Evening star., 1901-02-11
THE RULES OF WAR
THREE IMPORTANT FEATURES OF
GEN. MACARTHUR's PROCLAMATION.
Rigid Measures Are to BE Taken With
Those Who Violate the
Code.

General Macarthur recently issued an i'm
portant proclamation in connection with
the hostilities now in progress in the Phil
Ipp1nes, calling attention to frequent vio-
lations of the laws of war and reminding
the offenders that exemplary punishment
attaches to such infringements, not only
as regards combatant forces, but non-com
Blatant residents as well.
The proclamation alludes specifically to
three distinct violations of the rules of
war. 1t declares emphatcally against the
issuance by insurgent commanders Of de-
crees eatening punishment against all
natives who accept the protection of the
army, and the execution Of these threats,
and gives notice that all the parties to
this practice, from the authority making
the proclamation to the persons putting it
into execution, must eventually answer for
murder or such other crime that results,
and cannot return to normal civic relations
in the Philippines.
Supplies to Insurgents Must Cease.
Persons who aid the insurgent cause
through fear or sympathy are stated to be
punishable at the discretion of the tribu-
mails of the occupying army. The practice
of sending supplies to insurgent troops
from places occupied by the United States,
as is now the case says the proclamation,
HluSl cease. his ruling dDpileS Will
special force to the city of Manila, which,
it is stated, ''is well known as a rendezvous
from which an extensive correspondence is
distributed to all parts of the archipelago
by sympathiZeTS with and by emisSarieS of
the insurrection."
Continuing, Gen Macarthur says: All
persons in Manila and elsewhere are again
reminded that the entire archipelago, for
the time being, Is necessarily under the
rigid restraints of martial law, and that any
contribution of advice, information or sup
plies, and all correspondence the effect OF
which Is to give aid, support, encourage
ment comfort to the armed opposition in
the field are fragrant violations of American
interests, and persons so engaged are
warned to conform to the laws which apply
to occupied places as herein set forth.
AdmOnitiOn to Newspapers.
1.-The newspapers and other periodicals Of
Manila. being of issue in an occupied place,
are especially admonished that any article
published in the midst of such martial en-
vironment, which by any construction can
be classed as sedtious, must be regarded as
intended to injure the army Of occupation,
and as subjecting all connected with the
publication to such punitive action as may
be determined by the undersigned"
Finally, the proclamation declares that
men who intermittently share in the insur-
gent hostilities are not entitled to the priv
ileges of prisoners of war if captured. THE
fact that such men have not heretofore
states, lis simply an evidence of the solici-
tude of the United States to avoid all ap
pearance of harshness in pacifying the
islands,
Mutual Protection and Unity Urged.
Gen. MacArthurs proclamation concludes
as follows:
War, in its earliest form, was an act Of
violence which, from the very nature of
-mitive humanity and of the forces en-
No hn1, Md q nj ind frpfr
the beginning of civilization, however has
tried to mitigate and to escape as far as
possible, from the consequences of this
barbarous conception of warlike action; and
to that end conventions have been held
from time to time for International dis
cussion of the customs and usages of war,
in the hope that some means might be de-
viSed to regulate by rule of benefcent in
stincts of humanity. AS a consequence of
such conferences, code has slowly evolved
which, although uncertain in many par
ticulars, contains certain fundamental prin-
ciples which have been accepted and are
now insisted upon by the public opinion of
the world. The articles discussed in this
paper have been adopted by all civilized
nations. Their careful perusal by the peo-
pie, it Is hoped, will induce all who are
eager for the tranquiliZation of the archi-
pelagO to combine for mutual protection
and united action in behalf of their own
interest and the welfare of the cOuptrV