New-York tribune., 1918-06-30

odzki.
German governments reckoned with
the dangers of this sudden coordina-
ton of Slavic influence in the init
mate proximity Of regimental or
ganization, it is impossible to say. 1t
is known, however, that in an ad-
vance upon the Galician front
nearly hundred regiments of
Czecho-Slovaks deserted in their en-
tirety to the enemy's side.
In 1916, during Rumania's tragic
stand for justice and liberty, $4,000
Czecho -Slovaks escaped to the .Ru-
manian border and there fought
with the Rumanian armies; of that
gallant number $4,000 fell at the
siege of Dobrudja. Of the $4,000 who
deserted to the Serbian forces in
the preceding year only 1900 sur
vive to-day.
In Poland, Bohemia and Jugo-
Slavia alike the crime of desertion
became heroism. The standard
tragedy Of our American Civil
War, when brother fought against
brother, has been magnifed a thou
sandfold in the seething turmoil of
Central Europe.
Crowds thronging the streets of
Polish and Czecho-Slovak cities.
watching with anxious eyes the
posting of war bulletins, have seen
no proclamation, no news which
would do less than add to their
agony. The bitter notices which
France read. "les pertes enormes," +"
which were wfung from them in the
first great German drive, held at
least the sublime panacea Of pa
triotic unity. To the Slavic race the
report of enormous losses" in an
advance, or retreat, on either side
meant the same avalanche of grief.
The starving millions in Galicia; the
terse, fearful news that there now
exist in Poland no children s4,,der
sevem gears of age; that $4,000 viii
lagos had been wiped out Of ex-
istence; that for every hundred
births in Poland there were two
hundred and forty deaths-these
cool statistical tidings, and a thou
sand more, calculated to terrorize
the civil Slavic population of Cen
trail Europe, but inflamed them the
more. Countless desperate sacrl-
fees, the literal casting of their
bodies upon the spear points Of the
enemy, have been the only outlet
for the desperate misery of the
Slavic race.
In Jugo-Slavia, throughout the
colorful lands Of Bosnia and Her
zegovina, peopled with the vivid
legends of Southern Slavic allegory
and sentiment, the crisis is supreme.
Here it was not only Slav who
fought against Slav, but Serb
against Serb. Here in the heat of
battle brothers and fathers and
sons in different uniforms flung
down their arms and clasped hands,
to be trampled underfoot by ad-
vancing Austrian. hordes.
Here in the foothills Of those
mighty mountains among which
Montenegro still keeps her place
with godlike magnifcence and the
surefoetedness of an antelope
campfres flickered amiably upon
mixed gatherings Of Austrian uni.
forms and Serbian, and the cliffs
echoed to the rousing hymns Of
Slavic liberty and the endless lays
of deeds of ancient heroism.
These naaf meetings and their
marked nationalistic tendency-the
tragic, epic consorting of enemy with
enemy-did not appeal to the Aus.
trian sense of either the humorous
or the sublime. The freight would
flicker upon the inspired face o1
some massive Serb, attired in the
dull gray-green of Austria and sing.
ing resonantly of the keenness o1
the blades Of his ancestors and the
sublimity of their combats with
Turk and Magyar, the unquenchabls
flame Of their patriotism, while clus.
tered in the darkness at his feet was
- fervent audience Of his brothers il