extended to Drs. Brokaw
and Forrest contract surgeons with the
Serbian army: P!otZ and Baehr at
tached to Lady Paget's mission. and Dr.
Osborne and Mr.. Fox. all of the Amer
lean Red Cross"
Tribute to Peasantry.
Mr.. Schellens pays high tribute to
the Bulgarian peasantry. He found
them a kindly, honest people and
fine type physically. They have uni
versally the highest regard for Amer
lea and Americans, owing to the glow
ing tales received from emigrants, all
the states. Bulgarian soldiers are
drawn from this class.
There is enough difference between
the soldiers and their officers" con-
tinued Mr.. Scheilens. ito make them
seem of different race. The soldiers
are short and stocky: their officers
are rather tall and of a different type
Of features. In fact, the soldiers are
the real Bulgarian stock, while the
officers are largely of foreign inter
mixture, and the difference in char
acter is just as marked.
The soldiers did many kindnesses
to the Serbian unfortunates when their
officers weren't about. But the officers
are brutal toward the civil population
and most of all the Serbs. They are
under definite instructions to make
life unbearable to the Serbs, so they
will vacate this part Of the country.
out of which Bulgaria claims it was
cheated after the second Balkan war
No discrimination is shown against
the remaining Turkish population,
however