Evening journal., 1915-12-11


To the Editor of THE EVENING
JOURNAL.
Sir: Unfortunately, have been un-
able TO answer your editorial Of last
Saturday before this, entitled MIR.
Won Bosse-Barbarian and Hun be-
cause / was absent from the city.
took your paper along. however as a
feast on my trip and have soberly
plucked the barbs from the shafts
with which your article fairly bris
ties.
Your paper has been one Of the few,
which did not apply the terms, Bar
barian and Hun" to the Germans and
their descendants. if I remember cor
rectly. You are an exception in this
respect One thing is pretty certain.
though, the names Barbarian and Hun
will be names of honor and pride in
time and that time is not so far dis
tant. Coined as terms of ridicule and
hatred. similar to the words Christian
and Nazarene, Lutheran and Metho-
dist. they will remain and prosper. So
be IL! We might as we'll begin today
to employ them, for some speak them
openly, while others think them IN ST.
lence.
am extremely sorry that I must
ask for some of your valuable space
otherwise reserved for fictitious VIC
tories of the Ailiesy in order to answer
some of the points raised by you.
Allow me to begin with the Caveli
case. 1 deplore the killing Of
woman under all circumstances, but
there are two sides to every ques-
ton Surely you will let me quote
the Review of Reviews, December
number, page 659. in a defense OF my
attitude. Here I read the following
"It was stated in England that no sin
gle event had done so much to stlmu-
late enlistment as the execution by
the German military authorities IN
Brussels of an English nurse, Miss
Edith Cavell She had lived for some
years in Brussels. where she con-
Quoted a private hospital After the
German occupation of the Belgian
capital Miss Cavell remained, using
her institution for the nursing OF
wounded soldiers. including Germans.
Under like circumstances a German
woman would not have been permitted
to remain at the head OF hospital in
territory under English jurisdiction.
Miss Cavell was under obligation to
confine herself strictly to professional
duties. 1t had been repeatedly inti-
mated by the German authorities that
as an English woman, she might bet
ter cross the line into the neItral
territory of Holland. But she declared
that as long as there were wounded to
care for SIZE was determined to remain
at her most. At length she was ac-
cused of being the center of con-
spiracy for smuggling English, French
and Belgian soldiers across the lines
and otherwise serving the enemies OF
Germany. From the standpoint of the
Germans, her conduct was more rep
rehensible than that of an ordinary
suy. because she had appealed tf
German confidence in her capacity as
a nurse and had betrayed that conn
dence. She was held as a spy and q
traitor. From the English -tandpoint
naturally, she was a martyr. Ih'
French government had executed
German women .ccused of espionage
under circumstances that, the Ger
mans declared. made their offense
less serious than we're Miss Cavells
AS was his duty, Mr.. Whitlock took Al
interest in the case. and asked elem
encv in the matter of the sentence
But there was no question raised b.
him as to the fairness of the trial o.
the technical legality of the sentenc
under military rules. Miss Cavell her
self admitted the lacts and was pre-
parei to die for her country. In tim
of war il becomes of importance tha
men and women, who belong to tn
Red C'oss service or to the profes
sions Of medicine and nursing in an
capacity, should abstain from violat
ing the confidence that is reposed i
them. Nurses mist practice thei
calling in good faith and not attemI
under cover of their profession {
render secret service to the enemy {
those who have reposed trust in thei
professiona. honor. The execute {
a woman spy is hateful to all peopl
of fine sentiment; but it is eXpressl
required rnder the rules of war tht
both sexes be treated alike in sue
cases. The incident does not seem I
have had quite accurate treatment
the English and American press"
Remember, that these are not m
words, but from the editorial stat
ment of a stock-American magazin
noted for its keen penetrative powt
and magnificent judgment Of curreI
events.
To continue: These papers, whiC
historically cried murder" at Il
Germans for shooting Miss Cave
were among those who had no pit
for Mrs. Suratt. when she was hanl