El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1920-06-26
-SERVIAN
BORDERFIGHTS
HARRY 5LAVS
Demarkation Line in Pie
biscite Region Is Guard
ed by Troops.
WILL VOTE SOON
ON GOVERNMENT

ULANGENFURT, Austria, June 20
n Along the center OF the beautiful
valley in which this old capital
OF Carinthia lies, runs the demarka-
ton line separating Zone A and Zone
B OF the AustrO-South Slav prebiscite
region. It's population OF some 49,
O00 still are waiting to know TO what
government they shall belong.
Austria or subjects OF the kingdom
OF the Serbs, Cro7ts and Slovenes-
The treaty OF st. German provides
that within three months Of the final
ratification OF peace the ballot shall
be held, and II is believed here that
the plebiscite VIII take place in
August
Meanwhile, Jugo-Slav troops. who
moved north last Nay. hold the south
side Of the demarkation line between
the two zones as tightly as a war
time frontier. They stand guard
within rifle shot OF Klagenfurt and
in only exceptional cases can the line
be passed by the Inhabitants OF the
An American Slain
Several persons have been killed
by Serb guards One was the nat
uralizsd American citizen Ernest Jak-
itsch. Of Jackson, kan. shot dead,
the Austrians claim. without chal-
leuge. while passing the frontier. The
Jug0-Slav authorities say he was
notorious smuggler.
Flfteen-year-old Betty Eide. shot
by a South Slav guard while crossing
the little stream that indicates the
frontier, was buried with great cere-
mony by the city OF klag5nfurt-
Citizens OF the villages and towns
along the zone have peluoned the
Vienna government to seek RELIEF
through the entente from the alleged
oppression OF the Jugo-Slav soldiery
and authorities The following Is an
extract from a letter addressed to the
correspondent OF the Associated Press,
reciting the killings mentioned and
certain other specific attacks on eiti-
From the vicinity Of Lavamund
and Ruben are recently reported
numerous cases OF violation OF girls
and women by Servian soldiers The
peaceful population OF voting district
A Is constantly exposed to all kinds
OF veXations- Crimes Of every de-
scription are committed daily and
those who live near the frontier are
risking their lives every hour"
Causes Great Hardships.
It Is difficult even by the personal
investigation just concluded TO estab-
lsh the truth Of the charges freely
made by the Austrian authorities. but
that the Inhabitants OF the zones are
having a rough time Of It, is easily
apparent The JuEo-Slav occupation
OF the whole OF Zone A. on the south.
with the rigidly closed frontier. works
great hardship
Passing east and west through the
fertile basin OF klagenfurts and BIZ
secting literally Lake Worther. on
whose eastern tip the city lies. Il cuts
farms in two, often separating farm
house from its fields. leaving others
with their woodland on the other
side, and as the Jugo-Slav authorities
grant permits to pass only IN certain
cases. much hardship has resulted
Farmers with stock on the other
side have been compelled to kill or
sacrifice. and in several instances the
correspondent was shown piled fire
wood across the line sometimes but
a few hundred yards from the house.
which the owner was not permitted
to bring home.
No food can cross 70 the north. II
is all diverted 10 Laibach and other
Slav cities Thus. while milk from
cows that pasture within sight Of
Klagenfurt goes to Laibach, the
American relief is feeding the city's
children with milk shipped from
America They have just been re-
quested 10 try TO feed an additional
thousand.
Deny Unfair Border Rules.
The Jugo-Slav authorities in this
region deny that permits are refused
TO land owners or others who have
Continued on page 20. column IL