New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-14
GERMAN TALENTS
What Are They That an Irishman
Should Delight in Them2
70 the Editor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir. Permit a reply TO Miss Munson, who
prefcrs Germany and sees benefit to US IN
ber victory / am as Irish as Miss Munson'
7 suspect: though born here, have by direct
descent from the O'Connors, Of Galway,
RIGHT 70 speak as an Irish-Amercan. so
ask what particular manifestations Of Ger
manv's talents and civilization are more val
liable to-day TO the world"1
IL II the nameless mutilation of the Eng
lish wounded such as only hate and blood
lust could explain? Il it the apparently or
ranzed terrorizing Of conquered territory by
striking abject fear into the civil population,
including shutting of official eyes TO the rap
ing of women-which does, indeed, strike ter
ror? Is it the prepared and deliberate
slaughter Of women and children in the Lusi-
tania. bandly justified as both necessary and
war ethics especially after "warning'T Is
It the gas fighting? Or the liquid fret Is
il the Dumba conduct and unscrupulous bend
ing Of all rights of others TO serve German
needs? Or is it Louvain? Or perhaps the
sanction. to the Turkish ally. Of his delicate
attentions 10 the Armenians? II not, per
hans IL is the time -honored German policy of
spies and gold and the corrupting of any one
who would sell out-all on scale that was
magnificent. and proved how sure they are
that all things yield to gold. Perhaps she
admires the universal, century-old Ger
man worship Of the pig from which comes
the pork. in every form, that has, mostly, fed
Germans in the years past. That diet, al
ways claim, produces an aspect Of knship
with its source, which the upturned German
nose seems the symbol of.
don't love the English; they are not my
friends any more than any nation with
their record: but France and Belgium and
the English notions Of freedom, law, govern
ment and morals-how can German talents
and civilization compare with them? And
how can any sane person say that the Ger
man ugliness toward US lately abandoned
now partly out of policy and partly because
her submarines are mostly gomez betokens
either safety for US or evidence Of her "tal-
ents and civilization? Germans are like the
Japanese-once one always one. Therefore,
even our citizens of that blood are only pro-
visionally loyal TO u.s. they would not all be
with her, perhaps, but none would be against
her-except, perhaps her political refugees.
II skill in the mechanical arts, in making
two blades grow, in getting blood out of
stone, in being thorough and resourceful and
determined, are to be linked with bloodiness
Of mind, and hatred Of humanity and
love for murder if done for the Fatherland,
and a thoroughgoing finishing" Of women and
children who stand In the way particularly
Of the women, then let the barbarian thank
God for his darkness; let the Hun and the
savage plead that he Is no worse than the
talents and civilization" of Germany. II
that is civilization, and if that is the result
Of having talents, let us pray for ignorance
and beseech the Most High to darken our
understanding, lest we should acquire the
onviable position that Germany has in Irish
eyes.
| challenge the Irish" writer speak Of to
answer when or where any Irshman, drunk
or sober in war or peace, ever did the das
tardly things that German commanders are
proud Of? / resent the suggestion that men
Of that race have anything in common with
the acts of those whose talents and civiliza-
ton are so admirable. The Irish were never
child killers or below belt" fighters;
they spared the women, and scorned to fight
like a cornored cur; they fought face TO face
and man to man, and neither gas nor liquid
fire nor shameless soaring of the dead ever
dishonored them. They hate England justly
but / can't believe they are so degraded
that the past performances Of Germany seem
to them like talents and civilization"
Brooklyn, Oct. 9, 1915. +. L. j., JR