PRESS BUREAU, No. 841.
ZAGREB, _February_ 1915.
[This is a long and conscientious expose by the military commandant of
Zagreb of the political situation there and in Croatia generally. He
mentions that when in June 1913 several men deserted from the 4th
company of the 53rd Infantry Battalion, which belonged to the 8th
Mountain Brigade, it was not thought to have any special significance.
"When," says the writer, "I happened to express my astonishment that
Croats should desert to Serbia, I received the following answer: 'The
Croats are loyal, but the Emperor does not care for us; the Magyars do
not understand us and we also do not wish to become Magyars. Therefore
the Croats turn to the Serbs, who at least understand their language.'
At that time," he continues, "I did not understand these words, but
now that I have become more acquainted with this country, I see that
they reveal everything. Alas, so many Croats have adopted this popular
logic and seem to incline to the Serbs."
He explains that harmonious relations did not exist between the
military command and the local government, since the former acted
without taking into account the political position of any individual,
while the latter acted in the reverse fashion.]