Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-04-29
Indignation That Could Be Shared

wv confess our inability TO share the vo-
w lent indignation OF many of our con-
Temporal rieS over the Of aSphyXiatin
gases, by which the Germans achieved their
recent success on the banks of the User
Canal Doubtless. ii was Il violation OF the
rules OF civilized war. and, in spirit at least
OF the solemn conventions entered into at
The Hague, but this great conflict has wit
messed many such departures from the
beaten trail.
What real difference is there, after all. be-
tween killing man with rifle bullet or a
fragment OF shrapnel. and killing him with
gas? Ii one considers ordinary theories of
humanity. without reference 10 the rules
largely conventional which professional SOL
6iers have established for the conduct of mill
tary operations, the latter death would ap-
pear less painful and more humane than the
former. II is worth remembering too. in
this connection that the United States was
OF the countries refusing TO subscribe to
the convention prohibiting the Of gases
ii warfare. and that this refusal was inspired
by the advice OF that accomplished sailor and
gentleman. the late Admiral Alfred r. Mahan.
The primary purpose in battle is the in
fiction OF death or disability on the soldiers
OF the enemy. 1t has been apparent from the
first that the Germans held this view in its
baideSt aspect. and that minor moralities had
small weight in their Counsels. Their object
was success. II Belgium. The Hague conven-
tons or anything else stood in their way, so
much the worse for the obstacle
The Germans are philosophical people
and. normally, clear-thinking people. Per-
haps they proceeded on the theory. conscious
" held or subconsciously operative. that war
itself is an immortality gigantic and so
hideous that other immoralities become
negligible. AS matter OF strict logic.
good deal can be said in that theory's favor.
General Sheridan held ii with few reserva-
l.,
civilian population OF conquered territory
should be left nothing save eyes TO weep with.
There was period in the worlds history
when Il was otherwise. Then war was
sa1ne-something in the nature Of sport
raised to the last degree. 1t was but a step
between chivalry's decision OF an issue by the
single combat OF knightly champions to the
French invitation TO their British foemen TO
take the first shot,
Then and later soldiers were knightly men.
and individually perhaps they yet are. But
the individual has small part and gets less
consideration in the warfare of to-day. Other
things count immeasurably more-the sue
cess OF an attack, the defense OF an advanced
position. the ultimate triumph. above all, OF
the national cause. The British admiral who
sank the German cruiser Dresden. while that
vessel was lying at anchor in the territorial
waters OF neutral power, had the modern
idea exactly We shall destroy" he said
and leave The adjustment to diplomacy"
England has apologized but in the mean
time, the Dresden is unequivocally out of the
ra!d!ng and herrylng business.
II Is natural that the old concept OF war
as game-as sport-should linger in Eng
land, and this goes long way towards ex-
planning Lord Kitchener's angry resentment
that Germany had won victory for which
she should have been penalized and set back
by the umpire. Germany, obviously, doesn't
care rap.
There have been too many grosser horrors
in this struggie-the killing, for example. OF
noncombarants. including women and little
chidren-to Justify any tremendous excite
nenr over novel methods OF Staying men in
tta field