“Lusitania” Amok
The unerring insight to motive which characterises Raemaekers’ work is
well displayed in this cartoon, in which is shown not only the German
fury against England, but the senselessness of that fury. The raging,
soulless hate depicted here is the hate that takes no count of the
lives of women and children, but would sacrifice these and all else to
its own ends. The crime is one that will live in men’s memories while
recollection of this war endures, and will be placed at the head of
that long list of acts which can have no possible effect on the result
of the war, and, in fact, can have no result at all beyond showing the
guiding spirit of Germany as Raemaekers shows it--ugly, mad, and a
thing worthy only of destruction at the hands of sane civilisation.
In the rush of events we are in danger, not of forgetfulness, but
of neglect of comprehension of the spirit prompting acts like the
sinking of the _Lusitania_, for the stern purpose of these times is
all-absorbing, and material urgencies must, for the time, stand before
the reckoning out of a rate of payment for such deeds as this. But in
the day of the great reckoning it would be well if this cartoon could
be kept full in sight of the reckoners; not for mere vengeance, for
that would not bring back those who went down with the _Lusitania_, or
fell under bombs dropped aimlessly or with intent to terrorise--and,
in any case, humanity could never exact full vengeance for such acts
as these, nor is such a figure as this true presentation of Germany
of to-day capable of feeling human vengeance. For the sake of future
generations, for the safety of humanity and that civilisation as we
know it may endure, the reckoning must include the extinction of
this spirit which Raemaekers shows as that of a raging and senseless
slaughterer.