The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLES MONDAY, JULY 3, 1916. REPRISAL NECESSARY

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 3 July 1916, Page 4

The Stratford Evening Post WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE EGMONT SETTLES MONDAY, JULY 3, 1916. REPRISAL NECESSARY

Even the mosj, high-minded idealists ought by this, that nothing, but reprisal has a deterring, effect on Gorman cowardice and brutality, and therefore it must be admitted that France has taken an admirable stand in her firm reply to tile German howling regarding the bombardment of Karlsruhe. Their own medicine is exactly what they cannot stand, and leniency and humanity to the Hun is merely taken "s, a sign of weakness. The trail of desolation the retreating Austriansj arc leaving in Italy is the latest evidence of black-heartedness encouraged, in high places, but so far as gaining the, object it was intended to attain, German frightfulness is played put". The enemy does not like submarine' warfare—when it is against them; the raiding of defenceless towns and the killing of civilians is awful—when the German is not the raider; the use of gas is a wicked thing—-except when, against every rule of' warfare, Germany lets loose clouds of poison against the Allies. We do not likej the use of poison gas against our enemies, nor yet the bombing of de-; fenceless towns, but France and Itus-j sia have at last decided to regulate their conduct by what the enemy is. doing, and the sooner Britain does the same, without any reservation whatever, the sooner will the enemy's love for frightfulness cease. It is unfortunate that we should come to such a pass but there is no other way out.j Many of Britain's finest leaders and public men have long advocated reprisal as the only effective weapon in dealing with nations so lost to all senso of honour as our enemies are today, and but for the sickly sentimentalism of a few loud-voiced but flabbyminded parliamentarians and writers, such a course would have been thoroughly undertaken long ago. j