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Show A WEAK EXCUSE. The German attempt to justify the execution of Captain Fryatt is feeble, but at the same time typical of the .Berlin war office. It is pointed out that prior to the war Germany had looked with favor on the idea of treating merchant mer-chant ships as pirates under certain conditions con-ditions just as f ranc-tireurs were treated as criminals on land, i Having established estab-lished a war office sentiment in favor of executing captains of merchant vessels ves-sels who order attacks on warships, the war office pronounces such executions just. In other words, German practice prac-tice is its own justification. The great principles of distributive justice must fall to the ground when confronted by German practice. In southwest Africa the Teutonic, fosces poisoned the wells, a practice which was abandoned centuries cen-turies ago by all civilized nations. What excuse was offered for this action we do not definitely recall, but back of it seems to be the dictum "if it is Teutonic Teu-tonic it is right." There never have been " f ranc-tireurs" ranc-tireurs" of the sea. On land snipers and others who do not belong to organized or-ganized military forces have been regarded re-garded as deserving death when they lie in ambush without uniforms and kill the uniformed soldiers of their country's enemies. When the Germans invaded Belgium they saw, or professed to see, " franc-titeurs" in every attic and behind be-hind every .bush. They even complained of French " f ranc-tireurs, 1 ' although they were non-existent, and they executed exe-cuted many Frenchmen, among them a priest, as 1 ' f ranc-tireurs. " Now they have executed Captain Fry ant as a " franc-tireur " of the sea, thus changing chang-ing international law to suit themselves. |