The Case of Edith Cavell / A Study of the Rights of Non-Combatants

A Study of the Rights of Non-Combatants.
Former Assistant Attorney-General of the United States, and Author of The Evidence in the Case.
( Reprinted from New York Times. )
G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS, NEW YORK AND LONDON.

A Reply to Dr. Albert Zimmermann, Germany's Under Secretary for Foreign Affairs. By JAMES M. BECK, Former Assistant Attorney-General of the United States, and Author of The Dual Alliance v. The Triple Entente, and The Evidence in the Case.
Mr. Beck, who is one of the leaders of the New York Bar, is the author of the most widely read article written since the war began, entitled: The Dual Alliance v. The Triple Entente, which was subsequently expanded into a book, called The Evidence in the Case, pronounced by a distinguished publicist to be the classic of the war. After its publication in The New York Times this article was reprinted in nearly every language of the civilized nations and over a million copies of it were published.
Those who have regarded the Supreme Court of Civilization—meaning thereby the moral sentiment of the world—as a mere rhetorical phrase or an idle illusion should take note how swiftly that court—sitting now as one of criminal assize—has pronounced sentence upon the murderers of Edith Cavell. The swift vengeance of the world's opinion has called to the bar General Baron von Bissing, and in executing him with the lightning of universal execration has forever degraded him.
Baron von der Lancken may possibly escape general obloquy, for his part in the crime was no greater than that of Pilate, who sought to wash his hands of innocent blood; but von Bissing will enjoy until the last syllable of recorded time the unenviable fame of Judge Jeffreys. He, too, was an able Judge and probably believed that he was executing justice, but because he did not execute it in mercy, but with a ferocity that has made his name a synonym for judicial tyranny, the world has condemned him to lasting infamy, and this notwithstanding the fact that he was made Chief Justice of the King's Bench, Lord High Chancellor of England, and a peer of the realm. All these titles are forgotten. Only that of Bloody Jeffreys remains.