inflicted on the towns of Belgium and Northern France. Let me say
frankly that I do not believe you could persuade our officers to order
such atrocities, or our soldiers to obey such orders. Read the order
which one of the noble warriors of France, General Pétain, issued to his
men:

"To-morrow, in order to better dictate peace, you are going to
carry your arms as far as the Rhine. Into that land of
Alsace-Lorraine that is so dear to us, you will march as
liberators. You will go further; all the way into Germany to occupy
lands which are the necessary guarantees for just reparation.

"France has suffered in her ravaged fields and in her ruined
villages. The freed provinces have had to submit to intolerable
vexations and odious outrages, but you are not to answer these
crimes by the commission of violences, which, under the spur of
your resentment, may seem to you legitimate.

"You are to remain under discipline and to show respect to persons
and property. You will know, after having vanquished your adversary
by force of arms, how to impress him further by the dignity of your
attitude, and the world will not know which to admire most, your
conduct in success or your heroism in fighting."

The destruction of the commonplace Cathedral of Cologne could never
recompense the damage done to the glorious Cathedral of Rheims. Nor
could the slaughter of a million German women and children restore the
innocent victims of Belgium, France, Servia, and Armenia to life. We do
not thirst for blood. We desire justice.