New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-30
Germany Laying Up Wrath by a
War of BarbarlSm.


all pretence on Germany's part that she Is COZ"
Quoting warfare under the recognized Ia" OIL n'
tons. The loud cry has been raised In berIIu 'n"'
Germans are fighting for the defence Of the higher
Toutonic civilization against the onrush Of Mus
covite bsrbarism" Yet the first exhibition give"
Of the quality Of Teutonic civilization under S''N'
Of war is list Of violations Of the laws of warfare
and Of provisions intended TO lessen military OUT
ra,es which Germany herself helped to make.
Already German conduct in Belgium has set
procress toward civilized warfare back hundr9a
wears. VIII it go still further and by its provoco-
lions involve all Europe in retaliations which VIII
recall the atrocities Of the Thirty Years war;
Tho rresent war began with the violation 10y inc
Kaiser Of an international treaty TO which PRUSSIA
was one Of the signatories That treaty guarah'e'u
,ho normanent neutrality of Belgium ana he'
ginm was bound by it to refuse free passage over
bor territory to the troops of one bellieerent o'"7
-. attack those Of another. Furthermore Germany
49,. e-st two articles Of the Treaty Of The
uorue signed on October IS 1901 ny All INC pow
ors represented in the second interna'on"' i'''''
.,,oro,co The first article read: The TERRITORY
g o,,,ro1 movers IS inviolable" Article II forbade
horirerents TO move troops or conveys ol ''''''
munitions Of war or supplies across the TERRITORY VI
q neutral power The treaty said furtn'r' !" anu
.,o wa neutral power must not allow any oi 'N7
..eorrod % in Articles II and " to occur on
its territory
,,o,,;,,ro was hound 10y its agreements with ter
many and with the other nations OF the WORTH "
dorv an open path across its territory TO German
.~oo,s Vet for living UP to its compa'tS ana It's
word Of honor it was subjected to ru'h''SS '''''
sion and Is now being devastated 10y the N"'S''
armies NOT only according 10 the rules of war pu'
according TO medieval methods of >avas'ry'
,...r5,n, 70 the rules Of war embodied i'm The
uacue treaty undermining those rules when TER
r,anv signed. family honor and rights the I''S oil
nersons and private property as well as Teue'ou'
.o,r,c,ions and practice. must be respected III
occunied territory. private property cannot DC
.ordscated" and "pillage is formally forbidden
1o,,vain was in occupied territory and was under
those guarantees. The German authorities say
that the city was destroyed as measure OF ven
qoance for the begerent acts of some OF us cl''-
zens. 1t is hardly credible that there was gen
eral community uprising against the Germans ana
Article I Of the Rules of War distinctly says: "No
,on.,,r nocuniarv or otherwise. shall be inflicted
upon the population on account Of the acts Of IN
dividuals for which they 1.-THE populationl cannot
be regarded as jointly and severally responsible
The chief purpose Of the revised rules Of war Is
IN nrotect non-combatants, especially women and
children, from the seventies Of warfare, and to
safeguard private property. The recognized way
10 meet ilegitmate resistance is 10 arrest and
shoot those who resist, sparing the non resisting
women and children. The burning Of Louvain,
with its priceless art treasures was not alone a
brutal and wanton destruction Of private property.
IL WAS also barbarous punishment inflicted ON
the innocent and dcfenceleSs elements in the com
munty Moreover. It had no appearance Of mill.
tary justification. Many towns have been de
stroycd in war in order 10 reduce the resources Of
an enemy But Louvain was evidently reduced to
ashes in a ft of brutal and tyrannous passion.
We noted a week ago the reported evies of war
taxes Of 100000 on Brussels and Of 100000
on Iese as violations OF the spirit and letter Of the
rules Of war Reports Of other such levies con
tinue 10 come in. These exactons do not offend hu-
msnity so much as does the violence done TO male
non-combatants and to women and children in the