The Washington herald., 1917-07-22
THE Open FORUM.
GERMANS oUT-HUN HUNS.
Thinks Term German" Signifies
Everything Vile.

Editor The Washington Herald:
The newspapers Of this country and
OF England seem to have settled upon
Hun" as the proper term Of oppro-
brium TO apply to our chief enemy.
Such term, while expressing TO the
limit our conception Of a bestial and
brutal people, still falls far short OF
adequately describing our German an
'tagonism.
The Huns OF fifteen centuries ago,
while undeniably brutal. were not
much more 30 than the peoples they
battled against. They conducted their
wars according TO the fashion of the
time. giving no quarter, expecting none
in return. They were, according to
our standards, barbarians, with few
OF the virtues Of civilization and 80
could hardly be expected TO acquit
themselves in war or in peace after
the manner Of civilized peoples.
The Germans, on the other hand,
consider themselves the most civilizeSp
the most learned people OF this or any
other age. They are. according TO
their viewpoint, Gods chosen people.
called from on high to take charge of
the countries of the world and lead
their peoples in the path they should
follow. Their art, culture, industry,
government-all are OF a superior
order, destined to prevail in the end in
this, possibly in other planets.
1t would be expected that a people
so superbly endowed-or as they be-
lieve they are-would conduct their
wars on the highest possible plane;
that German culture would come 10
the fore In this as they believe 1t has
come to the fore in the days OF
peace. II such belief prevailed a short
three years ago. such has been utterly
dispelled by the happenings Of the last
few years.
The Germans have out-hunned the
Huns in every particular. Every
dastardly implement that could be en-
ployed has been employed, with the
fun sanction Of the German people
here as well as those resident in be-
leaSuered Germany. Every despicable
art has been followed by .the Ger
mans and their minions in neutra
countries. Nothing has been left un-
done to give them victory. whether
sanctioned by civilized usage or not
Huge liners, like the Lusitania, lader
with Its precious freight OF noncom-
batant men. women and little children
have been ruthlessly destroyed with.
out word Of warning. Neutral ship
! ping has been destroyed without rea.
son. Open cities of enemy countries
have been bombarded from the air anc
from the seas. though well the Ger.
| mans knew that on military advan.
tage would accrue. The peaceable
population of invaded territory has
been tortured, brutally killed, and in
| thousands of well authenticated in.
stances carried away into slavery.
The Huns. unspeakable as they may
have been, barbarous as they undoubt-
! edly were, never did these things
They seem to have had some sense OF
! honor. to have abstained from certain
acts. The Germans, on the contrary
/ seem utterly lost to shame They
seem to have sunk to the lowest pos.
sible depths Of infsmy.
Let US have done with the utterly
Inadequate Hun" Let US employ the
more adequate term German" as one
embracing within itself every degree
and shade Of the most bestial saw.
agery. As the term Hun" has en-.
dured for fifteen centuries as the syn.
| onym for all that is bestial and saw.
J age, so let us In the ages to come EN-.
/ ploy German" as the term synon.
| ymous with that which is utterly
! base, vile, and ignoble.
SAML. SALOMAN.
las Adams St,
Washington, d. c.