New-York tribune., 1918-06-06
The Final Indignity

the Lusitania is the ghastliest indignity
Of all
We hear-Heaven forgive US, we print
as news!-a lot of maudlin prattle about
the Huns attempt to be gallant with
the victims Of his new U-boat enterprise
on this side of the ocean.
There is the incident of the shippers
silk umbrella, rescued and tenderly re-
stored to him by the German bombing
party that sank his ship.
One whole crew, instead of being tor
pedoed without warning, is taken on
board the submarine and regaled with
wines, cordials, cigars and German vani-
ties.
To one merchant captain the U-boat
commander apologies. What pity to
bomb his ship! "But it's all part of the
job" he sighs, "and must be done"
Captain Holbrook, of the Hattie Dunn,
one Of the first victims, on being restored
to American soil, "proudly displayed
number of souvenirs which the amiable
commander of the German craft gave
him." 1t is so reported in the news.
One of the souvenirs was brass button
which the German commander h.
ripped off his uniform.
If this is true, we are ashamed Of
Captain Holbrook. We are ashamed of
the crew that drank the German wines
and smoked the German cigars. The
silk umbrella is a hateful omen of our
weakness in revenge.
Have we forgotten why we are at war
with Germany?
Have we forgotten the Lusitania?
Have we forgotten that to force
women and children into an open boat
at sea and leave them to their fate is
still murder, crime against humanity
an atrocity unimaginable in this day of
civilization until Germany began her
frightfulness at sea?
The same Huns who made all these
mocking gestures Of gallantry incidental
ly murdered score of men and women.
They did this without knowing-actually
without knowing-that such are not now
the manners of human warfare, or that
their hands were red. They have for
gotten even the forms of civilized con-
duct. Read on.
Along with the survivors tales of Ger
man politeness, comes also this:
"LEWES, Del, June 4.-Ninetcen sur
vivors, passengers and crew Of the steam
ship Carolina, were landed here to-day.
They brought narrowing tale of the
sea, the news of the loss Of sixteen of
their number and remarkable rescue of
girl while they drifted helplessly on
the ocean during a severe thunderstorm
Sunday night.
"Ten boats left the Carolina before
she was sunk by the German submarine
storm
and the survivors here said they had felt
sure all were lost. They expressed great
JOY when informed that most of the Caro-
linas company had been saved"
That is murder!
1t is murder of defenceless people on
the open sea where even Germans passed
formerly as men. The monstrous thing
about it--infinitely worse than the deed
itself-is that they no longer realize how
abominable it is. Their souls are steeped
in wickedness. Their senses are dulled
by the theory and practice and justifca-
tion of it. At the beginning of the utter
ly frightful U-boat warfare, to put mer.
chant crews, not to say women and chill
dren, into an open boat at sea, sink their
vessel and leave them, seemed an in
tolerable violation of the code of human
ity. Moreover, if it may be mentioned.
it was forbidden by all the laws of the
world.
But having far exceeded that degree Of
atrocity, they now return to it on the
American coast and think by so doing to
restore themselves to a plane on which
enemies may exchange civilities and even
gallantries.
We are asked to note and to appreciate
the restraint with which they commit in
American waters murder in a degree