New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-02
Belgium-Again.


contained in the Belgian bishops appeal
TO their brethren of Germany. printed m
"7hc Evening Post" Of last night. Before
the tribunal Of international law Belgium
:ppealod from the injustice of the German
invasion All that there was IN the form
and the spirit Of international law was
violated when. TO serve German necessity.
the Kaiser sent his masses across the Bel
gan frontier.
This was the written law that was trans
formed 70 "a scrap of paper" Once again
in the ashes and amidst the horrors Of
Louvain. Aerschot. Dinant. Belgium APP
realeG. not this time in the name Of the
written law. but in the name Of common
humanity. All that civilization has meant.
all that has contributed TO raise man from
the level Of the beast was flung aside IN
those hideous days and still more terrible
nights when children were massacred,
women dishonored, not in the heat OF pas
sion. but in the cool deliberateness of cal
culation. IN the application Of the German
policy Of 'terribleness.'
Now. once again. Belgium appeals The
voice of her ministers Of God who are ser
wants Of a common faith with half of Ger-
many cries out. in the name Of religion, In
the name Of all that Christianity means or
has meant in the world, not for justice
not for humanity in its simpler phases.
but for mercy-that men shall not be MUIR
dered. women dishonored. children slain
and thereafter q nation destroyed to serve
the ends and purposes of German tyranny.
Without compassion and without reason
Belgian priests have been executed, Bel
rian churches profaned, Belgian nuns vio-
lated. Never since the Reformation have
such crimes been committed by men against
all the servants and symbols Of Christ as
bv the German soldiers and officers in Bel
ojum. OF this the world has long been IN
par. aware But now, with all the sacred
ness that their calling and the immediate
peril of death can bring, the whole priest
hood Of Belgium testifes to the truth OF
what has been charged and appeals that
there be an end To what has long been con
tinued.
Yesterday recalled the fact that the
Great War had endured for eighteen
months. Over all the world there is
WEAKNESS of strife and longing for peace
but how instantly such longing vanishes
before the retelling Of the story Of the
Belgian crime. Of the German iniQuity
which is written in blood and arson on a
whole countryside,
This is what the German idea means
This is what Kultur, efficiency, the mar
vellous machine. actually mean to man
kind when the deeds are at last examined
and man answers the all-important CUES
ton of what for humanity. for civilization,
for religion a German victory will signify.
It will mean that the men who trampled
on women and children, burned their homes
and slew the ministers of God will turn TO
profit their crimes and their offences.
Peace is an abomination if it comes TO
J leave Germany in one single least circum-
stance a gamer 10y her crimes. Peace will
be moclery and a sham if there is added
70 German territory or German wealth a
single profit by all that Germans have
done To- dishonor their nation and the
human race IN Belgium
There is no other issue in this war, no
question no principle, until Belgium is
freed. restored. rebuilt If this does not
come mankind viii not alone lose hope, but
faith Il is against God even more than
man that Germany mas made war. If is
% Cod. not 20 man, that Belgium appeals.
e is TO God that those who are His ser
ants ON earth now address a suppicatlon
which will fall otherwise on deaf ears.
Since history began TO record the strug
les of men. organized under some sem
Glance of law. imbued with some fragment
Of religion. there has been no such endur-
:ne crime as Belgium. Il began with the
destruction of law; it was pursued by re-
sort to savagcry, TO lust and to crime IN
eouallcd since the days of the other bar
harlan hordes; it is now being continued
IN The malignant and cruel campaign by
which those who have been deprived of
freedom. have been robbed Of those they
,oyc. have seen their women dishonored.
are Systematically pillaged Of their last
ocnry and their slight remaining store Of
sood Those who slew Belgium are now
sundering the corpse.
This is what the German idea means.
..et no American mistake it. Let no citi-
zen of a country seeking 10 serve the ideals
Of liberty. Of honor and Of Christianity
,;. Tot No American fail TO read
m the slaughtered women, the wrecked
homes. the profaned churches Of Belgium
.sc true import Of the German idea now
8 road in the world. The voice Of the
Belgian clergy is only the last. the final
.a.timony; more would not be needed were
mis- a world of blind and deaf.
IL -. hard 10 nstlaIn the IndlNnat ION