The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-01-08
,- y
ENGLAND ASHAMED
OF RECENT AFFAIR
Has Exposed Herself to Criti-
cism and Rieliculc OF
World.
GERMANY IS SARCASTIC
Display OF Force Likcncd to
Firing of Cannon at
a Rat.
GERMANY is SARCASTIC
BY WILLIAM n. STEAD.

ispccial Gable 10 The Times Dispa ten.
London, January John Bull is
profoundly dissatisfied and not a 1T
tic ashamed of himself. He has rea-
son, for the mobilization of small
army OF policemen and guardsmcn
VILE MaHims Held artillery, rifles and
rcrolvcrs for the purpose OF capturing
two bursiars--who were not captured
after all. but who cvaded Justice and
anticipated their inevitable end by sui
eide In the midst of q burning house
mas created the livelicst Telling of re-
sentiment and indignation. 1t has cx-
posed him to the ridicuie of the world,
and. especially. to the plying and sar-
castle comments of her German cousins
Perhaps the bitterest thing about the
whole astounding and tragic affair OF
Sidney street. was n remark which
Madam Novikoff made to mo. Said this
rcdoubtable Russian Woman: TT is
quite natterlng to us Russians to find
that IL Is necessary to put 1000 Eng
l'shmen into the field to subdue two
Russians. Now L begin to understand
the Boer War"
The sarcasm is as just as It is true,
for In the Boer War England modified
100000 men in order 20 overcome the
resistance of 10000 Beers, men and
boys, and only succeeded in half doing
this after three years of lighting.
There seems to be some justification in
the remark of a German journalist
that England would require to mobilize
a whole division of her army TO cope
with riot such as occurred in the
Moabit quarter of Berlin last year.
There the strikers numbered hundreds,
were armed with revolvers and had the
sympathy of the whole population Of
the quarter. Nevertheless the matter
was dealt with by the police without
calling out troops.
Firing Cannon Mt Rnt.
AT first the ordinary Englishman was
rather pleased TO think he had exhibit
cd energy and vigor III making such
display OF force. but after n day or two
OF reflection he began g consider that
II is not we'll to fire cannon against n
mouse or even 81 rat, and the spectacle
of a full grown man smashing all the
crockcry in an attempt to catch blue
bottle fly is neither cdifying or inspir-
ing. 1t seemed as II we saw the ocean
toss into tempest to wait a feather or
drown ny.
The whole root of the trouble lay In
the fact that somebody, for whom the
Home Secretary was probably entirely
responsible wished to keep the police
who were employed in arresting two
burglars as safe as II they were wrap
ped in cotton wool in the bosom of
their respective families.
Every one IS rapidly coming to the
conclusion that 1t Is Impossible to cope
with murdercrs unless you arc pre-
pared TO take the risk of being hit. 1t
is risk which is constantly taken by
the police of every country I'm tho
world. The London police were of the
rank and file. both uniformed and de-
tectives. and were strairing at the
leash anxious to burst into the room
and seize the men, taking such risk as
might arise from a scufflc in the dark
with couple OF men suddenly aroused
from sleep while their rcvolvcrs lay
under their pillows. but somebody re-
fused 20 allow any operation to be
taken with the risk OF a policeman.s
life. The result was the gigantic and
farcical tragedy OF Tuesday.
1t is obvious that law and order can
not be maintained in any great city
with such principles. Policemen, like
firemen. arc engaged in an honorable |
and arduous dangerous public service
which involves the risk of wounds and |
death. The moment policeman ia |
known to be careful of his own skin. |
the criminal has everything his own