The Daily News. MONDAY, JULY 31, 1916. GERMAN FRIGHTFULNESS.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 July 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. MONDAY, JULY 31, 1916. GERMAN FRIGHTFULNESS.

Of German frightfulness there is no end. It was thought that the world-wide outburst of horror at the foul minder of Nurse Cavell would at least have cheeked the barbaric practices which have so greatly added to the avoidable horrors of the war, but we have to-day to record fuit.her evidences of German fiendish cruelties that stand out as the grossest stain upon present day so-,called civilization. The murder of Captain Fryatt, who was in charge of the steamer Brussels, is one of those acts of mad vengeance that was not only a brutal violation of international law. but defied all the laws of humanity and justice. His oli'ence, according to German notions, was that of attempting to ram submarines. It will be seen liv to-day's cables that his ship was enveloped in fog, and that when the fog lifted he was surrounded by submarines. Even had he tried to ram ally of these craft, it was n legitimate act, and lie would have been quite within his rights in order to secure the safety of his ship. The Germans, 'however. appeal to gloat over the murder of their victim, a married man with seven children, describing his act as one of those Franc-Tireur ileeds against German warships that has been tardily, hut rightly, punished. The sentence of death appears to have been confirmed by the Kaiser, and the world-wide indignation the assassination of this brave meyc'haiit captain has caused should convince the German authorities tiuit .vlien the day of reckoning arrives thev will have stern justice meted out to all the criminals responsible for sudi foul deeds. Another and yet a greatei horror "mimitted by these barbaric Huns is ll'.c v aid on the girls anil women ot Lille It. s estimated that during the ten ill,;-- on which these raids were carried or. '25.000 victims between the >t fourteen and fifty-live were dragged 'run their hoYnDS, herded with won:ei. >t the lowest class, and transfe:""' " uiknown destinations, the pre'; a '* „ -arricd out with those rol_.n » torture such as only Germa ll ' ' ' - M ,L * all intents and purpose" .... become German slaves, i" ■•'<!> were treated. We d:;. A.. .-.1 over the

scenes of anguish and horror t'liat these fiendish raids caused the parents and friends left behind, but surely it is not unreasonable to expect that retribution for so inhuman a crime .should be exacted to the uttermost. Even allowing for the frenzy of despair that is obsessing the German authorities, it is still incomprehensible that such an atrocity could be perpetrated. The sympathy of the whole civilised world will go out to the viqtims as well as to their parents and friends, If the Allies had turned their thoughts to terms of peace these outrages would have put an end to any such ideas. There can be 110 peace until these mad dogs of Europe are adequately punished and prevented from doing further harm. Germany stands condemned as a nation of monsters, which must be put througli the furnace before becoming fit to resume ordinary relations with the rest of the world.