New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-15
The Mark of the Beast

neutral sympathy. lney muruer HeuI"'S
they sink neutral ships and they violate
neutral rights, and then, in their desire for
neutral approval, they buy newspapers III
neutral capitals and eagerly reprint the
comments appearing in the purchased col
umns. Thus it is that for the latest Bel
gian outrage Berlin finds warrant in the
comment Of Copenhagen and Stockholm
newspapers.
And yet the most astonishing hing
about the whole war is the complete in
ability of the German to understand the
rest Of the world. He sent his troops into
Belgium; he permitted, he commanded
them TO murder, burn, rape; under his or
ders children were slain and women VIC
lated. cities were destroyed and homes
ruined, and then the German produced q
hocus-pocus of documents discovered in
Brussels to defend his course, to Justify
not merely his offences against Belgian
neutrality bat his offences in Belgium
against all humanity.
And from the outset of the war the
Belgian episode has endured as final
damnation Of Modern Germany. 1t is one
thing about which there is no argument
in America. It is one phase Of the war
which is settled, not for the duration of
the war but for the lifetime Of men and
women now alive. We are numb with the
horrors Of this war, we are deafened with
the charges and counter-charges, but in
the matter of Belgium our minds remain
clear and fixed.
It is not surprising that the nation
which murdered Belgian women and chill
dren is now enslaving Belgian men. 1t is
not surprising that the nation which is re-
sponsible for what was done, not merely
in Louvain but in all the villages from the
frontier TO Dinant through which the
troops passed, should now be invoking the
methods Of African slave traders in the
conquered regions.
The true meaning Of this Belgian cpl
sode is that there can be no peace while
the spirit which is responsible for it domi-
mates Germany. Europe cannot make
peace with such craftsmanship of murder
as rules in Berlin. To do this would be to
recognize the spirit itself. A native viii
lage might as well make terms with a
man-eating tiger which by night preyed
upon its children as could France, for ex
ample, make peace with a neighboring
Germany in its present mood.
Belgium is the sign manual Of Germany.
Whenever the world needs fresh illustra-
ton Of what the German Kultur and Ger
man spirit mean it is supplied in Belgium
and furnished by the agents Of the Kaiser
The whole world is weary of this war, but
whenever there seems a chance that the
WEAKNESS may lead TO peace Germans do
something in Belgium which produces an
instant revulsion Of feeling and a willing
ness TO see the war go on until szch brut-
crushed
There can be no peace, there can be
nothing but the systematic slaughter of
Germans along all the fronts until this
German spirit sinks of its own weight
Every time Germany does something in
Belgium does a Belgian thing elsewhere
she pays for it in casualty lists. More
than half as many Germans have been
killed, wounded and captured since this
war began as there were Belgians in
Europe when Won Emmich crossed the
frontier. Perhaps we shall see the popu-
lation and the casualty figures stand equal
before the end Of the struggle.
The one thing that is certain is that
there cannot be peace between Germany
and civilization while Germany remains
the exponent of all the things that mean
the destruction Of civilization and the de.
NAL Of common humanity. No one can
want peace enough to surrender Belgium
for all time to the beasts who now occupy
it or TO the beastliness which Germany
practises there and elsewhere whenever il
pleases a German purpose.
If this were only war between nations
there would be no real obstacle 70 settling
Il. If it were just quarrel about terri
tories, IL has reached point where all the
contestants recognize that no territory is
worth the cost of month more Of strug
gle. granted that each is ready 10 recog-
nize the integrity of the other. II this
were like any war that we know of, in re-
cent centuries, mankind would revolt
against It's folly and madness.
But who shall maintain that war
against a nation doing the things that
Germany has done and continues 10 do in
Belgium is like 10 any modern war? The
French, who have so far borne the burden
Of the war in the West, are resolute
against peace now, because they know that
peace now would leave their children ex-