New-York tribune., 1918-10-05
Eye for Eye, Tooth for Tooth

The German army is beginning its re-
treat out of France and Belgium. The
world knows what German retreats
mean. Hindenburg's "strategic retire
ment' in the spring of 1917 left the
Noyon salient wilderness. What The
Germans could not carry off they de-
stroyed-down to the last tree and the
last shrub, the last blade in the fields.
There is natural apprehension that
Ludendorff will now repeat Hindenburgs
orgy of devastation 1t is reported that
the Allied governments are to send
warning to Berlin that from now on
every German indulgence in vandalism
will be repaid in kind. Such a warning
is advisable. Not that it would in itself
move the German High Command to
forego that policy of frightfulness which
1t has SO often lauded as a necessary ac-
compartment of intensive" warfare.
But it may furnish the German govern
ment some excuse fer yielding to the
panic-stricken apprehensons of the pop
ulation of the Rhine provinces, which is
just beginning to realize what "inten-
sive" warfare, brought home to Ger
many, would mean.
One Of the Essen newspapers the other
day pathetically criticised the German
authorities for never having allowed the
public mind to dwell on the possibility of
an invasion of German soil The war
was conducted by Germany from the be-
ginning on the theory that whatever cir
regularities" might be committed would
be committed on foreign territory. Ger
mans might deplore these TO the extent
of Struggling their shoulders and saying:
well, after all, war is war" But the
thought that similar mocking COM
mlseration might some day be extended
to them never haunted their magma
tions. They had too much confidence in
the Kaiser, Hindenburg and the good old
German Gott for that.
Now the horror which they have con-
templated so philosophically in France
and Belgium is heading toward the
Rhine. No mere argument based on the
observance of the laws of war, no appeal
to humanity made now by the Allied
powers, would serve to abate the ferocity
of the German High Command. Its
cruelty is cold, calculated and implacable.
But the terror Of the people of the Rhine
provinces at the idea Of swallowing their
own monstrous medicine may force the
army leaders to return to semblance Of
civilized warfare, lest they be dealt with
t11r ,c%
and pirates and lest the Rhine Valley be
turned to such desolation as that to
which Louis XIV sentenced the Palati-
nate.
1t is well, therefore, that the Allied
powers should try to make the panic
stricken German public see that an eye
will be exacted for an eye and tooth for
tooth. For every burned and plundered
city in France or Belgium German city
will be burned and plundered. That is
the law of retaliation which the criminal
himself invokes-
But the Allies should not, and will not,
commit themselves to any understanding
for the future which Will wipe Germany's
slate clean The crimes Of the Germans
in Belgium and France must be expiated.
For that long record Of devilment Justice
and humanity still demand payment in
full
What the German people, intoxicated
with the idea Of victory, never could see
was that German looters, murderers and
devastators were not merely Staying
Fzsnch and Belgian civilians, appropri-