"THE SOB-SISTER APPEAL"

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 51, 25 November 1918, Page 5

"THE SOB-SISTER APPEAL"

Sir,-The warning by the American authoress, 'Gertrude Atherton, not to heed the German wail for consideration and assistance, comes most opportunely. On the other hand, -Mr. Llnyd Georges advice that wo treat our defeated enemywith the traditional British magnanimity ie little short of a national calamity. At the least, it places a powerful weapon>in the hands of that small section of our peoo'.e who would present the Germans witli a cionn slate and invite them to inecribo thereon their bwjv peace terms. When.the war broko out there were m/inv patriotic Britcus who held that wo were not only; fighting for Belgium. Franc?, find our own fair country, but also for tho German people. In a way, too, we were , righ.'; oar victory will eventually moan the nV.I overthrow of Prussian"'militarism, and, therefore, ireedora for German democracy. Jitit whereas in 1911 we believed the mass of I German democracy to be filled with hatred' of their Prussian masters and aMiorrencs! for their detestable methods, we kno-v .\vdav that as yet there is little or no wi:i«tnin of these things in berman hearts. The enemy countries, freed apparently from their imperial and pan-German bullies, should now be ringing with honest and indignant denunciations of the Lusitania crime, the slaughter of innocent women and children in London and other cities of England, and the unspeakable' atrocities committed by the ruffians of the AII- - armies, particularly in Belgium and Lithuania. We listen in vain for this horrified repudiation of national bestiality, lust, and theft. Instead, wo have a pitiful wail that the armistice terms are too hard, that they will cripple industries and starve men, women, and children. And like a cold douche comes a cry from the statesman on whom will fall, more than on any other ma-n living, the framing ot the Peace Treaty, that ivo must so. behave towards the enemy that he will feel we are fighting for high ideals, not mere greed or revenge." Mercy and charity compel our homage. Tho spectacle of Briton and German grasping hands in a muhial realisation of tho , misery, destruction, and death wrought bv Prussian autocracy; of Germany, with bowed head, weeping tears of shame and humiliation for the nnr utterable falsehood disseminated by her Press and pulpit, would bring an uplift ing of'the heart very different from the mood in which we write this warning against extending to the Huns a clemency which will' only be construed as a sign of weakness and fear. If pacifists* describe our attitude as one of un-Christian hate they are far from the truth. We are ready to forgive the German people for tho crimes which could not have been committed if they had not bolstered up their vulgar, blasphemous exponent of the Divine right of kings, but we must first have unmistakable evidence that they regard the war record of Germany as a chronicle of crime expiable only by years of shame and remorse. Of this we have as yet no evidence worthy of the. name. Had victory crowned German "frightfnlness the people now whining for sympathy would have exulted unrestrainedly and called loudly for the crushing of their defeated foe. Nothing would then have been heard of the .shortconiings of the Kaiser and his fellow-criminals, but much of the military triumph which had secured the coveted domination of Europe. Germans would have swarmed in all parts of the lato British Empire/ and their conduct as "top dog , would have made life insufferable. Solid are the reasons why the Allies should turn a deaf ear to this.craven cry from the Hun. -Why, in tho nr3t place, did not tho German representatives point out, before they signed the nrmistice, that tho terms would entail starvation? The answer is plain enough: An agreement still rueane nothing to a. German; for honour ho has a profound contempt—it is only found in weak people. Beforo the ■ ink is 'dry, his perverted brain is seeking a means by which ho may reap all the advantages from lliD act of signing whilst ignoring every inconvenient condition. The. Chinese" do not sign agreements; they faithfully observe the contract. The German will sign anything, and break his plighted word with amused contempt for those who asked him to sign. Unless we force Germany to dram the very dregs of the bitter cup, she will never believe she is ' defeated. Her Press already insolently proclaims ,tho contrary, and we have no guarantee that Pan-Germanism, or indeed Kniser-ism, has been finally overthrown. Until Germany knows not only that she is defeated, but that tho word "German , " has become synonymous with everything that k of vile repute, there will never take place that "change of heart" which is the preliminary of purification, the dawn of remorse and of tho desire to make such reparation as is possible. When that "change of heart" can no longer be doubted. Germany will receive the°war:n-hearted friendship of the British race. We disclaim and disdain hatred and revenge. Wo are ready to forgive now, but even if it should moan another- year of war we must compel our foe to see himself as the world sees him. To any other defeated antagonist we could offer generous terms, knowing that they would touch his heart and win gratitude and esteem, but such an offer to Germany at the present time would merely confirm her belief that wo fear her as a powerful, unconf|iiered, and unconquerable enemy. Until Allied troops ride through Berlin m.iny thousands of Germans will never realise their country is defeated.

German leaders are emphatic in their condemnation of clemency. In their eyes it is a quality which would stamp us as a wcalt, 'degenerate people, .fit only io be segregated as a necessary condition to our extinction in . iho course, of nature. "In such dangerous things as ware," wrote von Claueewltz, "the errors which spring from f. spirit of 'goodj nnturedness' are precisely the worst.' "The enemy State," declared vorl Hurtmnnn, "must not be spared the want ond wretchedness of war; these are particularly useful iu shattering its energy and subduing ite will." The German War Book (1902) impresses upon officera that "certain severities are indisppnsnble to war; nay, more, tho only true humanity often lie.? in a ruthless application of them."

Let us lake this latter quotation as our cue. "True humanity lies" in our insisting, at any rate for tho present, the temptation to be generous to Germany. We must .insist upon tho terms of the armistice being observed to the letter, whatever tlio consequences. To many of us the terms appear to 100 quite the reverse of h>"sh; they are altruistic compared with the conditions which would have been imposed on us if we had been defeated.

Mr. Lloyd George's speech shows the danger which threatens the Umpire through the nafional tendency to lift the fallen foo and.bind up his wounds. Our Inds have treated many a German in this way, and, as a* reward, berm stabbed or 'shot by the brute they have succoured. Germans have , ' , waved the white flag, and then shot the unsuspecting men who" advanced to receive their surrender. Wounded Prussians in hospitals have cursed their gentle French ftnd English nurses. Wo havo to remember the fact'that we are not treating with a body of honourable, decent men. Tho leopard has. not changed hi 3 spots, and the Devil, though is slill as far as ovep from becoming a gentleman.—] am, etc., H.W.L. Napier.