New Britain herald., 1918-12-20
JUGOSLAV men
BOYCOTT GERMANS
South American COlOniStS Also
Foil Plots Of Hun Spies

ton that their organization, the Jug
oslav National Defense, will continue
its vigorous work throughout the du-
ration of the Paris conference and
until peace is signed. These people,
about $4,000 in number, dwell chiefly
in Chile, their largest settlements
being in Antofagasta and Punta
Arenas. Among them ara some of
the richest men in South America.
Their labors since the beginning of
the war have immensely helped to
propagate good feeling toward the
allies and to checkmate the machina-
tions OF German agents.
Even before the war, the Jugo-
glavs Of Chile felt keenly the German
menace in South America. 1t was
we'll known that the German spy sys-
tenn penetrated every country on the
continent. Because they had seen
something of German operations at
home in Europe, the Jugoslavs were
more awake to the danger than many
n Of the native South Americans. Then
came the outbreak of hostilities and
the embroiling of all Europe in war.
Early In 1915, DR.. Ljubo Leontic was
N summoned to Chile to organize the
Jugoslavs so that they might work
together as a unit. The so-caIled
Jugoslav National Defense, to which
N nearly every Jugoslav in South Amer
lea belongs, was the worthy result
of his 1abors.
Financed Work OF Committee.
From the start, the JugosIav Ma
VzG-
able to help finance Jugos1av work,
both In Europe and America. 1t has
met all the expenses of the Jugoslav
Committee of London. Among the
members are so millionaires, who
have each contributed about 5000
IN pesos every month for propaganda
purposes alone. Pasko Baburizza, the
president, is one of the leading bus
mess men of Chile. He is engaged in
saltpetre mining and has recently
been interested in g. project to build
great harbor at Antofagasta, for
the export of Bolivian saltpetre. When
this is finished saltpetre ships will be
able to come into port and take their
cargo from the wharves instead of
anchoring some distance out from the
shore. Nicholas Mihanovic, an Arg
ontine business man, owns 327 mer-
hant steamships and vessels, most of
hitch ply between Montevideo and
suenos Aires and down the coast Of
rgentina. Vjekoslav Mitrovic is an
ther Chilean who has become veal
thJ in the saltpetre trade.
The most important single under
taking in South America started by
he Jugoslav National Defense was a
general boycott of German firms and
German goods. Knowing we'll the
#4,rnr L. YNo+e- - f.Hz.s
industry in South America, the Jug
oslav business men attacked these
Their efforts were helped by English,
French, and American immigrants,
and before long the boycott was sys-
tematic and general. Before the end
#Of year and a half German enter
prise in the South American repub-
lies was paralyzed.
Spy System Brought to Light.
The bringing to light of the Ger
man spy system was a still greater
Service. So insidious was German
Espionage in the South American
states that it had poisoned many po-
itical parties and, in some ceases, i'm
portant government officials. Without
the ceaseless aid of the Jugoslav
National Defense, many of the Ger
man spies would have quietly contin-
Ss%ISQ Ln61r WORK one FACTOR that
enabled the Germans~fo operate more
freely was the unsettled political
Status in a number of the South
American countries. Whenever they
saw their opportunity, the Germans
played their favorite game Of setting
action against faction and stirring up
Iiscontent and strife. In a surpris-
ngly large number Of instances, the
German agents found their schemes
blocked by the Jugoslavs.
Jugoslav immigration to South
America began in 1860. The political
evolutions in Austria sent large num-
1ers into exile in that year and again !
n 1875. Most of those who went to
Bouth America were from the coast
nd islands of Dalmatfa. OF the So
90 southern Slavs in South America,
5000 are Dalmatians. So many Of
hem left their native villages that
more than one village was half de-
n populated. For example, in Punta
Arenas there are 1000 immigrants
rom the Dalmatian village of Supe-
ar, with scarcely more than that
umber left in Supetar today.
Besides the political reason, there
vas also the economic reason which
af1ished many Dalmatians to find
ONES in the new world. Those who
rent to Latin America have done con-
iderably better, on the whole, than
fle 1000 Jugoslavs from Dalma-
"a who went to North America. They
rrived at a critical time in the de-
elopment of the sa1tpetre business
nd took advantage of their chances.
he assistance they have given to the
llied cause throughout the course of
be war has been very great.