The action of the British Government in holding the Italian hospital ship Ramb IV will be welcomed as showing a determination to put up with no more violations of the international code with regard to such vessels Such as those of which the Germans and Italians are guilty. It is surprising that Italy has been included in the accusation, for, while the world has become accustomed to the brutality of the Hun, few, if any, allegations have been made against the Ttalians of similar behaviour. Indeed the impression is very strong that whatever the qualities of the Italian soldier as a fighter he has ideas of the proper conduct of war which the Germans never appear to have acquired. The only conclusion to be drawn then is that they are being badly influenced by their continued association with the apostles of Kultur, clearly proving the truth of the saying that evil communications corrupt good manners, So far as the Germans are concerned the accusation levelled against them can. occasion no surprise whatever; the last war showed them to be foul fighters and this one merely proves that they have not changed, "Germany and Italy are accused of making badly out in daylight; the vessels were properly and distinctly marked, and there cannot in the circumstances be any question of mistake. The conclusion to be drawn is that enemy desires to carry the war wounded men, mostly quite unable to ships. It seems idle in the eírcumstances to point out that these attacks were made in violation of the Hague Convention to which both Germany and Italy were signatories. International agreements to which Germany is a party have been shown not to be worth the paper they are written on except where there is something to be gained. Obviously this disregard of the Hague Convention is inspired by the knowledge that situated as they are Germany and Italy have no great need for hospital ships, while for Great Britain and her Allies, operating in so many theatres of war accessible only by sea, such vessels are of the primest necessity.
The British Government announces. its intention of retaining the Ramb IV for a minimum period of six months in replacement of one of the ships which have been sunk, and that upon its being satisfied that the enemy has a firm determination to retrain in future from attacking British hospital ships the Italian vessel may be returned, In the light of what has happened the decision seems to be a remarkably lenient one. Three British hospital ships have been sunk. Were the Ramb IV confiscated, Britain would not be made whole in the outrageous loss which has been inflicted upon her. One ship does not compensate for three, nor does it restore to life those wounded men who have been wantonly slaughtered. The enemy would probably better understand Britain's intention if it were declared that enemy hospital ships equalling those belonging to Britain which have been destroyed would be intercepted and captured.
It is.comparatively easy to anticipate what defence the enemy will put forward for this latest series of outrages. It is clear that they took place in the Mediterranean, and the times at which they occurred suggest that it was during the evacuation of Greece. If Berlin and Rome declare that the hospital ships were being used for the evacuation of unwounded men it should cause no astonishment. The fact that the enemy could not possibly know whether that was the case or not, will mean nothing to them. That is about the only defence they can put forward, and, having lied as consistently as they have done all along, it is not to be expected that they would refrain from adding another spot of lying to the huge fabric of falsehood which they have already built up. Indeed all that need be said is that Hitler's Germany is still running true to form, and that the Italians are losing their reputation for correctness of behaviour because of the bad company they are obliged to keep.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.