NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE announcement, issued significantly enough not "by the German High Command" but "from the Fi1hrer's headquarters," that the German forces intend hence- forward to bombard open towns in Poland may be taken as Germany's delayed but definitive answer to President Roosevelt's appeal to all combatants to refrain from what the President described as " this sort of inhuman barbarism." In his speech to the Reichstag on September ist Herr Hitler said ominously: I have ordered my air force to restrict itself to attacks on military objectives. If, however, the enemy thinks he can from this draw carte blanche on his side to fight by other methods he will receive an answer that will deprive him of hearing and sight.
It was obvious that at any moment an accusation of "other methods" might be made against the Poles—or French or British, both of whom immediately and fully accepted Mr. Roosevelt's proposal, on the condition of reciprocity— and the moment has already come. It is well to recall in con- nection with it the President's reminder that ruthless bomb- ing in recent wars "has profoundly shocked the conscience of humanity." Herr Hitler may think that matters little; he will find that neutral opinion is not so completely negligible. The papers that recorded the bombing of open towns decision quote the statement of a German officer back from Poland that "we have hardly taken any prisoners at all; we had to shoot everyone."
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