THE PIRATE STATE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15885, 5 April 1915, Page 4

THE PIRATE STATE.

The peculiarly Prussian conception of war is well illustrated in the German statement made to the British Government through Washington, that the submarine crews engaged in the sinking of merchant ships have " solely fulfilled military duties," and are. therefore, entitled to honourable treatment as prisoners of war. This is at least a frank acceptance of responsibility for the slaughter of non-combatants. Since the "scrap of paper'' incident Germany has not gone quite so far as this in defence of her disregard for international law, international treaties and the lives of noncombatants. Allegations of barbarism and vandalism in Belgium were met with denial, palliation, accusation. The idealisation of brutality is a commonplace in German war literature, but German diplomacy has hitherto striven to stem the rising tide of hostile opinion in neutral countries by explanations and counter-charges I which in the, rapid march of events might at least lie expected to raise doubts even if they failed to carry conviction. This policy could not well lie sustained after the announcement of the submarine war on i merchant shipping, which in its very nature was piracy, and which is Hone the less piratical because it is being directed by an organised State. Early in the war apologists for Germ my could at least point to tile commander of the Emden as showing a regard for the lives of merchant seamen. Now this shred of reputation is gone. Germany has officially attempted a justification of the Ealaba incident, and has announced that she regards the destruction of human lives under such circumstances as a " painful duty." This is not surprising, for in reality

German inhumanity at sea is no newer than German barbarism on land. As was pointed out in the Hi'Rald recently, and now corroborated by Sir Edward Grey, there is no known instance of an officer or seaman of the British Navy having been rescued from drowning by Germans, and there are numerous instances of British rescue operations having been carried out under the fire of I German guhs- It is perhaps too much to expect that Germany will urderst.ind the British distinction between honourable and dishonourable prisoners. At all events we cm feel assured that the distinction will in no way influence German methods of conducting warfare, wlieh have never been modified except in the hope of winning the good opinion of neutrals. hen that hope is wholly abandoned we may look for German " frightful-nes-s" at its worst.