New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-22
"THEY CAN'T DO THAT"
The Attitude Of the Neutrals Toward
Germany.


To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In the Deep Purple" one OF the
characters, indignant at some police
outrage, exclaims, But they can't do
that" and another answers, That's
what your lawyer tells you when you're
in jail"
Long ago, when the Germans invaded
neutral Belgium, burned Louvain, shot
the citizens and, with threats Of hang
ing the hostages they had taken, levied
ransom the whole world exclaimed :
"But they can't do that! It's against
the declaration of this and the treaty
of that and the conference of the other
place; it's against international law
and the usages of polite society and
civilized peoples. They can't do it,"
In answer the Germans shelled the
cathedral at Rheims, from which Red
Cross flags were flying. incidentally
killing some OF their own wounded.
4 But they can't fire on sacred edi-
I fees" the civilized world explained
"nor on the Red Cross!" And the Pope
told them they could not do that, anC
architects. historians and art lovers
over all the world told them.
Paris and her monuments and art
treasures, and dropped bomb on q
lawyer and little girl. The bomb tore
off the leg of the little girl. When in
the hospital she became conscious she
said, Don't tell my mother how serious
/ il isl" They sent Zeppclins oven
] nt-aMousson and Nancy, killing more
children, and then with that thorough
/ ness for which their General staff Is
celebrated, and that there might not be
more children TO confront them later
at Remiremont dropped a bomb on the
Maternity Hospital.
And the civilized world said: "But
you agreed not 70 drop bombs on un-
fortified places. So you can't do that
And in answer the Germans sent
warships TO lombard the watering place
of Scarborough. At Scarborough the
only forts are those the children build
in the sand. II is as though they had
shelled Atlantic City or Long Branch
il one group in a playground they
killed fourteen schoolboys. and else
where several babies. IL was a record
bag. But the world was very indignant
and pointed out that they could not dc
that, and by international law AID
treaties and scraps Of paper proved
they could not do that.
But this indignation was not ex-
pressed TO Germany.
So, in consequence, Germany sent
submarines into neutral waters 70 de,
stroy neutral merchant ships. And
again, among themselves, the neutral
powers spoke with indignation. "They
cant do tnat!" they exclaimed. "They
cannot sink >non-combatant captain.
and Stokers and innocent passengers.
And in answer, on the 18th and goth
of this month Germany sank three neu.
trail merchant ships. Out Of the water
a periscope raised its head. and while
in terror the clumsy freight steamer
reversed her engines the torpedo tore
into her bowels. The submarine sanL
to rise another day, and the neutra
steamer also sank, but not 20 ris,
again.
The crime o. the neutral powers and
the civilized peoples is that at the first
outrage perpetrated b. Germany they
remained silent. The individual pro.
tested. From platforms, in editorials
4 in Congress, he made himself heard
| But no individual, no matter how Just
may be his indignation, can communi
cate that indignation TO the German
that for him. And as no government
had the courage 10 protest, 10 speal
sharply, 10 brandish the big stick,
Germany exclaimed. I'VE have a fire.,
hand" and from bad FASTENED e
worse. From the moment she brok.
her word and entered the neutral ter