Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-18
KING PETER TELLS
Of SERB|A'S TRIALS
Hidden Away and Physically
Broken, Monarch Has Only
Praise for America.

AEDEPSOS. Island of Euboea, Feb
ruary Is. pm, via Paris, February 49,
king Peter of Serbia received a cor
respondent of the Associated Press this
morning. Hidden away in this almost
inaccessible spot. bent under his sew
enty-two years establishments and
sufferings. physically broken. virtually
blind, his crown gone, his native land
overrun by ancient enemies. the exi1ed
sovereign grimly clings to life in the
hope of participating in the ultimate
triumph of his countrymen
The sorest trials have not dimmed the
spirit or clouded the intellect of the
king. He spoke with the same deter
mined courage as characterized him
Whem ne led his soldiers to victory over
tne turks. and ana1yzed the causes and
meaning OF the war with the cold logic
of the man who translated John Stuart
Mill into Serbian
Though still feeble from the effects
OF heartbreakiBg marches through AL
Dan1a and unable to walk without as
ISSUANCE. he retains the keenest mental
.Tsty ana striking cheeriness. in.
taken his family and country
Glad to Speak to America.
have long wanted very much to
speak from the bottom of nv heart to
the great heart of America. which is
SO deeply moved over the fate of Scr
nia, and has done so much for our nm
HAPPY people. he said ut seems to
me that. somehow: your coinpatriots
have been able TO divine in the strue-
giles OF people. simple and rugged.
nut stubbornly individualistic the same
sacred hre which inspired the first
americans rane soo years ago to leave Eu-
rope to erect in the wilderness of
America home for freedom They un-
derstand US. We speak the same Ian
guase of liberty.
And those of your compatriots who
nave come to us doctors nurses
the American Red Cross the Serbian
relief and sanitary commits ions-aI
tnese brave young people. who have so
gladly given their young lives to fight
fyphus and the sickenins effects of
smells and epidemics. of whom not a
Few rest forever in Serbian soil-was
II not they who brought To us the soul
of a kindred people from America"
Above all. today. when thousands of
serbian women and children, una BILE to
nee. remain. there, deprived OF every
thing. dependent for bread and shelter
upon the enemies of their country it
Is they. your compatriots. who at this
moment have unobtrusively set to work
to succor the uHfortupates, who have
lost all, who have need of all"
Last Effort of FeudaIism.
'I do not know if it is quite under
stood in America what it is all about
that almost entire Europe is at war
But will tell you in a word: 1t is the
supreme, the last effort of feudalism a
fight to a finish between the feudalism
Of yesterday and the freedom of tomor-
row So that is why war had to break
out on the banks of the Danube, and
not elsewhere. for the Danube sepa-
49, lf%,l1
feudalism. maintained by unworthy in
trigues. like those of the smaller Ital-
ian states in the middle ages, from
the most stubborn ideal Of liberty, i'm
planted in those ready to fight TO the
last man to realize that ideal
Yet we have always wanted to live
AZ peace with the Austrians. Their way
has not been our way, but Serbs are
IKE you Americans; it is part of our
creed to live on good terms with our
nelghbors. Often l have looked from
my windows in Belgrade at the fields
ana mountains of Austria. and have
we should not be able to live and let
live as between neighbors.'
But IT is of the very nature of a
ieudal state that liberty cannot and
must not flourish in the same vicinity.
and Austria arranged all that in the
time Of the Obrenovitches Serbia was
made merely tributary to Austria.
She was no longer free at all By the
treaty OF 1881 she renounced ALI her
rights. Today again Austria still seeks
TO follow toward Serbia crushed the
same policy as before-to create of Ser
bia. Montenegro. Bosnia and HerZeGo-
vina empire OF vassal states for the
benefit of medieval feudal nobility.
But we cannot stand that. We are
peasants, but free peasants.
Wishes Peace for Bulgaria.
"As for Bulgaria" King Peter went
on. we have proved that we have no
rancor against the soldiers who fought
side by side with us for the liberty of
the Balkans We accepted that we
make enormous sacrifices that they
should remain our friends.
They did not so will. The .Obsession
OF Balkaric heSemony pursues them.
Yet. despite every thing. ] say even now
with all my heart: Let the Buigarians
live in tranquility AT home. There is
place enough for all in the Balkans.
All that is required is a little good
will
LAS for our ally. Greece" he replied
go length. she has understood differ
emily from us Her interests are in the
Balkans. but. outside OF her refusal TO
participate In the shoulder to
shoulder with us she has in other re-
spects fulfilled the duties of friend and
neighbor. To-day we are the guests of
the Greek people and we are grateful
for their hospitality.
Il believe in the liberty OF Serbia as
] bcliev" la God. ltNwas the dream of
r"y youth. Ii WAS Tor that ! fought
throughout my manhood. IT has be-
come The faith Of the twilight of my
life. I only live to see Serbia free |
pray God 10 let me live until the day OF
the rederlpii@p % my people. That dl y
! am :eady TO die II the Lord wills. |
have struggled u great deal in my life
:'na am tired, bruised and broken
from it,.