New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-11-09
TO REVISE THE GENEVA CONVENTION

During the thirty-twO years that have elapsed
since the conclusion Of the international agree
ment known as the Geneva Convention, destined
to ameorate the lot Of the sick and wounded in
time Of war, the conditions of the latter have
undergone transformation so radical as to rem
der imperative careful revision Of the terms Of
the treaty. Military science may be said to have
been developed more rapidly than any of the
arts of peace during the last three decades. New
engines of destruction have been invented. fresh
methods Of attack and Of defence Is devised. and
the entire system of war has been so extensively
modified that the Convention of 1864 IS in many
important points no longer applicable to the pres
ent times 1t Is therefore with satisfaction that
all who have at heart the cause OF humanity and
civilization will learn that the Swiss Govern
ment, acting on the initiative OF the chief OF It's
War Department, Colonel Frey. who was for so
many years Helvetlan Minister at Washington. IL
now taking the necessary steps for calling to-
gether ut Geneva another international con-
gress. with the object of revising the Convention
Of 1864
While the latter has been Of incalculable value.
its benign influence being apparent even in the
recent struggle between China and Japan, yet It's
imperfections and deficiencies have all along
a second conference was assembled and sup
Elementary convention drawn up. which, how
ever, was never definitely ratified True. 1t
was accepted Professionally by Germany and
France in their war Of 1S7O-1S71 But 1t was
far from meeting the requirements OF even
that epoch. much less. therefore. those Of the
present day. In ASIA Emperor Alexander III OF
Russia summoned another congress at Brussels
with the same object in view. But there was
so much divergence Of opinion not only on the
subject Of maritime belligerency, but also con-
corning guerilla warfap-nations such as the
United States and Great Britain being naturally
unable to regard this particular form Of patriotic
defence in the same harsh light as those Cont
mental Powers Of the Old World which impose
obligatory military service upon all their citi-
zens-that the conference broke up without hav
ing accomplished anything.
The present state OF the sO-caled Geneva Con-
vention is. therefore. unsatisfactory. and so in
complete and In many respects out Of keeping
with actual conditions as to serve to confuse ORR
entail nations such as the japanese and the Abys
sinians, which have shown a praisewOrthy desire
10 adopt methods Of warfare consistent with the
dictates Of humanity and Western civilization
Inasmuch as the Old World Is at the present mo-
ment nothing more nor less than huge armed
camp, each country straining to the utmost its
resources in order to prepare for the great Eu
ropean war which statesmen and politicians de-
clare to be Inevitable and the only possible and
logical outcome Of the present situation. II ID i'm
peratve that no time should be lost and the
hope may he expressed that all the Great Powers
the United States first and foremost-will ac-
cord their support and cordial cooperation to