Evening star., 1939-07-16
18th OF q Series.)
BY TOM AND HARLE DAMMANN.

t1StH Oy o SeT1eSJ
BY TOM AND HARLE DAMMANN.
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia. I'VE
must fight to keep our freedom;
Czecho-S -Slovakia and Albania taught
us that"
These are no idle words; the burn
ing eyes, the set mouth, the firm,
narrow jaw; the wavy hair, which
adds note of unruliness, are strong
evidences Of that. And it is an odd
coincidence that the speaker was
young Slobodan Princip: that in
Serbian, Princip means prince" and
Slobodan means free man; that
Slobodan told us his story on the
25th anniversary of the assassina-
tion OF Archduke Ferdinand; that
Slobodan was born on May %. 1914
exactly one month before his uncle,
Gavrillo Princip. assassinated the
Archduke in Sarajevo. thereby pre-
cipitating the World War.
twenty-five years ago Gavrillo
Princip, son of a peasant, was a
similar fiery-eyed, lean -jawed young
Bosnian studying in Belgrade. He
fanatically resented that his home
land had been swallowed up by the
Austro-Hungarian Empire. Fur.
thermore, another northern empire
was methodically subjugating every
thlpg and every one eastward along
the Danubian path. German "kul-
tur" societies, secret agents, propa-
ganda. violence-all means were
used that the "Drang Mach Osten"
might succeed. The ruler of that
empire. the Kaiser, was intriguing
with the Archduke, heir to the Aus
trian throne, for the final downfall
Of Slav independence and freedom.
1t was natural, therefore. that Prin-
Clip joined a secret society which
sought to promote Slav nationalism.
On Day Of Mourning.
One June %, 1914. the Archduke
and his wife visited Sarajevo to re-
view troops. Their visit added in
suit to injury. for June % is the
Serbian day of mourning-mourn-
ing for the defeat (and consequent
loss Of independence which the
Serbs suffered from the Turks in
1889. Gavrillo and two friends
Nedielko Chabrinovitch and Trifko
Grabezh. made June % important
for another reason. They murdered
the Archduke.
For days they had plotted in Bel
grade cafes and practiced with re-
volvers in the woods of Topchider
park. One night they slipped across
the Bosnian frontier and on the fate
ful day they stationed themselves
along the Archduke's route in Sara
Jevo. Chabrinovitch had the first
chance. but his bombs hit the wrong
automobile. Gavrillo was more ac-
curate; his pistol bullets mortallv
wounded the Archduke and his wife
The three boys were arrested
tried, and-because minors couldn't
be sentenced to death-were given
20 years in Jail. Gavrillo, the last to
succumb to the tortures of his cap.
tors, died in the fortress of Theresa
enstadt, in Bohemia, near Prague.
just as the German Army was crum-
bling in 1918. His body was dug
up after the war and buried in Sara
jevo. A small plaque on a street
corner Of that town commentaries
his act.
Old Threat Returns.
Today, two empires stand ready
to absorb Yugoslavia, which now
inclules Bosnia and Serbia. To the
west and south are Mussolinis Italy
and Albania. To the north is Hit
ler's Germany. The country Of
Yugoslavia itself is full of Nazi
''kultur" societies, Nazi propaganda,
Nazi secret agents, the Gestapo-
for all means are used that the
modern "Drang Mach Osten" might
succeed.
Young Slobodan Princip is a stu
dent at the University of Belgrade
and in two years time hopes to
receive degree in engineering.
Some day my people will be free
from foreign oppression" he tells
us. Then they will need Yugoslav
engineers to build railroads, bridges
and highways. shall be one of
those engineers"
Like his uncle, Slobodan is an
active member of a fast growing
youth movement, which because of
its aims, its accomplishments and
development is the most significant
thing in Yugoslavia at this moment.
It was organized by the Belgrade
students, who after the fall of
Czecho-Slovakia discarded all their
differences for one single purpose.
This is printed on small Yugoslav
flags worn by every member-"We
shall defend our frontiers"
"Czecho-Slovakia and Albania fell
before the enemies of liberty, democ-
racy and civilization because they
were weak and disunited," the stu
dents warned. IF Yugoslavia would
avoid similar fate we must unite
for the defense of our country, and
we must be sure that there are no
DR.. Hachas and King Zogs in our
government when the crisis comes" :"
The Students Committee invited
all youth organizations In the coun-
try to join them. including students