Phoenix weekly herald. [volume] (Phoenix, Maricopa County, Ariz. Territory) 1896-1899, 1898-09-22
THE ETIQUETTE OF WAR.
war is always barbarous

1 be based upon the code recommends
for adoption by the Institute of Inter
national Law. at its session in OXFORD
September. 1880. The code in Questio
is based on the following authorities
ta) The Doctor Lieber Code. adopte,
py the United States Army in 1868: "a
the Geneva Convention of August
1864; (c) the additional articles of tn
Geneva Convention of October. 1865
I'D the declaration of st. Petersburg
of November. 1865: (e) the Declaration
of Brussels, 1874; (f1 the latest officia
manuals adopted by the government.
of France, Germany, Russia. Holland
Italy and Austria; (g) the Paris Con
ventiOn of 1856, and CHI the Brussel.
session of the Institute of Interna
tional Law of 1879.
i One of the fundamental rules OF thi.
code, which has not as yet been off
cially adopted by either the American
or the English government. both OF
| which however, may be relied upon tC
| conform to its provisions. is that the
| state of War does not admi; of any
| fighting or hostile acts. save between
| the regular armed forces of the bellig-
| erent states. Those forces must be
under the direction of responsible
| chiefs; must have a uniform or distin-
|
| tance, and must carry arms openly
| That is, men or squads of men who
commit hostilities whether by fight
ing. looting or raiding, without regular
commission and without sharing con
tinuOusly in the war, or with the oc-
casiOnal assumption of the semblance
of peaceful pursuits by divesting
themselves of the character and ap-
pearance of soldiers, are not entitled
to the privileges of belligerents, but
may. if captured be treated Summar-
lily as highway robbers. pirates and
spies.
Every one knows the fate re-
served in time of war for Spies But
few are aware that the same capital
punishment is assigned to those prow1-
erS, armed OR unarmed, caught within
the lines of the hostile army for the
purpose of stealing, killing, robbing or
destroying mail. cutting telegraph
wires, or destroying bridges, roads.
canals or railways.
The same punishment should be met
ed out to guerrillaS who engage in a
form of warfare inaugurated by the
Spaniards and in which they are
adopts. The guerrillas act sometimes
singly and sometimes in bands, wear
of their government and devote them.
selves chiefly to the killing of picket
guards, outpOSts and Sentinels. in the
aSSaS SSination of isolated individuals or
detachmepts, and in robbery and other
predatory acts. As they are not con-
trolled in their undertakings by the
laws of war. they are not entitled to
their protection. Whenever they have |
been captured by thu Spanish regular |
troops in the Carlist wars and in the |
against the Cuban insurg. |
ents. they have been invariably treated |
with the utmost severity. being usually /
hanged or shot; and the United States |
troops will therefore be perfectly jus
titled by precedent and by usage in
adopting identically the same measures
toward any guerrillas whom they may |
find in arms against them in Cuba,
Porto Rico or the Philippines.
1t is strictly forbidden by the rules
Of war to make use of poison in any
form Whatsoever. special reference be-
ng made to the poisoning of wells and
Thinking water. 1t is likewise forbid
len to keep aSsassins in pay. or to
make or to feign surrender for the pur-
bose of obtaining advantage of the
anemy. Equally reprehensible is the
of the distinctive signs of
IN armed force in the attack upon an
'neny. While the improper use of the
lag of truce. or of the distinctive signs
# the Geneva convention are suffi-
ient to entail the forfeiture of belli-
-erent rights. and to expose those who
ffend in this respect to the most
raStic PENALTIES.
The robhing or mutilaltiOn of the bod |
IS of the dead lying on the battlefield
III
rot be buried until they have been |
examined. and until all ar
icleS which may serve to fix their
1entity-such as names. medals, num-
erS, pocketbooks-have been secured. |
Me articles thus collected from the /
nemy's dead should be transmitted |
, their government or army.
1t is forbidden to pillage or loot even
laces taken by storm, and it is equal
' reprehensible to destroy public {
roperty, unless such destruction is de
handed by urgent military necessity f
n cases of bombardment. all needful
leasures must be taken to spare, if ;
ossible, buildings devoted to religion 5
nd charity. to the arts and sciences. s
ospitals and depots of sick and 6
-ounded.
Prisoners of war attempting ito es- c
ape may be fired upon, but if recap g
lred are only liable to ordinary dis | t
plinary penalties. c
Individuals Correspondents, suffers, l.
'aders, etc. who don OF form a part
the armed force. but accompany the /
my, can be detained in the hands of
lie enemy only for such length of time e
5 is warranted by strict military ne t
esSity; but a guide who miSleadS in a
may be put to death, as V
ay also any one who betrays inform
ion to the enemy, or who holds any a
,tercourse with the latter. Foreign
or visitors of the invaded or
coupled territory can claim no i'm
unity from this law, and instant ex- c
Ilsion is the very least punishment j,
ley can expect 1t is, however, for v
dden to punish a bona fide prisoner :
war for having given false informa- I,
on concerning the military forces b
which he belongs. g
Money and other valuables on the p
Arson of a prisoner of war are his n
,ivate property. and the appropria- E
ln thereof is considered diShOnor- | p
Die and is prohibited. save when a IL
Try large sum of money is found up Il
person; Il certain part thereof l
ay be applied ito the war chest of | RI
e invading army. The enemy'S chap | 81
inS, medical officers, ambulance men, | D
c.. are not prisoners of war, and :
ould not be detained as such.
Prisoners of war must be treated
manely. as no one but Il barbarOuS Z
neral would countenance cruelty to- II
ards prisoners of war-captured or p
rendered. They are given as much u