From a material standpoint it is difficult to refute their
argument, but moral and sentimental reasons have before now turned the
tide against the "strongest battalions," despite Napoleon's verdict.
Germany herself begins to suspect that her brutal invasion of Belgium
has turned the moral sentiment of the world against her, and that her
defeat would grieve few people not of German birth.

* * * * *

_Berlin, Sunday, December 6th._ About the atrocities in Belgium there
is, apparently, no question, but considering the way the Germans
controlled themselves in France, some explanation of their brutality
farther north in Belgian Flanders is necessary. The Germans say that
the cruelties were not all on one side; that the Belgians practised
sniping, impeded the German army, and mutilated German wounded. The
only one of these charges that seems to have been proved is that of
sniping, but even if other cruelties were committed it must be
remembered that the moral status of the Belgians was entirely
different from that of the Germans. The Belgians were aroused to blind
fury by the disregard of their neutrality rights and the unwarranted
invasion of their peaceful country. Even from Germans I have heard no
excuses for the violation of Belgium which might not have been equally
well put forward by a needy burglar who breaks into an unprotected
house and plunders it after bludgeoning its helpless inmates. Is it
remarkable that the liberty-loving Belgian peasant who saw his home
destroyed or his family abused, knew no sufficient reason why he
should stand supinely by and welcome the destroyer? More brave than
wise, too furious to reason calmly, he did what he could to retaliate,
which is against the rules of war. Consequently a merciless foe
inflicted the uttermost penalty upon him, his family, and the whole
region in which he lived. The world has never witnessed more frightful
and disproportionate punishments.

The Germans on the other hand were morally in quite a different case.
They were the aggressors, the treaty breakers, and the invaders of a
peaceful country of neighbors and friends. Their part was to be
tolerant and to make allowance for individual violations of the rules
of war. The world at large will never concede that occasional
instances of sniping can justify the destruction of whole villages,
the execution of thousands of men, and the violation of thousands of
women. When our American