The age-herald., 1898-08-11
THE LAWS
 OF ARMISTICE


 for a certain prescribed period to be agreed upon by the belligerents An armistice must be set down in writing and properly and duly ratified by the highest authori- ties of the nations at war. In case of an armistice between the United States and Spain the signers. of the agreement would be President McKinlas- and the little boy iii Madrid, or perhaps his mother, the un- happy regent. Jkero are, however differ eRt kinds of armistice, If one be declared without conditions 1t is binding no fEr- tfcr than to require and demand com- pete cessation of all hostile action along the battle front of both belligerents. If there be conditions, it is declared in the unwritten statutes of international law that these conditions must be clearly and definitely expressed in the agreement, and 1t must be understood in advance that both parties to the armistico fully com prehend all the terms attached to the agreement. These conditions, no matter what they may involve must be relig- iously and scrupulously adhered to on both sides, and the slightest violation means that civilized nations will no longer recognize the offender as one of them.
 An armistice may be declared null and void by either party to its terms at any time violation of its conditions has be- come palpable. The instant it Is declared and proved that an act forbidden in the agreement has been committed, the ofy lending nation is at the mercy of it's foe, and in all cases where such violation has been noted 1t also has been noted that the criminal was taken at disadvantage and crushed before it could strike an ef- fective blow to back up its treachery.
 An armistice may also be general and valid for all points and lines of the belligy erent nations. Or an armistice may be deA elared special, or referring to certain lo- calities and certain portions of the con- tending armies. An armistice may be eni tered into for definite or stated time, or it may be arranged for an indefinite pe- riod. In the last case either. side is at liberty to resume hostilities after having given notice to it's foe, the form and man. ner and scope of such notice having, of course, been noted in the signed agreey ment entered into before the clash of arms ceased.
 The character of an armistice is in no way affected by the motives which bring about the cessation of hostiities. No mat ter whether the truce is effected a pre- liminary to permanent peace or as 2 breathing spell, during which quiet prepay rations be made for a revival of war on q more thorough and telling basis, the arm- istice has the same force and is to be as religiously recognized An armisttce IS binding once signed, and motives are or no consequence. The truce is effective ups on the belligerents from the hour or the agreed beginning of it. Officers In tne field, however, are bound by it's terms rom the time they receive official information of its existence
 Commanding generals have the power tq declare an armistice which Is binding in the districts over which they are gov- erning. but such a truce must be ratifled by their superiors. In case this ratif1ca-- tion is not given to the commanding ofils cer. the enemy is at liberty to reopen hoS- tilities, even if a certain time for the elaps@ ing between giving notice of cessation ana the resuming of battle should have been in the stipulations governing the case
 
 The contracting powers to an armistice must declare in the draft of their truce what communication shall be held between the armies, and also what intercourse or traffic or business shall be permitted be- tween persons who inhabit or occupy the land on which the soldiers of both sides are encamped. If no intercourse whatever is to be allowed this fact must be noted Tn the armistice agreement and strictly lived up to- If nothing of this nature is men, tioned in Ihe paper the intercourse between the armies will remain suspended as dur- ing actual hostilities. An armistice, there. fore, is not a partial or temporary peace; it is only suspension of real war until tbe accomplishment of the object in view has been attained When armistice, however has been concluded between any fortified place and the enemy engaged Tn besieging it it Is agreed by all the author ities on international law that the besiesins army must at once put stop to all exten7 sion, perfection or advance of his attack ing works, just as much as he must cease making sorties or other attacks by maln force. On the other hand, martial 1urlsts are not agreed on the point as to whsther the besieged have the right to repair breaches or to erect new works of defepse within the beleaguered place. It IS tne custom, in this instance. for an express agreement to be entered into when the armistice is signed.
 As soon as a equalization is signed the commander who surrenders has no right to defnolish, destroy or in any way ipjuEY the Notifications, buildings, arms ammut milton or stores in his possessioS during the time which elapses between the signing of the surrender and its execution, unless it is specifically noted in the terms that he is at liberty to do as he pleases with what is in his possession. This point is made as a connection between the action of besieged officer and an armistice, ana some men who know all about warfare hold that if it is unlawful to destroy after a surrender it is therefore equally as crin,- ina1 to repair broken forts during an arm7 istice. In all cases, however, it is agreed that the easiest way to avoid complca- tions is to have the terms explicitly stated in the papers covering the truce.
 When an arfnistiee is broken by etheF party to it's terms the other side Is released on the spot from all obligations to observe it. Soldiers who are found in the act of breaking the terms of an armistice must be treated as prisoners of war. the onlH person responsible to the higher authori-