EDITH CAVELL’S MESSAGE.
The circumstances of Edith Cavell’s death became known in England on
Trafalgar Day. The news reached the public through the newspapers the
following morning. No one who was in London that day will ever forget
the sense of horror that ran through the land. From early morning a
dense crowd of people thronged round the only tangible symbol of her
martyrdom, a wreath of laurels placed among those of the sailors who
died for England. The armless Nelson looked down from his column upon
the memorial of a weak woman who had borne witness to his immortal
message. The seaman and officers who had died in the long-drawn-out
Trafalgar, welcomed her, as it seemed, to their company. And in the
mist and rain of a London October day the true spirit of England leaped
again to life.
“This will settle the matter, once for all, about recruiting in Great
Britain,” said the Bishop of London. “There will be no need now of
compulsion.” All day men competed in their eagerness to join the Army.
Continual recruiting meetings were held round the base of Nelson’s
monument. In Nurse Cavell’s native village every eligible man joined
the Forces next day. A tide of enthusiasm set in which has not yet
waned.
[Illustration:
[_Daily Mirror Photograph._
NURSE CAVELL IN HER GARDEN.]
[Illustration:
_Photo Copyright_] [_Farringdon Photo Company._
NURSE CAVELL, FROM A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN IN BRUSSELS.]
Consternation and horror expressed themselves in every part of the
world. The _Staats Zeitung_, the Germans’ newspaper in New York which
defended the sinking of the “Lusitania,” disowned the crime. “This
is savagery,” said neutral Holland. “The killing of Miss Cavell will
be more expensive than the loss of many regiments,” said a great
American journal. “The peace of the future would be incomplete and
precarious,” wrote the Paris _Figaro_, “if crimes like these escaped
the justice of peoples.” The King and Parliament gave voice to
England’s sentiment.
Yet the Germans were so little conscious of what they had done that
they made the deed blacker by excuses. “We hope it will serve as
a warning to the Belgians,” wrote the Berlin official paper, the
_Vossische Zeitung_. “I know of no law in the world which makes
distinction between the sexes,” said Herr Zimmermann, the Kaiser’s
Under-Secretary for Foreign Affairs. And they filled the cup of their
infamy by refusing to surrender Nurse Cavell’s body to her friends.
It is fitting that there should be some personal memorial to this
heroic life. One such, by the thoughtful initiative of Queen Alexandra,
is to be provided in the shape of an Edith Cavell Nursing Home at the
London Hospital where Miss Cavell was trained. The _Nursing Mirror_,
for which she wrote her last article, urges the institution of a
Cavell Cross for Heroism, a decoration for women only.
An Empire Day of Homage has been proposed. A great national memorial
service has been held in St. Paul’s Cathedral.
But the best memorial to Edith Cavell will be the determination of her
fellow-citizens to put aside self in willing service to their country.
APPENDIX.
SIR EDWARD GREY’S SCATHING COMMENT.
Sir EDWARD GREY to the AMERICAN AMBASSADOR in London.
Foreign Office, October 20th, 1915.
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs presents his compliments to
the United States Ambassador, and has the honour to acknowledge the
receipt of His Excellency’s note of the 18th instant enclosing a copy
of a despatch from the United States Minister at Brussels respecting
the execution of Miss Edith Cavell at that place.
Sir E. Grey is confident that the news of the execution of this noble
Englishwoman will be received with horror and disgust not only in the
Allied States, but throughout the civilised world.
Miss Cavell was not even charged with espionage, and the fact that she
had nursed numbers of wounded German soldiers might have been regarded
as a complete reason in itself for treating her with leniency.
The attitude of the German authorities is, if possible, rendered worse
by the discreditable efforts successfully made by the officials of
the German Civil Administration at Brussels to conceal the fact that
sentence had been passed and would be carried out immediately. These
efforts were no doubt prompted by the determination to carry out the
sentence before an appeal from the finding of the court-martial could
be made to a higher authority, and show in the clearest manner that the
German authorities concerned were well aware that the carrying out of
the sentence was not warranted by any consideration.
Further comment on their proceedings would be superfluous.
In conclusion, Sir E. Grey would request Mr. Page to express to Mr.
Whitlock and the staff of the United States Legation at Brussels the
grateful thanks of His Majesty’s Government for their untiring efforts
on Miss Cavell’s behalf. He is fully satisfied that no stone was left
unturned to secure for Miss Cavell a fair trial, and when sentence had
been pronounced a mitigation thereof.
Sir E. Grey realises that Mr. Whitlock was placed in a very
embarrassing position by the failure of the German authorities to
inform him that the sentence had been passed and would be carried out
at once. In order, therefore, to forestall any unjust criticism which
might be made in this country he is publishing Mr. Whitlock’s despatch
to Mr. Page without delay.
THE GERMAN OFFICIAL DEFENCE.
Statement by Herr ZIMMERMANN, German Under-Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs.
It is indeed hard that a woman has to be executed, but think what a
State is to come to which is at war if it allows to pass unnoticed
a crime against the safety of its armies because it is committed by
women. No law book in the world, least of all those dealing with war
regulations, makes such a differentiation, and the female sex has
but one preference according to legal usage, namely, that women in a
delicate condition may not be executed. Otherwise a man and woman are
equal before the law, and only the degree of guilt makes a difference
in the sentence for a crime and its consequences.
In the Cavell case all the circumstances are so clear and convincing
that no court-martial in the world could have reached any other
decision. For it concerns not the act of one single person, but rather
a well-thought-out, world-wide conspiracy, which succeeded for nine
months in rendering the most valuable service to the enemy, to the
disadvantage of our army.
SEVERITY THE ONLY WAY.
Countless British, Belgian and French soldiers are now again fighting
in the Allies’ ranks who owe their escape from Belgium to the activity
of the band now sentenced, at the head of which stood Miss Cavell.
With such a situation under the very eyes of the authorities only the
utmost severity can bring relief, and a Government violates the most
elementary duty towards its army that does not adopt the strictest
measures. These duties in war are greater than any other.
All those convicted were fully cognisant of the significance of their
actions. The court went into just this point with particular care, and
acquitted several co-defendants because it believed a doubt existed
regarding their knowledge of the penalties for their actions.
I admit, certainly, that the motive of those convicted was not unnoble,
that they acted out of patriotism; but in war time one must be ready to
seal one’s love of Fatherland with one’s blood.
TO FRIGHTEN THE OTHERS.
Once for all, the activity of our enemies has been stopped, and the
sentence has been carried out to frighten those who might presume on
their sex to take part in enterprises punishable with death. Should
one recognise these presumptions it would open the door for the evil
activities of women, who often are handier and cleverer in these things
than the craftiest spy.
If the others are shown mercy it will be at the cost of our army, for
it is to be feared that new attempts will be made to injure us if it is
believed that escape without punishment is possible or with the risk of
only a light sentence.
Only pity for the guilty can lead to a commutation. It will not be an
admission that the executed sentence was too severe, for this, harsh as
it may sound, was absolutely just, and could not appear otherwise to an
independent judge.
It is asserted that the soldiers told off to carry out the execution
refused at first to shoot, and finally fired so faultily that an
officer had to kill the accused with his revolver.
No word of this is true. I have an official report of the execution, in
which it is established that it took place entirely in accordance with
the established regulations, and that death occurred immediately after
the first volley, as the physician present attests.
W., L. & Co., Printers, Clifton House, Worship St., E.C.
Telephone No. 3121 London Wall.