Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Crimes of Germany: Being an Illustrated Synopsis of the Violations of International Law and of Humanity by the Armed Forces of the German Empire; Based on the Official Enquiries of Great Britain, France, Russia and Belgium; With a Preface by Sir Theodore A. Cook
The cynical and immediate contempt shown by Germany for the Hague Conventions and other rules of civilised war has convinced everyone that the strict and continuous Observance Of such conventions in the future must Obtain the sanction of such forcible measures as could be applied, when necessary, by the rest of the world, to the Germanic peoples or to any others who might wantonly violate the agreements of civilisation. That Observance must clearly also be a matter of interest and honour in the future to every nation which has signed the Code. In other words, a strong and practically universal body of enlightened censure must be created, and maintained, against the deliberate policy which has abused the chivalry of war and destroyed the lives and property of innocent non-combatants both by land and sea. We must be protected against any possibility of its revival. Crimes such as Germany has committed have not merely broken the rules 01 the civil and military code; they have outraged-the elemental instincts Of humanity; they can neither be adequately punished nor permanently stopped by arms alone their abolition must be the task of a higher type of international conscience which will not only reject German ideals from every civilised country, but will insist upon a clearer recognition Of the fundamental rights and duties of the individual citizen within the boundaries of the Germanic Empires. It is almost incredible that among all those millions not a single voice has been able to raise a protest strong enough to turn their rulers from the deliberate policy Of crime laid down' in their Official War Book and rigidly carried out by the strict orders of their Officers.
For all the German-speaking races outside Prussia there will one day come a great awakening. Truth cannot be hidden. Just as they deceived the world with prattle about philosophy and Kultur for all the years during which they were secretly preparing the wholesale murder of Europe and European civilisation, so they have been deceived themselves as to the result of their ill-starred machinations, and as to the Opinion Of the world about their abominable methods. After all, they will discover it is not war, but peace, which is the normal life of other nations. After all, they will be made to realise that Truth, and not Lies, is the basis upon which international society must rest. The frightfulness Of the modern Hun has effected nothing greater or more lasting than did the cruelties Of Attila or the faggots Of Alva in the Netherlands. Their Chancellors and their journalists may ask Is it the business of Germans to be guided by chatter about humanity and civilisation, or to go ahead roughly and ruthlessly But a greater Voice than any to which modern Germany has listened has said to her victims in Belgium, Serbia, and Poland I know thy works and tribulation and poverty. Fear none Of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried. Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown Of life.
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