Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-31
TWENTY MILLIONS
OF SERBS WELDED
Every Siav a Willing Slave of
President, Montenegro
Envoy Says.
CRITICAL POINT OF WAR

Every slav viii be the willing slave
Of President Wilson. Gen. A. Gvosde-
novitch. the newly appointed envoy
extraordinary and minister plenipo-
tentiary to the United States from
Montenegro, said today. The minister
declared that the United States by in
sisting upon the policy Of self-deter-
mination by all peoples, large or
small, would weld together in one
state twenty millions of Serbs, who
for more than five hundred years had
been oppressed by the Austrian and
the Magyar.
But now is the most critical period
in the history of the war" said the
minister. Germany has been beaten,
but what she can't obtain by arms she
may attempt by subtle diplomacy. by
subterfuge and fraud. Depend upon
it that she will not submit to the only
terms which will be required of her
until convinced that If she doesn't
surrender now the conditions will be
made more exacting in the future.
Has Faith in Allies.
"I am not afraid. however. that the
allies. especially the United States,
duped by so gross an enemy"
The general, who was A. d. C. to
King Nicholas. said that with Jugo- -Slavia
to the south and Czecho-Slavia to the
north. both the creations OF President
tween two mighty pincers and her
power for mischief would be forever
gone. He said King Nicholas was
wholly Indifferent as to whether the
form of government for Jugo-Slavia
should be constitutional monarchy
or a republic. The king was 10y
ally and patriotically willing to, ac-
cept whatever the various divisions of
the Serb people decree. /
Montenegro "Set on a HilI.o
Montenegro is country set on a
hill. and it is a tradition among her
citizens that IT'S light will never be
hid. It might be dimmed for a time,
but will never be completely extfn-
sishsd ne.t 1t IS easa rne by Tennyso1 the
1ish the little country is called Black
Mountain" It is a tiny country with
a population approximately the same
as the4present population Of the Dis.
trictf of Columbia; nevertheless, Mon
|
in the political history Of Europe.
King Nicholas is father-in-1aw to
Victor Emmanuel of Italy and
Peter Of Serbia. The new minister
energetically repelled an assertion in
some quarters that the king played
into Austria's hands by prematurely
surrendering. He declared that Mon
tenegro was surrounded at every
point OF the compass, Serbia was in
full retreat and If they had waited
1axy H. L.
hours Of 1915 the entire government
and army of the kingdom would have
been captured.
Takes Rap at Critics.
"It would be bettez for some per-
sons to go to the front and do some
fighting than to. spend their time
ernments fighting Germany,'' said
Gen. Gvosdenovitch.' '"The king left
Montenegro on the advice, and with
the approval Of the government. T
was there and know an the circun-
stances"
People Must Decide.
There is only one condition Of
union upon which Montenegrins
win insist, and that is that the peo-
pie themselves determine the matter"
said the minister. 'Tt will not be de-
termined for them by the kings or the
government. In this matter all
Serbs agree and 1t is quite in accord
with President Wilson's principles.
Jugo-Slavia will be self-governinR
and the people themselves will .say
whether permanent president, With
the title Of king or emperor. shall be
appointed. or whether q system fash
ioned after the plan. of government in
this country shall be adopted.
I'm any event President Wilson has
{ 2as000.00o willing slaves in EurQDe.n