If the Russians had, under official order, burned Lemburg, including the
university and the library, and executed the Burgomaster, they would
have come under the same condemnation from Americans that has been given
to Germans for the burning of Louvain and Aerschot and the shooting of
the Aerschot Burgomaster. I am myself familiar with Germany. I am an
old-time German student, and I have German friends on both sides of the
Atlantic, and I am in a position to sympathize with legitimate
aspirations and ideals of these German friends.
I am convinced, however, that no nation can secure in this twentieth
century its rightful development unless its national conduct is
regulated with a "decent respect to the opinions of mankind." The
references made in my TIMES letters were restricted to official actions;
things done under the direction of the military commanders acting in
accord with the instructions or the general policy of the Imperial
Government.
The misdeeds of individual soldiers are difficult to verify. While these
are always exaggerated, it remains the sad truth that every big army
contains a certain percentage of ruffians, and that when these ruffians
are let loose in a community, with weapons and with military power
behind them, bad things are done.
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