The Plea of Reprisals
Violations of the law of nations and, still more, acts of cruelty committed in war, have almost always escaped punishment properly so called. The victim usually finds himself powerless to exact retribution for them. Only one course is permitted to him: that of reprisals, by which he counters acts of violence with other acts of violence. His aim, therefore, is not vengeance: the point is to compel the enemy to keep to what is permissible, through fear of penalties to which he will be exposed if he persists in wrongdoing. Reprisals may frequently involve great violence, but one rule is universally admitted—that they never justify acts of cruelty properly so called. Amongst the latter are the massacre of women and children, mutilation, cunningly devised torture, etc. Two other principles are likewise admitted as regards reprisals, to wit—
(1) that the severity of reprisals must not be out of proportion to the gravity of the offence.
(2) that in cases where the offence has been committed by individual non-combatants, reprisals must not be inflicted on their fellow-citizens, as the aggrieved army has its legitimate remedy under what is called martial law. Now the Germans have violated this rule and these principles.