Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-08-25
HUMANITY IN WAR.
Recently Adopted Methods of Saving
and Protecting the Wounded.

The near approach of active and
possibly bloody hostihties lends a
special interest to the provisions
made in the international conven-
tions of 1864 and 1868 sSfor the
amelioration of the condition of the
wounded In war" The original sig
natories were Switzerland, Baden,
Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France,
Italy, the Netherlands, and Portugal,
and some of the then separate Ger
man states. The principal remain
ing German states, Sweden and Nor
way, Greece, Great Britain, Turkey,
Austria, Russia, Roumania, Persia,
Salvador, Montenegro, Servia, Be-
livia, Chill, the Argentine Republic,
Peru, Japan and the United States
afterward acceded to it.
The chief provisions Of the two
conventions are that ambulances and
military hospitals shall be neutral,
and as such shall be protected and
respected by belligerents as long as
any sick or wounded may be therein,
but this neutrality is to cease if they
should be held by military force.
Persons employed in the hospitals
and ambulances, comprising the staff
for superintendent, medical service,
administration, transport of wound
ed, as well as chaplains, are to par
ticipate in the benefit of neutrality
while SO employed, and as long as there
remain any wounded to bring in or
succor. These persons may, more
over, even after occupation by the
enemy, continue to fulfill their duties
in the hospital or ambulance which
they serve, or may withdraw, in or
der to rejoin the corps to which they
belong; and when they cease from
their functions of mercy they are to
be delivered by the occupying army
to the outposts of the enemy. For
the purposes of this provision, it is
understood that the term "ambu-
lance" shall apply to field hospitals
and other temporary establishments
which follow the troops on the field
of battle to receive the sick and
wounded. As tie equipment Of mill
tary hospitals remain subject to the
laws of war, persons attached to such
hospitals cannot, in Withdrawing,
carry away any articles but such as
are their private property; but under
the same circumstances an ambulance
shall, on the contrary, retain its equip
ment.
Inhabitants Of the country who help
to bring in the wounded will be re-
spected and remain free. The gen.
erals of the belligerent powers must
make it their care to inform the in
habitants of the appeal which is ad-
dressed to their humanity, and of the
privileges of neutrality which they
will enjoy in consequence fit. These
privileges may be important. Any
wounded man entertained and taken
care Of IN a house shall be considered
as protection thereto. Any inhab-
liant who shall have entertained
wounded men in his house shall be
exempted from the quartering of
troops. as well as from a part Of the
contributions of war which may be
imposed; in such cases, account
only shall be taken in an equitable
manner of the charitable zeal dis
played by the inhabitants
Commanders in chief are empow-
cred to deliver Immediately to the
outposts of the enemy the hostile SOL
diers who have been wounded in an
engagement, when circumstances per-
nit this to be done, and with the con-
sent of both parties. Those who,
after their wounds are healed, are
recognized as incapable Of further
military service, must be sent back
to their own country. Others may be
sent back on condition of their not
again bearing arms during the con-
tinuance of the war.
For the navy like rules of mercy
are made The boats which, at their
own risk and peril, during and after
an engagement pick up the ship
wrecked or wounded, or which con-
vey them, when picked up, on board
a neutral or hospital ship, are to en-
JOY a neutral character until their
mission is accomplished, at least so
far as the positions of the ships en-
gagged and the other conditions of
the battle will permit. The appre-
citation of these conditions is intrust-
ed to the humanity of all the COM
batants; but the wrecks and wound
ed must not serve again during the
continuance Of the war. Any mer-
chant ship, to whatever nation she
may belong, if charged exclusively
with the removal of the sick and
wounded, is privileges as a neutral;