Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-15
.RATIFY WAR TREATY
Senators Unanimously Confirm Act Of
Hague Peace Conference
DEVOTE BUT SHORT TIME TO DEBATE
Bases Discussion Entirely on Conduct Of
Philippine War,
,PPuES TO LAND AND NAVAL WARFARE
suppresses Inhuman Methods of Fighting
by Contracting Nations.
PERMITS RUsEs or WAR coNDITIoNALLY
Allows Strategy 10 he Employed by
one Nation to obtain InFor-
nation Concernins the
Enemy.

WASHINGTON, March 1.-THE senate
spent an hour in executive session today
on the convention growing out Of The
Hague pesce conference relating to the con-
duct of war on land and sea. and finally
ratified the agreement without a division.
The discussion turned entirely on the con-
duct Of the war in the Philippines and re-
lated especially to General Funston's cap
ture of Agunaldo.
Senator Teller inquired whether, II this
treaty had been In force at the time the
method of Aguinaldos capture could have
been justified. He quoted the provision in
the treaty relating to the conduct Of spies
and said that be did not mean himself to
say that General Funston's course would
not have been regular, but merely to secure
the opinion of senators who had given at
tention to the treaty and who also we're
familiar with the details of Aguinaldos
capture.
Senator Burton replied to the inquiry,
speaking especially for General Funston and
said that he was sure the proceeding on
the generals part had been not only hu-
name. but that it had been in accordance
with the rules of civilized warfare.
In Line of Honorable Warfare.
1t was true, he said, that General Funston
and his force had acted somewhat in the
capacity of spies, but what they had done
had been in the line of honorable warfare.
Senator Hoar also spoke at some length
regarding this provision in the treaty. He
referred to Aguinaldo's capture and said
that he believed the adoption Of the treaty
would have a tendency towards elevatins
the conduct Of modern warfare
Some of the members of the committee on
foreign relations said that the ratification
II. II Il.
accord with the highest thought OF the time
and expressed the hope that their treaty
would receive the unanimous support of the
senate. Those who raised questions apropos
of the discussion disclaimed any intention
to prevent favorable action.
The countries party to- the treaty are
Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark,
Spain. the United States, Mexico. France,
Great Bzitain, Greece. Hsiys Japap, Luxem-i
burg, Montenegfo, Netherlands. Persia Pci-
tugal Roumania, Russia, servia. Spain.
Sweden and Norway. Turkey and Bulgaria.
Binding Only on Partisans.
The provisions of the treaty are binding
only on the contracting powers in case Of
war between two or more of them, and
cease to be binding when a nom contracting
power joins either Of the belligerents.
The most important feature of the treaty,
the contents of which have been gener-
ally known, is that prohibiting the use Of
the dunno dun bullets. Among other things
specially prohibited are:
To employ poison or poisoned arms. to kill
or wound treacherously, individuals be-
longing to the hostile nation or army; to
kill or wound an enemy who, having laid
down arms or having no longer means OF
defense, has surrendered with discretion:
to employ arms projectiles or material OF
a nature to cause superfluous injury; to
national flag or military ensigns and the
enemy's uniform, well as the distinctive
badge of the general convention; to de-
stroy or sieze the enemy's property unless
destruction or seizure be demanded by the
necessities of war.
Ruses of war Allowed.
Ruses Of war and the employment of
methods necessary to obtain information
about the enemy and the country are cou-
sidered allowable. The treaty provides as
follows regarding spies:
An individual can only be considered a
spy If, acting clandestinely or on false pre-
tences, he obtains, or seeks to obtain, in
formation In the zone of operations of a
belligerent with the intention of communi-
eating II to the hostile party.
Thus soldiers not in disguise, who have
penetrated into the zone of operations of a
hostile army to obtain information are not
considered spies. Similarly the following
are not considered spies; Soldiers or civil
ians, carrying out their mission openly,
charged with the delivery of dispatches
that of the enemy. TO this class belong
likewise individuals sent In balloons to de-
liver dispatches and generally to maintain
communication between the various parts