Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-27
SAYBULGARSDON'T
STAND SHELL FIRE
Captured German Officers Tell
Serbs of Men Deserving
Before Monastir.
LACK THE PROPER TRAINING
BY HERBERT COREY.
Copyright. 1917. BY Herbert corey.)

copyright 1917. BY Herbert Corey)
WITH THE FIRST SERBIAN ARMY
BEFORE MONASTIR, December l5.-
This morning the word ran through
the village: THE prisoners are COM
ing"
Properly speaking, this is no longer
village. There are houses. but they
have been shot to pieces. Men live
here. but they are soldiers and live in
tents. OF the hundreds who once called
v their home only six seem to re-
main. There may be others, but the
Blk are all we see. They are little
children. seven, eight, ten years old,
who spend their days washing tin
dishes In the runlet that turns the
wooden turbine of the old Turkish
mill. They remain an insoluble nys-
terry to US. They never seem to play,
unless the endless washing of tin
dishes in the cold water of a Novesi-
Der stream is play. If they have
parents they are invisible.
On the outskirts of the village, where
the goatherds once eorralled their
hocks, the prisoners had camped. All
had been taken when the three heights
" NAuho wST0 SlOFheQ yesterday.
They were dirty, unshaven, shaken. On
that mountain that overlooks the plain
of Monastir they had passed through
twenty-four hours of purgatory. The
Serbs had battered them with shells
and had finally taken the mountain and
the village of Polog in a fight in which
rife butts and knives played their
parts They glanced sullenly sidewise
at the soldiers who gathered to watch
them. The Bulgarians seemed both
Seated before a nearby tent was a
group of four officers. Two of them
were Germans. The two Bulgarians,
black boards sprouting on their cheeks,
their brown uniforms stained and spot
ted. mud caked half way up the legs
their camp stools. They showed no
traces of apprehension, but in their
eyes was something Of that look one
catches in the eyes Of a trapped squir-
wise. half smile on his thin and
cynical lips. The other bent forward
his glance fixed on the ground. as
though to shut out nearby things. BY
some miracle in this muddy land they
were almost extensively clean. They
we're freshly shaven and well brushed
"Bulgarians Won't Stand Fire"
DO you speak English" we asked
of the thick-set youngster with the
scars of Heidelberg sabers on his
cheek.
For a moment he gaxed straight at
U.s. There was neither hostility nor
friendship in his eyes. He seemed to
debate the wisdom of speaking. Then
compelling motive opened his lips.
YES" said he. Without a pause. as
though he felt the necessity to justify
himself for being a prisoner of war
instead of dying with those others
who lie today on Chuke, he continued:
Il had not been in my battery two
minutes before the Serbs came with
bayonets and captured us. I had gone
there to make my guns"-his English
failed him-"what you call kaput."
1t was the opening wedge of a rather
chat. The tall Serbian cap
tain Joined US and began to talk to
the German as though they had been
there a. trace of any other stiffness
than one finds always when officers Of
two armies meet each other. The one
asked questions and the other never
they met on equal terms.
What do you think of the Bull
gars?" some one asked. Are they
Not precisely demoralized," said the
German. Then he amplified his reply
uoy arc Soou ASHtcESs bdlQ ne, Out
they do not understand modern war
They are brave enough. but they at
tack and they retire without orders
1t Is very discouraging. They do not
stand shell fire at all well. They need
training"
One could see this stout young Hes
sian longed to give his late allies
taste of the discipline of the Prussian
army. which beyond all question
teaches its recipient to stand fire. He.
paid no more attention to the two sui
len Bulgarian officers who sat listen
ing than If they had been blocks of
wood. His German comrade still loung-
ed sidewise. a cynical smile on his
lips.