Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1917-09-24

10 l1l a. the tntltitt 81 rs tilttd
States into the war j. concerned il was
Iyonr GROWING breach 81 the International
code "a represented by the killing 81
American civilians in the present ~ilbma-
lrine warfare that has brought the whole
American people into 4 grim and deter
mined conflict with Yourself and those
lprinciples Of international lawle~>ne~~
under which you and the military party IN
Germany are now operating. Tins wi~
the immediate cause, bat We are free 70
admit that the crisis produced hy this last
breach Of the International code Wa mere
" the climax To a state OF cumulative
moral Indignation. due 10 the ever-growin@
levidence that, IN everv ease where u suited
Your military purpose. y"u were prepared
10 iloui The whole civilized world ~ east
ling the International code to the winds. In
Iproof of this we invite your attention ia
1.-The following notable tran~greS~ion>:
Il. In repudiating the ~%anctitv Of the
written word IN referring {" \ time hon
ored treaty a. a scrap Of paper. YOU
have overihrown one of the great tounda-
ltion stones of modern civilization.
:. Yon have sanctioned the lcyying 1T
huge monetary assessments against help
less virtims OF your aggression. and the
holding of civilian hostages ~ a guaran-
Tee Of their payment:
3. By that silence which means consent
Won nave encouraged the theft ~ private
property from the homes ~ ~noncombatant~
in countries which you have invaded. and
this burglary mas not been confined 10 The
ranks. but has been openly practiced
among high ranking officers ~ Your army.
4. You have outraged civilization hy 4
system of organized destruction of prop
erty which represented no conceivable
military advantage. IN the course Of which
some Of the worlds choicest historical
monuments have been deliberately and
SYSTEMATICALLY destroyed.
;. You have cruelty broken down those
humanitarian safeguards which civiliza-
tion throughout the centuries has carefully
built up around the Honcombaiant popnla-
tion al -war-ravaged countries; for you
have persi~tenily dispatched your aircraft
to attack unfortified cities from the ky.
and vou have not he~itaied 10 send Your
ships oi war % lombard ~earo~t pleasure
resorts. which had not and which YOU were
well aware did not possess any coast for
utication~ or amy form 81 coast defense
whatsoever.
q. lou have gone back into the remote
past. To the centuries antedatins al civil
%zation. for Your inspiration in revivins and
sending forih'ai %, head ot your invading
battaiicn~ the long buried monsters NJ
frighttuIne>~ and terrorism. The story II
this savagery j. written large upon The
plains OF Belgium and France. and a
searching analysis 81 what has happened
in the early days 81 thi~ war has con
vinced the nations which are leagued
against you. ourselves included. that the
rape. arson, pillage and executions OF that
black page Of Your military history were
not due a. an ignorant and eycited sol
liery. bat received unidentified sanction III
he highest military quarters.
:. Also. IN yonr deliberate revival of
The worst horror Of ancient warfare You
INV hpt h'~itAA'A ~ A'~NiA nv fHf ~'i@hAf
and carrying off a. bond~mcn 81 the non
.ombatant population.
;. Lastly. while YOU were carrying
upon Your hp- fair phrases about the
freedom 1T the seas YOU have endeav-
lred ia vour ruthless submarine warfare
10 establish upon the seas 4 tyranny 81 in
imidation and blood-hed which j. IN
naralleled IN al history tor IL magnitude
md fury. A. 4 close student of naval
history. You know iull we'll that II ha~ ever
lcen the proud boast ~ the naval service
hat it, fierce and da~hing valor ha~ been
empcred bv . noble chivalry. II ha> been
'e~erved for YOU ~ blarkcn tins fair rec
ord by 4 wholesale slaughter NJ unoffend-
az men. women and children. tor which
not even the crimes OF y Morgan or Cap
ain Kidd provide "a parallel.
Thus yon have proceed during the last
hrce years that. for Yourself and these
yho Immediately surround and advise you.
here Is mo longer any International
ag. and II + largely because We. among
he other free peoples Of the world. believe
hat the principles 81 International law
we're never ~ binding and their safeguards
we're never 40 urgently called for a. now /.
hat We have Joined that great league OF
ivilizaiion, whose object il j. 10 vindirafc
he~e principles IN making this world NJ
nr~ safe for democracy. for MI time III
."mc.