Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-14
TO BE TREATED AS OUTLAWS
Filipinos Who Have Become Brigands and
Murderers.
Effort to Establish n Reign of Terror
in the Philippine nes-FriendIess
to BE Protected.

A situation has developed in the Philip
pines which will probably necessitate new
policy with respect to the treatment of the
insurgents. 1t Is regarded as almost GER
tain that a course will have to be followed
which may prove very painful to the Agu-
inaldists in this country
The rebellion, as such, has been wiped
out All pretense of maintaining any form
of civil government or of military organiza-
ton has been abandoned by the Filipinos
under the pressure of American military
operations. BY proclama ton of their
chief, Aguinaldo, the army has been dis
banded and split up into bands of guer-
rillas. brieands and outlaw looters.
AS long as Aguinaldo made any pretense
OF conducting war under the recognized
rules of civilization, and even since this has
become but q fiimSy pretenSe. this govern
ment has extended to this half-savage SOL
diery all the recognition of an honorable
military foe. This is still done, but if the
policy more recently adopted by the Fill
pinos is persisted in 1t will probably be-
come necessary to treat all Filipinos found
under arms as outlaws.
All the rules of civilized warfare, it is al
legged are being violated by Aguinaldo's
followers. apparently with his official
public sanction. There is no rule of war
and no justification forN this governments
continuing the recognition of the military
character of Aguinaldo'S band, except that
which is found in the generosity of this
government and the natural reluctance TO
adopt drastic measures. F'orbearance. it
is said, however, cannot continue much
longer If ithe Filipinos persist in outlawry.
An example. it is said. viii have to be made
of some of the grosser offenders very
shortly.
Have Become RriEancs and Assassins.
The situation as described is this: The
so-called Filipino army has been broken
up into guerrilla bands which do not give
battle, but lie in wait to murder by stealth
whenever the opportunity is offered.
Throughout the civilized world such bands
are regarded as outlaws, subject to eXecu-
ton when captured with arms. A consid-
era BILE portion of these guerrilla bands it is
said, have sunk to the still lower degree of
brigands and robbers. When hunted they
become suddenly transformed into ami
gos," and when they can find cover in the
brush they become aSsassins.
They no longer make any pretense of
giving battle, but simply lie in wait to kill
or plunder. Their operations in this direc-
ton are not confined to the isolated Amer
tcan soldier shot from ambush but di-
rected against the non-combatant natives
who are known to be friendly toward the
Americans. The object k-fo establish a
reign of terror wherever II ere are no troops
and to convince this goverknent that it will
be impossible to enforce law and protect
NE ana properly except immediately under
the eye of our soldiers.
The recent murder of non-combatant ma
tives who professed friendship toward the
Americans was intended to impress all ma
tives with the purpose Of the outlaw bands
to put the mark of death upon all natives
who recognize the authority of the United
States.
An Example to Be Made.
This procedure, the abandonment of the
military status and all pretense of govern
ment, military or civil, except such as is
common to hrisandage. places Aguinaldo
and his bands outside the pale of civilized
warfare.
While reluctant to adopt drastic meas
ures, it is recognized by War Department
officials that an example must be made
of some caught red -haunded in the murder
of unarmed native friendlies the assas-
sfnation of Americans: and II may be that
If the uncivilized practices are carried
much further all natives captured with
arms will have to undergo trial for brig
andage. No definite order has been given
on this point yet, but it is suggested that
the sentimentalists in this country, who
may think these men who decline battle
and commit cowardly murders are patriots,
may be prepared to have their sensibili-
ties shocked by hearing of the conviction
and execution of some Filipino outlaw who
has been captured in the act Of murder