The Washington times., 1917-06-16


reprisals against Germany is in the
air, not only among Englishmen but
! Americans who are resident on this
side. The recent alleged German off,
cisl murder of Mrs. Katrina Couch
wife Of the Rev. James Couch, former
pastor of a Christian church in St
Francisville, ILL.,, who wrote anti
German letters to American friends
stIrs again the American feeling
against the Kaiser's government that
.originated with the torpedoing Of the
Lusitania, the Sussex, and the Gull
flight.
When recently the Germans torped-
oed a British hospital ship full OF
wounded British the Government told
Germany II another torpedoing took
place sure reprisals would follow.
Soon another hospital ship was tor
pedoed, and as a result an Anglo
French air raid followed on Fret
burg.
The Archbishop of Canterbury and
many other bishops protested to the
House of Lords. Lord Miner and
Lord Curzon defended the reprisaI
air raids and an almost bitter contro-
versy ensued.
Demands ReprIsaIs.
America will surely be confronted
with similar situations. so Hall Game,
the famous novelist, writes in the fol-
lowing sensational argument de-
handing reprisals as the only way OF
curbing German frightfulness:
THE evidence is great that there
is serious confusion OF mind because
OF much recent writing on both sides
and even in the House OF Lords
speeches on the subject Of reprissls
in war.
The central argument OF the Arch
bishop of Canterbury and fellow
churchmen and others in that, how
ever cowardly, inhuman, unchristian
the enemy's acts equally cowardly,
inhuman, and unchristian are our acts
OF retaliation.
But does that follow? Consider
the parallel in civil law in relation to
crime. The murderer's act is phys
ically undistinguishable from the law
furnishing the murderer. The act be-
ing the same, the difference lies in
the motives inspiring the deed, but
the moral difference completely trans
figures the act and in the eyes Of
civilized Christian men justIfes civil
law.
Difference In Motives.
THE argument against reprisals
seems to confuse the objects of attack
and retaliation. The former may
originate in evil passions only. such
as greed and revenge and in the de-
sire for conquest, while the latter,
however tragic in consequence. may
originate in the purest impulses OF
humanity.
Here. again, consider the position
OF civil law. Why does the law hang
the murderer? For loss of life? To
strike a balance betweeL dead and
living? To compel the criminal to
render the equivalent OF his own life
for the life destroyed? Indeed, no!
All such efforts would be illogical, in
equitable, Improbable, futile.
The laws kill the murderers so
that men may not be murdered. In
like manner the object Of reprisaI in
war is TO restrain the enemy from
Offenses which in our view are cow
ardly, inhuman, and unchrIstian.
Greed, lust, revenge, desire OF con-
quest are not inspiring motives OF re
prisal, therefore the moral response
bilities are not the same in reply as
in attack. 1t will be argued that
after the criminal committed the muir
der and escaped Justice we do not
think IT right to seek to kill his wife
and his children.
True. though IL was the root prin-
ciple OF blood feud satisfying the
worlds conscience for many centuries.
Revenge of this sort was in the alb
sence OF law a wild kind Of Justice.
BY taking such revenge men thought
they became even with their enemies
and Mohammed. who did much to put
down the blood feud. established a
money penalty on a guilty mans
tribe, thereby admitting the principle
Of furnishing the innocent for the
guilty.
Impossible to Strike balance.
but the essential faIlacy Of Mo.
hammed's teory of justice lay In te
effort to secure an equivalent, which
was really impossible. No money
recompenses the child for the loss Of
its fater. The theory OF one striking
a balance, whether in money or blood,
with crime IL false because II is i'm
practicable. Also II Is morally wrong
and contrary to the higher precepts
OF religion as the Christion church
implied when II established the rights
Of the sanctuary. The only justice lay