The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-10-31
A GERMAN SCREW LOOSE.

1t is something inexplcable to contemplate the
marvellous business ability of the Teutonic race
IN the conduct OF the war and the management of
their internal affairs and with it the lsmentabi.
iapses INTO Improbable atrocities Everything
done IN the conduct of war, considered cold
o,oooeoly as business proposition, from the Ger
man STANDPOINT, should effect some weakening of
the enemy or some Strengthening of the German
cause taken by itself the recent deliberate ex-
ecuhon OF Edith Cayell in>Belgium was justified
under the rules of the game The fact that sbe
was woman, that she had nursed German SOL
diers, and was OF high type of womanhood did
not nullity the fact that she had aided few of
the enemys soldiers to escape. and that her life
was forfeit. ~ "
The question is why should the Germans. with
an their astuteness in business do thing like
TINS that has inamed all Britain and the English
speaElng world. Instead of weakening the en-
emles OF Germany. 1t has wonderfully strength
ened their hands Looking at the matter in the
same eoldblooded way, from the allies stand
circumstances is worth to them as much as the
accession OF 10000 efficient soldiers 1t has been
dIfhcult in England to raise troops by voluntary
enlistment to compete with Germany's practical
enrolment OF the whole nation Ii has been IN,
0ombardment of unfortihed coast towns the drop-
ping OF Zeppelin bombs in London the destruc-
non OF innocent passengers on the Lusitania and
the coIdolooded enforcement of the hard rules
OF war against woman like Edith Cavell that
hres the British heart and swells the enlistment
rolls.
The German mind cannot in the least COM
prehend the feeling that the English and Amer
leans have about the execution Of a woman and
probably regard 1t as sentimental weakness AS
business proposition however, it is incompre-
hensIble why the commonly able and intelligent
men who preside Germany's military opera
tons cannot perceive that every savage deed that
results IN the destruction OF women children and
noncombatants strengthens the enemies of Ger
many, swells their armies, increases their re-
sources, and adds to their morale and fighting
power. The worst enemies of Germany are those
who have directed these brutalites for their acts
Will Prolong this war, postpone peace and by the
bitterness engendered will cost the lives OF un-
numbered innocent German soldiers who daily
die till peace comes again
Why, should Germans who are not terrified
themselves suppose that any degree of fright
fulness will ntimdate races like those with whom
they are engaged? How is it that they cannot
learn that, as matter of fact, all these actions
merely cumulate the forces, moral and physical
which are opposed to them? Why does not their
business sense lead them to refrain from those
things that only nfuriate their adversaries and
make them more determined to push the conflict
to the bitter end? Do they vainly imagine that
the reason England does not retaliate in kind
does not kill women and children-does not send
her air fleet to drop bombs on German noncom-
batants-is because Englishmen are afraids How
shall we account for the strange, fantastic streak
of savage imbecility in the otherwise forcefuI
Teutonic intellect:-Thomas Conyngton, in New
York Evening Post.