NOTE: Translation of a text from a Serbian newspaper. Scroll down for the original news.

 

Go Srbadija 

In the previous volume we published the list of contributors for Christmas Present. In that report we read that Serbian Charity Organization “Sveti Nikola”, vol. 19, the Association of United Serbs “Sloga”, decided to send to the Serbian army 25 packages, 25 Christmas Presents. We would like to emphasize that wonderful fact right here. Not in order to praise this wonderful organization of our patriots. For that we do not have enough words. But what we would like to express is that when all our organizations throughout America would look up to this beautiful organization in Stilton that would mean a lot. The Association of United Serbs “Sloga” counts 160 organizations. If every organization provided 25 Christmas Presents, there would be 4000 of them. However, there are organizations which could contribute with even 100 presents, as the cost of one is only 2 dollars. When all Serbian organizations throughout America would respond in the same way, this worthwhile undertaking of Serbs in America would be soon carried out. We know that some Serbs in America will respond this time as they should. Today, there is not a Serb in America who does not know what this present means, because there is not a single one who does not know what that suffering army is doing these days. 
Last year around Christmas this suffering army was in the rocks of Arbanaška. Christmas did not exist for them at the time. They were at their last gasp. Many heroes died then due to being wounded, hungry or due to the bad weather conditions and left their heroic bones in the rocks of Arbanaška. Then, my brothers, we did what we could to give these martyrs a crumb of bread. This time, this suffering army, as they went through the extreme misery, used their bayonets to make way to the Serbian land. There, at that piece of the sacred land, this suffering army used their breasts as shields for the lava from German cannons. Serbian breasts had never been warmer, Serbian forehead had never shone brighter but in these dire days, which are looking at this heroic palm determined to die at the sacred Serbian door!
What is the sacred Lazar’s army toward this suffering army of Peter?
Lazar’s army went through one battle and stayed there. Peter’s army stopped counting the battles it went through.
Today that army is fighting at the door of bloody Macedonia. It is getting smaller every day. Tomb after tomb opens and hero after hero lies down… And this is the last strength that holds everything we used to have and have yet. This army is our Nemanja and St. Sava; this army is our Dušan the Mighty and Tsar Lazar; this army is our Kraljević Marko and Miloš Obilić.
Not one of us should be deluded in this situation: no one will give us anything that we alone cannot conquer in this war. They won’t because they can’t: as today everyone resorts to their last forces to save what belongs to them. All our rights have come down to the power of those martyrs which are today at the bloody loom in Macedonia. All our politics has come down to that book which will be written by the heroes with the bayonets on Serbian looms. These, my brothers, are dire days, days upon which everything that is ours depends, and that is why the truth must be told, we should heroically face the truth. Whereat we should deceive ourselves with empty stories: what will someone think about what we vote for and decide here? How will the French secure our towns, when two million of them are lying in tombs and two million of them are crippled due to defending Paris, their capital? In this war there is only one thing that matters: what is really done to win a victory, true help, and true victim… Serbian army sees that truth, terrifying and uncanny, and it is determined to endure in this fight to the last one. And we, if we are true Serbs, if we are true brothers to those heroes who embroider our history with the most impressive achievements, we would have to do our best to help those heroes in the fight to alleviate their enormous sacrifice, to provide visible evidence of our gratitude for what they are doing for us and our descendants. 
This Christmas Present is only one of the ways to show that we are with the heroes at the Macedionian loom. A way among many others, but still strong enough to serve as a clear expression of our love for them. That is why now there must not be a Serb in America who drops behind. Never before has it been more necessary that all Serbs stand as one, to breathe with one soul that is burning out today at appalling Selačka…

This Christmas Present will be the most visible evidence, the best political evidence, that we are all one, and we here at this cold foreign country, and they over there at the bloody Serbian door. The most expressive resolution, the most verbose memorandum – that is what the Christmas Present will be. 
Well, now, brothers and sisters, let’s all get to work. Every our association, organization, church, school and club – every individual: a man, a woman, a child!
Our soldier appreciates his Serbianhood above his life. 
We cannot allow that our Serbianhood costs less than 2 dollars. 
Go Srbadija!

M. Jevtić