New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-01-02

DARIs, Dec. Is (by mail).-That they
can never know and never can under-
stand is the unsatisfying conclus;o,
to which one is forced after encounteripc
and bordering upon the attitude of +he
Boche following the signing Of the ar.
mistice.
The Alsatian resewist who, with his cur
in his hand and a dolls trunk under HE
arm, marched smihngly into 1st Division
headquarters in Gravenmarchen. Iuxs,n-
burg, was no more mystifying than tho
Prussian in the little town of Nittel ,,,o
hung out French flag when the Americsns
appeared on the western bank of tbo
Mosele.
The attitude of both and of all Germans
| have seer since the armistce was signed
is one Of blank Inconsistencies OF any rea.
son why Americans should feel ami
mostly whatever toward a German. Tho
war. they seem TO say, is happily over
Germany demonstrated that she was can
able of fighting world of enemies for moro
than four years; so far the sufferings Of
the war are concerned VIC arc all in the
same boat, SO why should not every one
shake hands and forget the rancors of con-
met! This latter statement is not quite
correct for there is absolutely nothing in
the German attitude to indicate that there
has been any rancor
Needless to say, this is a very difficult at
titude with which to deal You may have
heard that man is a bloodthirsty villain
who has violated every law of decency and
fair play, but if upon first meeting him he
a smile of goodfellowship, an air of being
utterly unaware Of your opinion of him, It
Is very difficult to know just what to do
However, if one wants evidence that there
is a thought-out plan behind the Bochc
mask Of brotherhood he can perhaps find
1t in the addresses that have been made
during the last week to American prisoners
departing from German prison camps
These addresses are all pitched in the same
key. At Nillingen the farewell address 10
the prisoners delivered by an adiutant
appointed TO take charge of the camp after
the soldiers and civilians had stripped the
old commander of his epaulcts and put an
official of their own selection in charge He
congratulated the prisoners on their early
release and told them that he shared their
families, but he added you must not take
away any hard feeling toward Germany.
You must feel as friendly toward US as We
now feel toward you and join with US in
demanding a peace which will enable Ger
many TO live in future without molestation
from her enemies" He charged the prison
ers to take home this message and to say
that the world had nothing more to fear
from Germany so long as her rights were
respected by other nations. Other COM
manders made talks of similar kind
The mysterious attitude of unaffected IN
nocence is not at all confined to the stray
Cling Boche sodiery to be encountered on
the borders of the occupied territory. nor TO
the civilians of this region. 1t is mani
tested in great variety of ways. For in
stance, many German prisoners in France.
and | hear that the same is true in England.
are asking people with whom they come
into contact about the possibility of getting
employment after peace is signed There Is
apparently no consciousness whatever OF
any reason why an Engiishman, French
man or all American should not wish to
arrange at this moment to employ Ger
man, even one who had been taken prisonea
from piratical submarine
From all these manifestations of the u,
ter inability of the Boone to understand
why are not willing at once to accopt
him on plane of entire friendliness and
goodfellowship l cannot keep my memo..,
from going back to the soldier who ar
peared q few nights ago at the 1st Division
headquarters still carrying his gun. appar-
emily eXDectingto be received as long los
brother, announcing simply that he had
been told that the war was over and had
decided to visit relatives in Luxembourg.
That the American army was occupying the
town and preparing to cross into Prussia
gave him no concern, and his hurt beualdo,-
ment when unfeeling ~ P. led him o.
to be questioned by an intelligence Office
satisfied me then, as it satisfies me- nov.
that we shall never be able to understand
the Boche any more than he will be able
to understand why the bringing. about o.
the war, the submarine campaign, the BON
bardment of Paris, the devastation O.
Northern France, the footing Of private
property, the abuse of women and children.
the bombing Of hospitals have created IN
our minds a feeling that no terms of neacs
obliterate.