TaÌˆgliche Omaha tribuÌˆne. [volume] (Omaha, Nebr.) 1912-1926, 1914-10-24
AcoMPARTsoN.
Tho German and English Code
Of Morals.

Heretofore I yeniufed tie opinion
that the Germans would not lombard
London from airshipa, because London
> an pnfoFtihcd city. According 10 I'M
law Of nations open cities must not b
b~omharded.
In this war Germany, quite different
from England, France, Russia and la.
pan, has IN all and everything strictly
observed the law Of nations. When the
enemies were in Alsace and IN Eastern
Prussia o. German soil, the German a.
villains did not join In the fighting Be.
cause they had been strongly warned by
the German government not 10 do 50.
On the other side we have seen In Bel.
kinm and In France old men and women
and children act Ike sayages against
wounded soldiers, against surgeons and
against nurses. The Belgian and the
French governments had organized lie
taking part BY the civilian population.
IN the English newspapers this attitude
o. the civilians, which Is ~inexcusable
from the standpoint OF the law OF ma
lions and from any humane standpoint,
has recently been approved and Iauded
These English papers invite the Eng
lish old men and women and children
to do the same II any German troops
should ever land in England.
The English and the French in con-
trsyention Of the law Of nations. have
used so.called dum-dum bullets. which
make terrible and nearly incurabIe
wounds The English have, in contra
ytntion Of the law OF nations. taken
herman passengers from neutral ships
y neutral waters, and have dealt with
them az II they had been prisoners of
war, The English have, in contrayen-
ton OF the laws Of nations, seized neu-
trail mail bags on neutral ships. Among
these mail bags have been American
mail bags, too. The English have
searched the mail and have eouhseated
mary letters.
The English and French, the Beleians
and Russians did, at the outbreak Of
the war, maltreat, torture and rob
peaceful citizens of Germany and Aus
tria, earning their bread in those coun-
tries. They have finally sent them 10
concentration camps. In Germany ard
austria, English, French, Russian and
Belgian citizens live now-more than
two months after the outbreak of the
war-unmolested and follow their re-
spectiye occupations Just as in peace
time. This IS in harmony with the law
OF nations which our enemies do n
observe. For years the English had pre-
pared for the landing oil an English
force in neutral Belgium IN order 10
attack Germany. Only the quick advance
ot the German army forced the English
20 choose Boulegne instead Of Antwerp
a landing place.
The English General Staff sent an
9eroplane into Germany to lombard I'M
fortified open German cities. The aero.
plane actually bonbarded Dusseldorf
and Maastrieh The latter, an open city
n neutral Holland. was bombarded 4by
mistake SO the English say. Hitherto
4ernlan aeroplanes and airships bonn
larded only fortresses.
1T is a peculiar matter with the law
nations. The law of nations, espe-
tally Of civilized warfare, rests on nlu-
ual consent, Just as in civil was a
'ontraet ceases to be binding 10 Ne
party as soon as one Of the TIVE
inFties to the contract breaks the q n
Fact lust 50 il would be unreasonable
+, expect one Of the heliiFerents 10 OBJ
srye strictly those particular iuterna-
oHal rules OF warfare which the enemy
.oes not observe at all.
To come back TO the point at issue
wish 10 say that a bombardment or
.ondon by German a~irslips does no
ny more appear improbable 10 me since
,ngland has ordered the bonbardnent
I the open unfortihcd German city or
Dusseldorf.
| wonder what those American papers
follow England through thick and
iin will have to say if such a thing !
ioiild happen. | am pretty sure thai
ley will again apply the English code
morals. According to the English
7de Of morals, a thing which is bad in
self, becomes good whenever an Eng
does it, and j thing good In
self becomes bad whenever an adver, /,
Try of England does III So/We may !
hear again an cutlery OF dis
lst and horror, when the Germans will
) in England what the English have !
me in Germany. What will the Amer. I
an people say eycntuallyf am pretty !
re they will begin to see clearly where |
right and wrong in this war.
OSKAR MEZGER, !,
Imperial German Consui. /.
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