Prince Bismarck has informed Count Arnim, the German Ambas- sador
in Paris, that the French Government must surrender sub- jects accused of murdering German soldiers, even if they have fled out of the occupied departments. Within them, of course, under the state of siege, the German Generals have the law in their own hands. If the Government will not agree, he shall seize French hostages, or " proceed to still more extreme measures." No army will tolerate being killed in detail, and we do not wonder at Prince Bismarck's wrath, but does he really mean to say he will kill inno- cent French civilians because guilty French civilians have run away from justice ? If not, what effect is his threat about hostages likely to have ? Fining the guilty district would be a far more effectual measure, and though still unjust, is not inhuman.
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