The Dominion. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1914. THE MODERN VANDALS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2248, 7 September 1914, Page 4

The Dominion. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 1914. THE MODERN VANDALS

The reckless and wanton devastation which has marked the path of the German aa-mics through Belgium must inevitably lead to reprisals. Tho Tsar has already taken_ the first step in the way of retaliation. He does not propose to follow the German example of making deliberate war on art and architecture, and on women and children; but he has notified Germany that Russia intends to levy on every Gorman town occupied a contribution double that which Germany has exacted from the Belgian towns. Before the war is over the Germans may havo to pay dearly for their methods of barbarism which have aroused the indignation of the civilised world. "Tho sacking of Louvain and the shameless holocaust of irreplaceable treasures" is, as , Mr. Asqjjith tells us, "the greatest crime against civilisation since the Thirty Years Wai." The "culturod" Germans stand revealed as "barbarians of the Vandalic race." In fact, they have, in some respects, surpassed in their methods of systematic destruction the plundering armies which in the fifth century ravaged Gaul, Spain, and North Africa. When the Vandals pillaged Rome, they did: enormous damage to the treasures of art and literature which the city contained, and the word "vandalism," with its infamous associations, is all that is left to perpetuate their memory. It signifies' ferocity and ruthless destruction in warfare, though some historians tell us that the Vandals, were not quite so black as they have Been painted, and that the charge of wilful and objectless destruction of public buildings which has been laid against them is at least exaggerated. Their sack of Rome appears to have been quite a businesslike- affair. They deliberately emptied the city of all its movable wealth, but did not actually reduce it to ruins. These Fifth Century barbarians showed more consideration for Rome than the Germans have shown for Louvain and Malines. The policy of the German war party in the Twentieth Century does not differ materially from that of Genserio, the Vandal leader, who kept treaties only so Idng as it suited his purpose. He has been described as a man with "great natural capacity for war and dominion, reckless of human life, and I unrestrained by conscience or pity." ■ This man was for fifty years the hero of his race, and the terror of Constantinople and Rome. The devastation caused by_ these Vandals, who lived a millennium and a half ago, may be partly excused by their . ignorance,■ but on what ground can similar conduct be defended by the modern Vandals, who, claim to lead the world in art and literature, scienco and philosophy? A cablegram which appears in another column states that France is making a further protest, to the Powers against Germany's numerous violations of international law, giving details of murders and acts of cruelty and devastation. According to the law of nations, "non-comba-tants are exempt from personal injury, except in so far as it may occur incidentally in the course of the lawful operations of warfare." In the bombardment of a town it is' not always possible to avoid the destruction of private property or the killing of unarmed people; but there oan be no justification for the coldblooded massacro which took place at Aerschot, or for tho battering down of the historic Gothic Cathedral of Malines, or for the deliberate burning of Louvain. A leading authority on international law expresses the severest condemnation for an invader who strives to advance his cause by turning a smiling country into a barren wilderness. "Such warfare is unworthy of civilisod beings, and calls for the sternest rei probation."- The only, form of de-

struction permissible _is that which is "imperatively required by the necessity of war." The burning of towns and the murder of defenceless people in the fury of revenge for losses in battle cannot bo defended on tho ground of military necessity. It is this sort of thing which, as Mr. Bonak Law states, has fixed an indelible stain on German honour. Every Britisher feels that it is the duty of the Allies to avenge these outrages. Mr. Asquitr's Guildhall speech, which wo publish in another column, strikes the right note in a crisis like the present. He reminds us that it is foolish to belittle the task which the Empire has undertaken, but it is equally -foolish to underrate the Empire's enormous resources. The declaration of war was a momentous step, but when the British Prime Minister asks: "Does anyone regret the decision?" there- can be no doubt as to the answer, a-nd the accounts of the enemy's brutality and utter disregard for the dictates of the laws of war- steel the Empire to face the situation with strong determination to.save Europe from a military domination more pitiless than that of Napoleon. The present conflict has opened the eyes of the world to what "Kaiserdom" really means. It respects no rightsnational or human—that happen to stand in its path of aggression. Germany alone is responsible for the huge struggle which is now shaking European civilisation, to its foundations. _ Sir Oliver Lodoe expresses the universal opinion throughout the Empire when he states that "the war is an abominable piece of wickedness j but when there is a bullying, dominant Power amongst the tions, for the sako of humanity it is necessary to smash it with such vigour that it will not rear its head again." The Germans must pay a terrible price for their plunging Europe into this appalling conflict, and for adopting tho methods of Gexseric- and his hosts. The fact that in. tho years which followed their atrocities, tho Vandals were wiped out of existence, is a wholesome lesson in the history of nations,