New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-12
Futile Frightfulness

From time to time in the last two years
rumors of an extraordinary and seemingly
futile form Of warfare have come to this
country from several places invaded by
the German armies. II is alleged that IN
various ways efforts have been made not
only to COW the non-combatant populations
and reduce them to a state of absolute sub
lection, but actually to extermnate them
without resorting to general and indls-
crminate bloodshed.
1t is, indeed, admitted at last by the
Germans themselves that they have poi
soned wells, and after General Botha had
conclusive proof in his hands they even
ceased to deny that certain mines in South
west Africa had been deliberately infected
with disease to render them useless. But
such devices. though contrary to common
usage in war, were probably directed
against the pursuing troops rather than
against local civilians. whereas the pur-
pose of the remarkable methods now in
question can only be to destroy all who can
possibly be reached, including old men
and infants.
Thus, when Rumania was invaded it was
reported on official authority that German
airmen had dropped infected sweetmeats in
the streets Of Bucharest, neatly wrapped
in colored papers in order TO attract the
attention of unsuspecting children. AT
Barbecue the same experiment is said to
have been repeated, though without much
success. Even more surprising is the news
that large numbers of the inhabitants of
several regions lately evacuated by Ger
mans in France have been Systematically
noculated with tuberculosis on the pre-
tence of protecting them against smallpox.
An effort has been made by a correspond
emit of "The World" to investigate this
matter, and he was fortunate in securing
the help of the Boston physician In charge
of the pathological laboratory of the Amer
lean Ambulance Hospital at Neuilly. Ac-
cording to this expert authority, the evil
dence is disquieting, inasmuch as the vac
cinations were all made only month or
six weeks before the Germans moved and
"only those who have been vaccinated have
developed tuberculosis
1t is a singular circumstance that the
Germans, if they really feared an outbreak
of smallpox, put off the order for general
vaccination to the last moment. The ex-
PLANTATION they gave, according to the UNI
fortunate patients, was that smallpox was
ravaging all France" 1t is therefore not
impossible that, though they were deceived,
their motives were of the highest and most
humane order and that they could not bear
to think of the consequences that might
follow the arrival of French troops in the
evacuated areas. 1t is even possible that
their real purpose was to provide against
tuberculosis and that it happened, as it has
often happened in the past, that the tuber-
culin proved to be mischevous rather
than prophylactic.
If so, the unfortunate results should not
Blind us to the evidence of a possible i'm
provement in the humanity of the Germans,
who hitherto have shown no compassion Of
this sort. Most Of the cases, it appears,
were of the Illuminating type, the victims
dying in few weeks. 1t has therefore
been difficult to investigate the question
thoroughly and it is allowable for the pres
ent to give the Germans the benefit of the
doubt, the doubt being not whether the
Germans are capable of so fendish an
enterprise, but whether the results would
really be worth all the trouble and eX-
pense involved.