WAR ATROCITIES

Maoriland Worker, Volume 13, Issue 31, 1 August 1923, Page 15

WAR ATROCITIES

. Admiral Sims Again to attempts in the Heuflß of, Commons to ? discredit his allegations in defence of the German submarine commanders, the AmericaAdmiral Sims* in an interview with the Chicago "Tribune," said:— , ,

"I quoted tint . : .barring the case ft oi the Hospital ship Llandovey Castle, I did not know of any case where~to.„ German submarine commander had . fir>d upon the boats of a torpedoed ' 'vessel; that the commanding officer ' and two officers of the submarine that '. torpedoed the hospital ship in ques- - •tion WERE TRIED IN GERMANY AFTER THE WAR AND PUNISHED; THAT THE SUBMARINE COMMANDERS GENERALLY ACTED IN A IBUMANE MANNER, AND IN SOME CASES GAVE THE BOATS OP TORPEDOED VESSELS FOOD AND WATER AND A TOW TOWARD '< LAND, AND SONT OUT WIRELESS MESSAGES GrVTNIG THEIR POSITIONS. . . .»• At Leip'sig the Allies reported 67 caries of alleged atrocities against r lB commanders, and of this Admiral Sims said: — , "If as a result of sinking some thousands of vessels, the Allies could report but 57 cases of alleged brutality, this alone would appear to be conclusive evidence that, in so far as concerns the submarine commanders, there is no justification for the absolute belief that still persists m certain circles that ' the Germans were just devils in human form,' but on the contrary, as I have stated, that '.the submarine commanders generally acted in a humane manner . . . in carrying out their orders.'" ■' ,' a Dealing with the sinking of -the Lusitania, the Admiral,, speaking as a' naval officer, said:— •"The disaster that occurred to the Lusitania was a groat blow to the Germans. It was wholly unexpected by them, I t&iak, for this reason: if you had asked any naval officer or naval constructor what would have happened when this vessel was torpedoed I am sure that the great majority would have said that after being struck she would have floated iter hours before sinking, and that bein£ close to land, she would have bee?*! beached. I HAVE NEVJKR B& LIEVED THAT GEKfitAffT ANY IDEA THAT THE TOBPIEDOING OF THAT VESSEL . . . WOTJL» HAVE CAUSED THE LOSS OF AMY. LIVES AT ALL. ... I AM ING, YOU UNDERSTAND, AS A* •SEAMAN SPEAKING OF OTHER!. SEAMEN. If the situation had been, reversed, if we had been in Germany's' place, and if. we had believed that losing the war would have meant domination of our country by Germany—be sure to make that point— we too would have sunk ships without warning." . 5 Of the hate-propaganda stories be said:— ,

"As for.the propaganda, most of the things told, I believe, were true, but it was not all the truth. No army ever marched through an country without some thieving; with? out some violence, even without 'somo' assaults on women. But these thing* are nottrue of an entire army. They are just true enough to permit stico?stories to be told. THE PURPOSE IS CLEAR." \ All *%_*ifcars out the confession of the "Manchester Guardian": '.'ln wa* ; time we all have to do a good deal of lying." ______ ' ■