HOW SERBIA HAS BUFFERED

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 265, 5 August 1919, Page 10

HOW SERBIA HAS BUFFERED

ONE-FIFTH OF HER POPULATION LOST

THROUGH THE WAR

AN OFFICIAL REPORT Ono out of every five persons in Serbia either was killed or died of disease during tne war. according to figures recently presented to tlio Peace Conference and mado public iu America by Dr. Voyslav M. Yovanovitcli, director of lho official information bureau m Washington of the Kingdom of tho Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. Tho figures, designed to show tho extent of Serbia's war sacrifice, are contained in a memorandum, compiled bv tlio general staff of tho Serbo-Croato-Sloveno Army. Serbia's total war loss is estimated at 1,000,000, probably a greater proportionate loss than any other nation in the war, with the possible exception of Belgium. Total losses in killed, or died of wounds, or sickness in llie Serbian Army aro placed at 2!E,ui'i, more than half of whom fell in the disastrous retreat through Albania in tlio latter part of 1915. "When ono adds to this number,'''' says tho memorandum, "tho 77,278 missed during the retreat of Albania, and who are certainly dead, the Serbian Array lias lost in this war 3G!),6i'.0, that is, half of tho mobilised men. Concerning the losses of tho Montenegrin Army, we do not possras tho exact figures, hut 'they aro surely not inferior to 20,000 killed or dead in consequence of wounds or sickness.

"But these losses are only the losses of tho Serbian Army. One must add fthe losses sustained—according to tho Austrian papers themselves—nf tho population which hail remained behind in Serbia, as well as thoso sustained in tho concentration camps of pnsoneis or interned. They are not less than 030,C00. It results, therefore, that the Serbian nation in Serbia alono, has given 1,000,1X10 men who died for tho victory over the common enemy." At- tho outbreak of war Serbia, had '189,500 men under arms. This was increased to 572,121 by August, 1915. Tlio total force mobilised during the war was 707,343, which was 24 per cent, of tho total population, or 40 per cent, of tho male population of Serbia. "No Stato lias furnished such an effort during tho war," says the >iemorandum. The memorandum traces tho yarious stages of tho Serbian campaigns, culminating in the victorious dnvo o,f September, 1918; which put Bulgaria definitely out of the war. In this two weeks campaign a Bulgar-German forco ol half a million men was put to runt bv the rejuvenated Sorbs. They did not flinch before any sacrifice," says tuo memorandum "Tbey did not dread either losses or hunger, always rushing forward, Bootless in. order to prevent the cniimy from escaping defeat. \\ bar other armies judged impossible the Serbian Army has done. It. pursued the enemy in 111s definite retreat, making daily an average of twenty-fivo miles, and sometimes more than thirty-eight miles. That is why tho Serbian Army and the Jijsro-biav nation can quietly await the judgment of history and '.the aolunwwdgcmmit ot their claims on tho part oi our great a itls asserted in tho memorandum that for two years tho Serbian Genera; Staff had sought in vain to. convince Allied military leaders in Pans of the innmrtanco of! tho Balkan front and the advantage to be gained through a decisive military victory there. Praise is given to the 10,000 Jngu-Slavs who mobilised 111 America and returned to their rat.no land to lend a hand in tho struggle. War Atrocities, In connection with the memorandum the report of the inter-Al .od Commission on atrocities committed by the Llllpnrians in occupied Serbm is given out. Tlio report, which was compiled aflei .»» tour of inquiry in the occupied districts, iecitcs numerous instances of torture and cruelty as part of "a.regime of.extermination openly organised against, tho Serbians bv the Bulgarian authorities ' Wounded Serbian prisoners were put to doath in hospitals., others weio robbed on their way to prison, and still other.-, were forced to work at the front tor the onemy, it is said. •it is chavrerl, bombarded a Red Oioss hospital, killing two nurses; systematic massacres were earned out n.ll long 10 civil population, a total of 150 Serbian prints, it is said, having, been put Ideath in this way. "In these massacres," says the report, ''many more vomen and children have been killed than men." The Bulgarian Government employed Comitadjis to carry out its order,, the Comitadiis being recruited laigeb from tho criminal class. Tortuies of tho most horrible variety were practised bv these men nnon the Serbian men. women, and children, according to V rcnort. Huge blmkeons, known to tho ffirians « werp . favourite weapons of . torture, says the report, and numerous instances are « o> of Serbians who were, cudgelled to death in the most frightful manner. , Other practices of the Bulgarians in violation of the Hague Conventions relate to treatment of interned prisoner., lovviiiT of taxes unon the civil population forcing the civil population to .' 1 ' military work for the evenly, destruction of bouses and villages bv fire, in? by various means to Bnlgarise bia.