THE COUNTRY WHERE THE WAR STARTED--SERVIA
It was a Servian lad who started the war, or rather the fire was all
ready to start and he lit the match. Whether he was hired to do this or
not as has been reported may never be known as he died before the
investigation had been completed. Nevertheless, this deed aroused the
interest of the world in a country that was almost unknown before the
war.
Servia is not quite as large as the state of Indiana. The population is
about double that of Indiana and the climate about the same as this
state. The northern boundary is, or was at the outbreak of the war, the
Danube river, on the east Bulgaria, on the south Greece, while on the
west were Albania, Montenegro and Austria. She was shut away from any
seaports all the years, and most of the time surrounded by enemies, the
greatest of these being Austria on the west and Turkey to the east.
In natural resources Servia is one of the richest countries in Europe,
being productive of soil, good climate, well watered and having large
mineral wealth. The Moravia river runs across the great plain in middle
Servia and is to the country much the same as the Nile is to Egypt. Corn
is cultivated everywhere in the country and is perhaps the greatest
crop, while wheat also is largely raised. While various fruits are
widely grown the plum orchards are the most numerous. Grapes also are
grown extensively. Gold, silver, copper, iron and coal are found in many
parts of the country. It is interesting to know that a Belgian company
has perhaps the largest anthracite coal mine in Servia. Also, there are
three and one-half million acres of forests in this small country.
The Servians are a race of peasant farmers, eighty per cent of the
people being tillers of the soil. Most of the farms, however, are very
small. The average farm is less than twenty acres. Servia perhaps leads
the world in home owners according to population. Nine-tenths of the
farmers own their farms. This is largely due to laws and old customs.
The law allows a man a minimum farm of five acres with a team of oxen
and farming implements and no one can take these from him for debt no
matter how just may be his claim. Another law requires everyone to
contribute a certain quantity of corn or wheat each year to a municipal
institution to be lent in time of need or for seed to anyone and at a
very moderate rate of interest.
Another old custom among the Servians is for the entire community to go
and help any man, who may be unfortunate, harvest his grain. This is
made a great day and singing and laughing can be heard all day long in
the fields, and in the evening they have certain religious ceremonies
which end in a feast with music and dancing. These are great events for
the young folks. It is a custom among the girls for those who are open
for engagement to wear a red feather in their hair. Of late years the
farmers have an organization that is not unlike the grange that we used
to have in this country. Through this they get better markets for what
they have to sell and lower prices for what they have to buy. Many who
read these lines can call to mind some of the great times that people
used to have in the meetings and great days in granger times.
The Servians have some queer customs in regard to death and funerals.
Almost every Servian prepares boards with which to make his own coffin
and keeps them in a dry place ready for use when he dies. Old women save
up money and sew it in their dresses, to be used to pay their funeral
expenses. If a farmer is able to afford it he generally keeps a barrel
of whisky in his cellar, to be drunk at his funeral.
When the body of a dead person is in the house no one eats anything and
the floors are not swept. After the funeral the floors are swept and the
broom thrown away. For a day after one dies a little bread and a glass
of wine are kept in the room with the dead body. They believe the soul
tarries awhile and might want to eat and drink. They also believe that
the soul lingers on earth forty days after death, visiting old familiar
places and on the fortieth day ascends to heaven.
On the day of a funeral an animal, likely a sheep, but never a goat, is
killed at the grave in the presence of one holding a wax candle. This
animal is then roasted and those attending the funeral have a feast, the
guests each bringing something to eat with the roast. Women never sing
or wear flowers or jewelry during the first year of mourning.
European civilization owes much to the Servians. For hundreds of years
these people have fought to save Europe from invasion. They have been
the bulwark of Christendom against the unspeakable Turk and his
religion. The bitter trials and hardships of the Servians have made them
brave, heroic and self-sacrificing. This is especially true of the
women as the following incident among many will show.
After all the hardships of the Balkan War, when diseases and suffering
were everywhere; when the land had been left uncultivated and hunger
stalked across the country and the women in both town and country had
toiled unceasingly; after all these days of misery, when Austria was
mentioned to a peasant woman she declared that she was ready for fresh
sacrifices. Being reminded of what it would mean to have war again she
said: "What matters the leaves and twigs that fall, provided the tree
remains standing."
There has been a very bitter feeling in Servia against the Austrians
since 1908. In that year Austria had trampled under foot her sacred
treaties and by brute force annexed Bosnia and Herzegovnia, Servia's
neighbors, and had threatened the very existence of Servia herself. In
the streets of Belgrade, their capital city, on that occasion there was
a vast demonstration held almost in silence and every Servian pledged to
do or die at his country's call. They well knew that a conflict was
coming. In that war they had done a noble part but when it came to the
settlement Austria practically refused to allow Servia an Adriatic port
and other advantages she had justly earned.
