. The Varsity war supplement 1916. ough the land last summer nothing was more amazing thanthe sense of comradeship which existed between the Serbs andtheir Austrian captives. Captives, forsooth! Some of themopenly gloried in their chains. That the lot of a private in the Serbian army, no matterhow far he might be from the firing line, was often worse thanthat of an Austrian prisoner, first struck home to me atBelgrade when in the main streets I saw a peasant soldierbargaining with a prisoner for a loaf of bread. The soldierhad just reached the city, weary, worn, and more than a triflefootsore,
. The Varsity war supplement 1916. ough the land last summer nothing was more amazing thanthe sense of comradeship which existed between the Serbs andtheir Austrian captives. Captives, forsooth! Some of themopenly gloried in their chains. That the lot of a private in the Serbian army, no matterhow far he might be from the firing line, was often worse thanthat of an Austrian prisoner, first struck home to me atBelgrade when in the main streets I saw a peasant soldierbargaining with a prisoner for a loaf of bread. The soldierhad just reached the city, weary, worn, and more than a triflefootsore, after a long cross-country march. The one solitaryloaf, which was all his daily ration comprised from the militaryauthorities, had long since been devoured. The poor fellowwas obviously hungry and in need of another. The Austrianprisoner, on the other hand, with a cigarette between his lips,looked sleek and well-fed. Yet the bargain between the twowas completed in the friendliest spirit, and cash down waspaid for that extra 87 THE VARSITY MAGAZINE SUPPLEMENT The Serbian When I asked a Serbian soldier why prisoners of war weretreated so leniently by his country—being left to wander atlarge unmolested like one of themselves—he replied thatthe great majority of the captured Austrians were oftheir own kith and kin. They were of Slavonic originand had no heart in this war. With themit was simply a case of Hobsons had either to fight for Austria or beshot. Evidence of their curious detach-ment in the struggle was given in that,since the opening of hostilities, many ofthese so-called Austrians had foughtvaliantly and well on both sides! On beingtaken prisoners, they had at once re-enlisted under the Serbian flag! But while this explanation held good inthe case of Slav prisoners, how came it topass that throughout the country one con-stantly met German-Austrians and Mag-yar Hungarians who were almost equallyfortunate in the treatment meted out tothem? Consider t
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