Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1916-05-15
ATTEMPT TO DE-
STROX THE RED CROSS.
From The Washington Post.


"
Former President Taft. chairman
of the central committee of the
American Red Cross, has put up to
the administration the duty of enter
ing an immediate and emphatic pro-
test against the inhuman action Of
Great Britain in refusing to permit
supplies for the sick and wounded
to be forwarded to the central pow
ers.
In this action the British govern
ment exhibits itself in most un-
favorable light to all the nations OF
the world 1t alienates even its
friends and sympathizers when it
carries its wndictiveness to the sick
bed and the grave. The neutral
world is forced to believe the reports
OF needless and secret executions in
Ireland when the former President
Of the United States exposes Eng
lands unnecessary cruelty toward
the sick and wounded soldiers OF the
central powers The ancient tradi-
tions Of fair play, OF chiyalry toward
a disabled enemy, have disappeared
In place OF a generous and mag
unanimous spirit appears a malign,
furtive, mendacious policy which dis
honors England and all her glorious
history.
The Brithish government asserts
that it VIII not permit supplies for
the sick and wounded to be passed
as noncontraband Of war because
Germany hat not consented to like
treatment Yet Mr. Taft shows that
Germany consented to this course on
October 8, 1915, and that the Brit
ish government was officially noti-
fled OF the fact England is shown
to be untruthful as wen as inhuman
in it's attitude toward Red Cross
work. The Geneva convention, to
which Great Britain and the United
States are signatories, is openly vio-
lated by England in refusing to per-
nit tho Red Cross to send supplies to
the Red Cross of the central powers.
What does the British government
gain by denying supplies to the sick
and wounded soldiers of Germany,
Austria and Turkey? Is it bent upon
turning back the pages OF history and
making the present war a war OF eN-
termination? IL protests and right
ly protests, against such barbara
ties as the dropping Of bombs upon
woman and children Yet the de-
nial OF succor to the sick and
wounded is even more atrocious.
How can the world retain sympathy
for nation that would consign the
sick to certain death and the wound
ed to torture?
The men directing the affairs of
Great Britain have been successful
only in blundering. Ii the lords Of
misrule had taken the British empire
in hand and headed it straight to-
ward disintegration and destruction
they would not have had more effec-
tive agents than the heads of the
British government At Gallipoli, in
Mesopotamia, on the high seas and in
ireland they have botched and blum
dered sacraficing brave men, am
tagonizing friendly nations and
piling up obstacles to England's
success The treatment of Red Cross
supplies as contraband OF war is on
a par with the ruthless and lawless
war upon American cmmerce, the
treachcry to the allies, the secret
slaughter of Irish revolutionists and
the strewing of mines in the paths OF
commerce, all OF them acts OF con-
summate folly il intended to further
the cause Of Great Britain In this
war
The United States government,
whose President is spokesman OF
humanity, is in duty bound to call
England to account for this latest
outrage The United States cannot
retain it's self-respect and become
a party to England's attempt to de-
stroy the Red Cross