New-York tribune., 1917-12-22

To the Editor Of The Tribune
Sir: While IL may be considered more
sensible TO wait until the war is finished
hororo v.o bocin 10 discuss conditions which
NAV arise after the war, yet, in view o. the
Fact that the German people are beng sus-
,ained by the hone Of rebuilding their shat-
tered business as soon as the war IS over
might Il not bo worth while at the present
time 20 give them an intimation OF wha'
they may then reasonably expect 20 contend
against?
The German people should bear in mind
that this war was precipitated by Germany
in cold blood and with 10 adequate pretext
whatever It was a plan on colossal scale
to murder, rob and terrify the world. lts
moral foundation was precisely the same as
that Of scheme OF a gang OF safe breakers
who had plotted to rob a bank and TO com
nit incidental murder il necessary. The dit-
ference in the degree Of wickedness was
against Germany because Of the vastly
greater magnitude OF her offence.
In addition TO the crime of starting the war
Germany has waged it with such senseless'
stupid and liendish cruelty that one wonders
what kind of material the Germans can be
made Of which makes it possible for her
armies TO commit the crimes Of which they
have been guilty. When a nation fosters
gospel of hate, and instead OF attempting
to excuse her hideous atrocities glories IN
them. when she shows clearly 10 the Who!e
world that she cannot be trusted and Wneh
she plainly publishes TO the world that even
the solemnly made agreements Of the nation
iiself are worthless and subject TO repudIa-
ton when it suits her convenience, what can
she oxuect from other peoples? When she
is defeated in her scheme, are we TO ofer
her the hand of friendship and take her to
cur bosoms with the old love and conil-
dence?
Well. am not yindictive by nature nor am
I inclined 70 harbor resentment but II an
Individual attempted TO DO 20 me what Ger
nanv attempted TO do TO the world | would
fight him with all my power, and after the
battle. if survived, l should consider myself
dwelling idiot if I entered into social re-
lations with him again or had any dealings
with him whatever.
The point to which I wish to call attention
is that wars may be won by breaking the
hearts of the civilian population of belllg-
erent as we'll as by the destruction OF his
army. Might it not be we'll then to try the
effect on the German psychology OF letting
the German people know that the individual
citizens Of the nations opposing her had
reciprocated the German hate and had
pledged themselves never to purchase an
article of German manufacture, never to take
massage in German vessel nor ship pound
Of freight in one, never knowingly to wear
a thread of clothing that was dyed with Ger
man dyes, and, in short, to let Germany know
that after the war the people Of the world
intended to have nothing to do with her
and intended to leave her to stew in her own
juice?
I, for one, am ready with John Burroughs
to take such a pledge, and if take it | will
keen il so far as it is possible to keep IT,
There are undoubtedly kindly, humane and
honest people in Germany and it is to be
regretted that they should be subjected to
hardship and suffering, but the nation as a
whole appears to have lost all of the higher
and desirable moral qualities, if it ever had
them. and stands in need of the severe disci-
pline of national ostracsm until such time as
il can bing itself up to the level, at least OF
standardization. WILLIAM a. MORGAN.
Providence r. L. Dec. 10, 1917.