La Junta tribune., 1916-02-19
RACK HOME FROM WAR ZONE.

BACK HOME FROM WAR ZONE.
Dr. Ralph Mendels0n Returns From
Nine Months Service With SAM.
tary Commission In Balkans.
DIR. Ralph Mendelson. son OF Mr..
and Mrs. 8. h. Mendelson. OF this
city, arrived in La Junta last Satur-
day night after nine months experi-
ence In the Balkans as member OF
the American Red Cross Sanitary
Commission. DR.. Mendelson left
America May Is. OF last year. having
been assigned to duty in Serbia. I'm
mediately ON his arrival In Serbia he
went to the front with the field hos
pital and was with the Serbian army
In the retreat from Belgrade follow
Ing the German drive. The approach
Of the enemy caused the Serbians to
retreat. At every place possible DR..
Mendelson established hospital. on
ly to be forced to leave II In . day or
two. One hospital which he organ
ICED and was in charge 0'for twenty
four hours was destroyed by . Ger
man shell few hours after he left
Il.
To indicate how the Serbian army
was deccimated. DR.. Mendeison said:
II was with the Second regiment
In June. II contained $500 men, not
full regiment. I saw the regiment
again In November and Il numbered
500 men,"
DR.. Mendelson met the French and
English troops At Salonika and was
at the English front and the French
front In the capacity Of q physician.
With the defeat Of the Serbians and
the capture OF their country by the
Germans. there was NO facilities for
the work Of the Red Cross sanitary
commission and DR.. Mendelson was at
liberty to return 70 America to
await the next assignment from the
Red Cross to which service he II still
attached.
He credited the success Of the
0erthah-Austrtan invaders 70 their
|aapsslsf astillssy. BE said ths Ger
~ squ1a 6Bpoof Sffsetsvsly vStn
thelr btg guns from . distance of ssu
10 twelve miles. The Serbian guns
had = range Of not over three to five
miles. They were no match for the
Germans In the big artillery duels
which decided the victory in each
battle.
Sometimes German areoplanes
would fly over Serbian cities drop
ping printed messages TO the Serbian
population which stated that Ger
many would protect the serbians In
their homes and they might remain
without fear Of harm. but the Ser
bians feared the BuiGsrians. a..
though DR.. Mendelson says the vic
tors treated the few Serbians who re-
mained In the country With courtesy
and kindness and that neither the
Germans nor Buigarians soldiers
showed cruelty toward the Serbs.
Dr. Mendelson had opportunities
for . world Of experience In surgery.
and operated In casss which he
wouidn't have dared attempt at
home. II remember making . new
face for . serb." he said. The orig.
insi face had been shot away. u was
my first sxperimeat In plastic sur
sery. but there wasa't snybody 70 do
Il but me. whsa ] flnished the man
looked pretty decsat. and whea ask
I'd how he felt. after coming out from
under the anesthetic. said:
"tine: give me . cisarstte!"
Dr. Mendelsoa aays that whea you
quis German about the prospect for
peace he looks q you u dissust -
though he doubted yous aaniiy. TIE
German view b that there will - no
peacs ustil Germany Wins asd Il viii
BE- on terms that Germany h viiiias
70 esaat. TIE Frsaehnsa. however.
talks optimislically about The pros
pect for peacs. asd b hopeful that u
wili - brought about. ne Eagllsh
maa will aet discuss ete natter oas
way Or he ethss. aal Dsosably -.
aiises that - has .nelAins - he0s
Tor os expece. ellAes n terFitesial
asersadissaeat o. aatloaal ps11e.
outside u the ftaa1 sa1 psosooneel
success ~ the alllee' eause.
~. Msalslssa was fssnssiy . sus.
eeea II ths Uolesl olates savy. ssl
eeaaeels1 viii ~ seesuisiag ~.
tisa q d. 11eoass. LEM. H ~.