Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1902-03-21
THE HAGUE PEACE TREATY
Senate Votes Unanimously to Rat
ify the Compact Relating to
the Conduct of War.
THE CAPTURE OF AeulHALOo DISCUSSED
His Action Declared to Be In the Line
OF Honorable NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Raised Not Intended to Prevent
Favorable Action-some of the
Provisions of the Article.

Washington, March 1.-THE senate,
spent an hour in executive session
Friday on the convention growing
out of The Hague peace conference
relating to the conduct of war on
land and sea. and finally ratified the
agreement without a division. The
discussion turned entirely on the
conduct of the war in the Philippines,
and related especially to Gen. Fun
ston's capture of Aguinaldo. SEN
ator Teller inquired whether if this
treaty had been in force at the time
the method of Aguinaldo's capture
could have been justified. He quoted
the provision in the treaty relating
to the conduct of spies and said that
he did not mean himself to say that
Gen. Funston's course would not have
been regular, but merely to secure
the opinion of senators who had given
attention to the treaty and who also
were familiar with the details of
Aguinaldo's capture. Senator Burton
replied to the inquiry, speaking es-
pecially for Gen. Funston, and said
that he was sure the proceeding on
the generals part had been not only
humane, but that it had been in ac-
cordance with the rules of civilized
warfare It was true, he said, that
Gen. Funston and his force had acted
somewhat in the capacity of spies,
hut what they had done had been in
the line of honorable warfare. Sen
ators Hoar also spoke at some length
regarding this provision in the treaty.
He referred to Aguinaldo's capture
and said that he believed the adop-
ton OF the treaty would have tend
| ency towards elevating the conduct
OF modern warfare. Some of the
| members of the committee on foreign
relations said briefly that the ratifi-
cation of the treaty would place this
country in accord with the highest
thought of the times, and expressed
the hope that the treaty would re-
ceive the unanimous support of the
senate. Those who raised questions
apropos of the discussion disclaimed
any intention to prevent favorable
action.
Parties to the Treaty.
The countries party to the treaty
are Germany, Austria, Belgium, Dem
mark, Spain, the United States, Mex
leo, France, Great Britain, Greece,
Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Montene-
gro, Netherlands, Persia, Portugal
Roumania, Russia, Servia, Sweden,
and Norway, Turkey and Bulgaria.
The provisions of the treaty are bind
ing only on the contracting powers
in case of war between two or more
| of them, and cease to be binding
when noncontracting power joins
either of the belligerents.
The most important feature of the
treaty, the contents of which have
been generally known, is that pros
| hibiting the use of "dum-dum" bull
lets. Among other things specially
prohibited are:
Some Prohibitions.
To employ poison or poisoned arms.
| To kill or wound treaChefously indtvidu-
/ ais belonging 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 at discretion
To declare that no quarter will be given.
To employ arms, projectiles or material
1 of nature to cause superfluous injury.
To make improper use OF flag Of truce,
! the national flag or military ensigns and
the enemys uniform, as well as the dis
tinctiye badges of the Geneva convention.
/ TO destroy or seize the enemy's property,
unless such destruction or seizure be Ina.
peratiyely demanded by the necessities Of
| war.
Ruses of war and the employment Of
methods necessary to obtain information
about the enemy and the country are con-
\ stdered allowable. tS.S
| Spies Defined.
The treaty provides as follows re.
garding spies:
IAN Individual can only be considered g
spy II acting clandestinely, or on false pre-
lenses he obtains. or seeks to obtain, infor-
nation in the zone of operations of a bel
ligerent, with the intention of communicate
ing It to the hostile party. Thus soldiers
| not In disguise who have penetrated into
the zone of operations of hostile army to
obtain information are not considered spies
Similarly, the following are not considered
/ spies: Soldiers or civilians carrying out
| their mission openly, charged with the de-
| livery of dispatches destined either for