The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1918-06-07
SCISSORS AND PASTE.
The Humane Germans.
Charlotte Observer.) }


We wonder If the readers Of the
Observer were struck with the
changed policy of warfare practiced
by the German submarines in our
home waters? Their boats over here
have observed the international US
ages Of war; they have niether killed
nor drowned passengers. Out Of
their operations reported up to the
time of this writing, only few lives
were lost. The passengers and
crews were in all instances given
time to leave the ship. In some
cases the passengers were trans
! ferred to passing vessels and sent on
the way to port unmolested. See
this was in striking contrast with
the methods. pursued by German pi-
rates in the war zone. The treat
ment accorded the submarine vic
tins over here was in fact so re-
markably different from anything in
the past history of German U-boat
warfare, that it must have caused
more than casual comment But
those who think they see in this n
change of heart on part of Germany
are mistaken. For the exercise of
this leniency the German commands
deserve not the slightest credit. Re-
calling the slogan in a one-time ia
nous political campaign in Char
lotte, there's a reason" The Ger
man U-boats are far from home
Their commanders had figured II out
that the odds against their own es-
cape were large. The chances we're
greatly in favor Of being sunk or be-
ing captured. In case they were
sunk it would not make much diff
ference. But the more inviting op-
portunity lay in surrendering and
submitting to capture. What sort of
vengeance might not the Americans
exact of them in case they had wan
tonly sunk these American ships and
had given the passengers and crews
no chance for escape? On the con-
trary, If they should sink the ships
after due warning, taking care that
the lives of all on board should be
safeguarded in accordance with
American ideals and the rules OF
civilized warfare, they could sur
render with assurance OF being
treated with the established consid-
Grafton due prisoners Of war, and
not as pirates. The policy adopted
by the commanders OF the visiting
submarines was not dictated by
choice, it was simply the part of
good policy. 1t was species of en-
forced camou1age.
Who could doubt that had these
boats met all this American shipping
in the war zone over there a single |
chance would have been given pas
sengers or crew to save themselves? |
Germany would have sailed into
these ships with a very delirium of |
JOY, and the story OF life saved and /
lost would have been exactly revers-
ed. The sentimentalist who might
be disposed to come farward in
praise of Germany for humane con-
duct in the sinking OF these Ameri-
can ships is good subject for
gentle application OF the espionage
law. He is either a friend and COM
forter OF the Kaiser, or he does not
know what he Is talking about. Ger
many's apparent humane conduct
on the Jersey coast was dictated by
selfish motives. It would have been
as vicious as the spirit that encom-
passed the sinking Of the Lusitania |
or that killed Red Cross nurses and |
wounded soldiers in the hospitals
also, If it had dared. 1t was not so
much subjugation of the spirit of
murder and destruction, as II was a !
plea for mercy at the hands of a
government of whose righteous
wrath the captured German pirate
has good cause to stand in fear.
PERSONALS.