Let the truth, and the truth only,
be known. "Let us fight if we must fight--but not with lies."

No one, in time of peace, respects the British Press more than I
do. It is the greatest power in the land. And, let me to-day
appeal to that mighty influence for weal or for woe, according
to whether it decides wisely or not, to play the game fairly and
let the same spirit prevail that we have in our great public
schools: "win if you can--but only by fair play."--I beg to
remain, Yours faithfully, ELLA SCARLETT-SYNGE, M.D., D.P.H.

Hyde Park Hotel, Knightsbridge.

Dr. Scarlett-Synge was, at the outset, intensely anti-German. Her
personal experience of Germans (both military and civilian) in war-time
has profoundly modified her views. Dr. Scarlett-Synge went out from
Canada to take over a position as Medical Officer of Health in the north
of Serbia. She had twelve villages under her care, and found the
absolute lack of sanitation or sanitary knowledge in that country very
trying. At the time of the invasion, Dr. Synge was strongly urged to
leave, but decided to stop with her wounded men. Strangely enough the
only soldiers from whom she had to flee were the Serbians. The Serbian
Army in its retreat through Batochina was absolutely drunk, officers as
well as men, and while the soldiers were forcing the doors of the
priest's house, where Dr. Synge resided, she fled with the priest's wife
(at the latter's terror-struck entreaty) through a back window. The
house was rifled by the soldiers, and next day the German patrol
arrived. Dr. Synge was asked by the sergeant to assure the people of
Batochina that if there was no shooting, they would be perfectly safe.
She was urged to collect any firearms, and the patrol then withdrew. The
doctor, with the help of the people, collected 17 rifles. There was,
however, one obstinate Serbian soldier who had apparently not been able
to keep up with the retreat, who threatened to retain his rifle, and
seemed quite capable of endangering the whole population. "Your thumb
needs attention, does it not?" asked the doctor. "Just let me look at
it?" The man opened his hand and she snatched his rifle away. A joyful
crowd accompanied her with the rifle to the dispensary, where it was
locked up.

Had there been firing by the populace, there would undoubtedly have been
reprisals. Our own action in the Boer War, and the action of the
military in _every_ invasion, il