The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-05-18
Neither Madness Nor Savagery.

! Aghast at Germany's ruthlessness il
Louvsin, on the English coast, and nov
off Kinsale head, many Americans arr
saying that the Germans have either
gone mad with war-fury or are deliber
ately returning to barbarism.' All sucl
talk is idle and mischieyous. Germany
is not crazy; she never was thinking
harder or more TO her point. Nor would
such nation as Germany ever choose
the ferocities and fears of savagery T.
the comforts and securities of her owl
well ordered government. The explana
ton of her conduct and of her seeming
pleasure in il. lie closer to human ma
ture.
II the Americans in Germany last Au.
gust found il hard TO see the merit of
the allies cause. is il any wonder that
the Germans themselves, with everything
at stake, should believe the allies wrong
The verv breadth and depth of the 'hate'
against the English shows that il springs
from conviction.
Meantime the strain Of the war Is COM
pacing Germany as a man packs snow.
hall with his hands. The starvation
blockade of the coast. the desperate
hghting along both the western and the
eastern frontiers. the troops whirling
back and forth across the land from one
exposure 10 another, the crippled men
coming home, The regulations Of watch
ful government now bearing sharper than
ever on every citizen-all these are max
ing the Germans think and talk as one
man. And the strong, skillful Prussians,
who have made war their dream, their
daylong study. even their dinner toast,
are now the empires one reliance. Il II
strange that all their counsels and sue
cesses command the approval Of press
and pulpit Of men unable 20 bear arms.
Of mothers with sons in the treBches'
II the trusted admirsls decree the sink
ing Of a Lusitania. shall the German edi-
tors keep still when the submarines cap
tains carry out the order with the ac-
ciiracy Of train despatchers and the non
chalance Of errand boys'
Common danger. common defense. com
mon sacrifice. common hope-these are
what explains Germany's alarming sc-
quiescence in her leaders crimes.
And the crimes themselves find ~ least
partial explanation IN simple causes. Ger
many plainly holds that the present con
fict Il not y war for which the laws ~
war were made. This world struggle has
no precedent. its outcome no man fore
sees. Germany thinks that international
laws are like the set rules of game
under ordinary circumstances. Won &C.
sept the rules. Il the game turns into q
murderous afray. etiquette vanishes the
rules are 81. ard you ssye yourself as
rou can. BE- the means technically fair ~ /
foul. Onloallers call this Eurupean ron /
aiet the uar-rarnes Germany sers IN 4
10 more game thar IN ~ earthquake ~ = I
falling skv She nov looks 81 treaties
IND interuationsl conventions a. q unan !
ouls 81 tresuass sicns when he j. run
ring for his life.
No 0ns who inmoFs fust5ct ran think 4
Y Attending GermaHv n her reasoning !
tin lsss On the frirltful aeeds - whieh J
ier reasoning has breuFft her- VI for
10 slrarnnss Of uuT pun thinking eud
~ tis uise Shaping 81 car NATIONAL
ts1rsn W should ~ g. undErstaud iifsr
Irfious not ~ rnrus nutious ~ -sr-craEf
nd sr.Iausinr suifurs. ban ~ tleEr-rui
ats -nustnn Herald