The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-08-01 00:00:00

tilt <stoarbribBe Obserber.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 1874.

THE BRUSSELS CONFERENCE.

The times in which we live have truly
been termed an age of Congresses. When
the idea first begs a to be worked out there
were many who were inclined to be cynical
and to doubt the value of these gatherings
as promising to lead to any practical result.
Yet there is no doubt that the labours of
the Geneva Convention diminished to a very
considerable extent the sufferings of the
wounded in the great war between France
and Germany four years ago. Let us take
again the Social Science Congress, one which
has, perhaps, been the object of more ridicule
than any similar assembly. What it was
laughingly asked, could "social" science
possibly mean? Every one could understand
physical science. as &sell ed n t the meetings
of the British Association, but what science
could be like when applied to the ordinary
affairs of life, was more than the objectors
could well make out. Still, if the Sociologists
have not the power of putting their views
into practical shape in the form of legislation,
there is little doubt that they have exercised
no inconsiderable influence upon the delibera.
tions of Parliament. It is impossible but
that good must result from public attention
being constantly directed to the necessity of
legal reform, the importance of an efficient
and expeditions system of jurisprudence, the
urgency of sanitary reform as a means of
improving the public health, and the diffusion
of the principles of political economy. That
these debates have had their effect is evident
from the increasing attention which the
Legislature has or late years devoted to
social questions. It is no longer a party cry
which is all absorbing within the walls of
Parliament. flow to better house and educate
the masses of the people is one of the subjects
which is no longer confined to the consideration
of the philanthropist, for it now occupies the
the serious attention of the statesman.

One of the purposes of the Brussels con-
ference is the mitigation of superfluous suf-
fering in war, whether upon land or at sea.
Great Britain thruogh the mouth of her
foreign minister, declares that she will not
consent ever to discuss any proposition which
would tend to weaken the advantages which
she undoubtedly possesses as a great naval
power. All political parties have concurred
in this declaration. It is all very well for
land-locked States to come forward with
proposals which might hare the effect of
limiting the influence of a fleet during a con-
flict at sea. So far as the mere lessening of
unavoidable suffering is concerned, we be-
lieve that Great Britain would be ready to
co-operate, but it is impossible for us, with
our immense maritime responsib;lities, to
acquiesce itt the framing of a series of 3,,:d
and fast rch which would hamper and
cripple the operatie:..s of a naval force in the
midst of an engagement. At the same time
there are many things even in modern warfa re
which requireamendinent, and upon these all
States, whether naval or military, ought to
come to a common understanding. We
were accustomed to read, during the progress
Es' the civil war in Amen is, of the cruel
treatment to which prisoners were subjected
when they fell into the hands of thm other
side. No doubt many of these stories were
exaggerated, and much of what was given to
this world in this way was overdrawn and
apocryphal. Yet, unquestionably, much
unnecessary privation was undergone, which
need not have been suffered if an international
code of rules providing for the treatment
of prisoners of war had been in existence.
Take again the tremendous struggle upon
the Continent in the summer and autumn of
1970. The experience of that time seemed
to recall the history of old Testament chroni-
cles, when whole peoples were led by their
enemies into captivity. Three hundred and
fifty thousand Frenchmen were made priso-
ners of war, and it was stated at the trial of
Marshal Bazaine that of the army of Metz.
which, when it surrendered, consisted of
170,000 men, no fewer than 11,000 perished
while captives in Germany. This was a
startling total in a few weeks, and although
no one believes that the commandants of
German prisons rendered unnecessarily hard
the lot of the unhappy men who were de-
tained a ithin the precincts of the fortresses,
no doubt can exist that there was much
overcrowding, nod to little food and clothing
during a terribly sever., winter. Now, it
ought to be ea.y for the representatives of
the Powers at the Brussels Conference, a lea
the consent of their respective States, to
frame a set of regulations for the treatment
of priaonetai of war which might be capable
~r general application. Naturally enough,
with the progress of eiviltzation. W4l.
been divested ,file.lty ol the iorrors with
which it was forme.-ly aecompanied. and no
conimander, how, ye: t-owe,ful, would now
dare to let asNapohari dill, when, puzzled
how to dispose of his Marneluke priohieva. he
orderad 1,200 of them to he shot in cold
blood. But much IL re,....;ns to be done.
and it ought to )1-mance at
a gathering of Cli.i civilized iiations of Eu-
rope. Again, they sh. able to settle
the punishment to be meted ‘ut to spies—a
matter which has lately assumed painful
prominence through the execution of a
German Newspaper Correspondent by the
Curlists. Spies have been hanged and shot
in all ages of warfare, whether civilized or
uncivilized; iks it to be continued through el
time? Here are two subjects out of others
upon which we could come to an agreement
with all civilized tuitions with saa,:in;
any diminution of our influence aa a naval
Power.