From that day until the world war broke out, Austria backed and assisted
by German secret agents, tried to stir up Albania and Bulgaria against
Servia. Turkey too was only waiting for a chance to plunder this
country. But worst of all and greatest of all, Servia had the audacity
to block the Kaiser's Berlin to Bagdad railway scheme which was to go
through Belgrade.
Now the time had arrived when something must be done to provoke a war
with Servia and annihilate her. The self-appointed world ruler of
Germany had decreed it. As he was dictating the policy of Austria she
must find some excuse to do the job. Then came the fateful day, July 29,
1914. On that day the Crown Prince of Austria and his wife were
assassinated at Sarajevo by a Servian youth.
Not a thing was done openly for twenty-four days. At once on the
assassination of the Austrian Grown Prince, the Kaiser called in his war
lords and financiers and other great men of his coterie. He asked if all
were ready for war. The army and navy men said they were ready
instantly. The financiers said they could be ready in two weeks. They
were told to get ready. While this was being done the Kaiser with the
Austrian war lords worked out a plan by which the act of this Servian
youth could be laid upon the nation and be made an excuse for war. So on
the twenty-fourth day after the assassination came the ultimatum from
Austria. It came as a thunderclap out of a clear sky.
The little country was only allowed forty-eight hours to concede the
unheardof demands. Diplomats tried to get Austria to extend the time,
but she refused to do so. Sir Edward Grey of England led in an effort to
bring about arbitration after Austria had declared war, and he all but
succeeded for Austria and Servia both agreed to submit their differences
to arbitration and Russia agreed to this. But just here Germany openly
butted in and declared that she would not arbitrate anything and thus
the war went on until it had involved nation after nation and
practically the whole world was into it either directly or indirectly.
When the declaration of war came to Servia, their old king was in bad
health and was at a sanitarium. He had appointed his son to the regency.
But at the word of war, old King Peter left the watering-place and
started for the front. With flag in hand he came to the troops and
addressed the men saying: "Soldiers, your old king has come to die with
you; if there be any who are afraid let him turn back." It is easy to
imagine the result. Not one of them turned back, and they easily routed
the enemy and swept all before them. But the story of these terrible
years can only be mentioned. The year 1914 was a year of victory for the
Servians. But later on came the tremendous reverses, the awful typhus
fever and the heroic retreat over the mountains. This retreat is one of
the saddest and yet one of the most heroic pages of history. Finally
France was able to come to the rescue and the Servians found a refuge on
the island of Corfu. Had it not been for France the Servian nation would
have been all but annihilated.
While Servia has never made a contribution to civilization as has
Belgium, she has played such a noble part that she will always have a
large place in the heart of mankind. She has kept the Turk from invading
Europe for centuries and it is hard to realize just what that means. The
Turk has always been a plunderer and has cursed everything he touched.
But his cup of iniquity has been filled to overflowing and the death
rattle is in his throat.
Providence has thus used Servia in a most wonderful way. Her great
vision has been a united country with all the Servians included, where
they can work out their own problems and live in peace and harmony.
These people are devoutly religious, most of them belonging to the Greek
Orthodox church. They have great respect for learning. They are a most
hospitable people and any foreigner is always made a welcome guest. They
are well read in history but have never been favorably inclined toward
either German education or language. They admire and love the French and
invited the French Government to open a school in Belgrade. They have
their own literature and folklore, their own popular music and national
songs. The following are some of their bright proverbs of which they
have a great many:
"It is better to serve a good man than to give orders to a bad man.
"It is better to suffer injustice than to commit it.
"It is better to die honestly than to live dishonestly.
"It is better to have a good reputation than a golden belt.
"As long as a man does not dishonor himself no one can dishonor him.
"Debt is a bad companion.
"He who wishes to rest when he is old must work when he is young.
"The lie has short legs.
"An earnest work is never lost.
"The unjustly acquired wealth never reaches the third generation.
"A kind word opens the iron door.
"God sometimes shuts one door that he may open a hundred other doors.
"It is better to weep with the wise than to sing with the fool.
"In the forest a tree leans upon tree, in a nation a man leans on man.
"Where there is no fear of God there is no shame of man.
"Where there is no wife there is no home.
"Where the devil cannot cause mischief he sends an old woman and she
does it.
"Work as if you are to live a hundred years, pray to God as if you were
to die tomorrow."