A HOLY WAR.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 286, 22 June 1917, Page 2 (Supplement)

A HOLY WAR.

By "AX ENGLISHMAN" In the London "Daily Mail."

Brazil lias broken off relations with the Central Empires; Chlili and the Argen tine stand upon the brink of war; even such modest States as Cuba and Panama linvo thrown in their lot with the Powers whose solemn mission it is to punish Germany. Outside the centre of Europe the wholo world has but one mind and ane purpose. From China in the Eaist to tin? United States in the West there 16 a new and perfect accord. Truly the war which we wage is a holy war. To match its (-tern ambitioifand lofty aim you must go bnek to the Crusades. Wheu tho Kings of England and of Imv.kcq forth in the thirteenth century to wrest the holy place; from the infidel, they had no prospect of worldly advantage. It was their singleminded hope, not to violate a sacred vow, to free from intrusion the hallowed spots of immiomoriil tradition.

They did not desire to add to their territory or to increase their revenue. They fought for an ideal, and were the readier to spend their fortunes and their lives because they knew that the reward of their courage and their sacrifice could not be comput-ed by the common currency.

And tho war in which nearly all the world ii engaged to-dny is a war of ideals. Wo are fighting the Germans in tho spirit of the old Crueades. Wo have, 0110 and all, taken up the duty of punishing the malefactor. East and West agree in the certain belief that if t!ue Germans are permitted to enforce thoir system of morality upon tho world, the world will seem un'nluvbitablo to honest folk.

And thr.B it is that distant States, who know little else of Germany than that ami'abld thing; called " peaceful penetration" lias taught thorn, range thcniryt-lvos at last upon the side of tho AULas. There is no quarter of tine globe in which the vile practices of tho Hung are not condemned. Despite her iKMstfulness, Germany cannot claim a single disinterested friend. Even Mexico spurns her with the foot of insult. Such allies as she has found remain with her rather from terror than inclination. In brief, Germany i s a moral outcast, and having, in her crazy arrogance, made war upon the human race, she mufit accept the logic of hor acts, and recognise the human rai« as her outraged, implacable foe. HUN LEGEND AND FACT. Ever since the war began Germany lias been untiring in inventing a legend of her own worth and magnanimity. H r citizens have lied —like Germans. They have sent their " propaganda" far and wide, and after the toil of three bitter years they find nolxxly to bel'eve tnem. The who!© world knows them now for what they are —murderers and dc.spoil.ers. " 0 their offence is rank; it smells to Heaven 1" And not only lias tho whole world discovered therir crimes and their outrages; it is resolved to be avenged upon them, to make it clear that 110 nation may live at peaco or at war witn other nations which wantonly stamps beneath its feet the obligations of decent life and the restraints of an international code.

Nor can we make any distinction footworn tho German people and its leaders. High and low, master and man. liavo bom filled with the like spirit of evil. If savage orders have been given, savagely they have been carried out. Clumsy fo thoy are in all the arts that polish life, tiio Germans have proved themselves always artists in brutality. The vile excesses of which they liavo fcen guilty in France will never lie forgotten nor condoned. The men who wreak their savage fury upon ohurc-lies and upon orchards must not ho permritted to re-enter the comity of nations. And since at last the tiutli is emerging from the mass of falsehoods compiled by tho Germans, tho distant peoples wh'ch arc now allied to us are m no doubt as to what they fire fightlng for, as to what principles of lifo and honour they are supporting with their sympathy and tiicir arm*. It is impossible to make a catalogue of tho crimes of the Germans. But every day wo are learning more and more about their evil-doing. We are rapidly completing our case against them for the cruelty with: which they liavo treated British prisoners. Here was a. chance not to be missed of torturing the maimed, tne eick, the helpless. And they took it .with all their ingenuity and their thoroughness. It would not occur to anyone but a Boche to murder some 400 British soldiers whom he was bidden to take from one depot to another. But all these outrages were easy to the Boch<j, and it is to l>e hoped that a knowledge of them will not elude a singlo citizen in a (singlo Allied State. Tliev should be set forth plainly and bluntly wherever, from East to West, the Huns have an enemy, and they should be remembered, one and all, to the second and third generation, lest forgiveness blot them out too swftly from the book of life and death. RED CROSS ABUSE. And yet, if we would find among tho Boenes the worst miscreants of all, wo must look among the German nurses. who wore ignobly upon their arm the badge of the Red Cross. It lias been reserved for the Germans to bring this errand of mercy into contempt. Their women, apt pupis in cruelty, tortured the British wounded entrusted to their care with a brutality wholly unknown to civilised races. Wben their prisoners, were hungry they bold food before their eyes and then snatched 't away. Tliey made the binding up of wounds a chance of inflicting unnecessary pain. 111 truth, they allowed themselves in every way fit to ' c the nwihevs of Bodies, and when we attempt to apportion the responsibility of outrage we must make 110 distinction of class or sex. All the Bodies, young iiiul old, men and women, are involved in a. luiivor-al charge of wanton cruelty. Meanwhile the l?od:es put all their ■nip!e, harhar.an faith in Huxlen'iurg. Tho !:ei\> of the thousand 11 i's u th.-ir sliie'd and luickler, and he is all that is left them. ' Dor Herrgoet unci Hindenburg" (tue I.nrd God and Hindeni,i.rg> is the title of a popular song, and it is surprising that all b>punetured general's lie,me does not como f.rsl. Hut despite this lapse into modesty, the general has lost' 110110 of his hua:! fulness. The other day he cledarod tho Roches were so strong on the western side that they could withsttnd any and every attack. They got their answer at Arras. And the intrepid foldier is indifferent to all that the Entente can contrive. He Hughs to scorn the Americans, and brag? that 110 1:11 >1 taken Ins measures to ensure a victorious decision before tho year is out.

Wo slwll sop. Our confidence is frvoa-'.er and, wo bolvovo, moro firmly touiuli d than Hindonburg's. And we Jim! our Al!io.s shall figh't with ;v higher (Kv.ir.a".-* and a liottor zoal because wo may a.-vr. without a hint of hypocriisy, t'h&t wo fight for luuniiwi'ty and