The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-10
sYMpATHIzERs WITH sAvAGEs.

II is a misfortune for the defamers OF our
army in the Philippines that consistency
compels them to denounce the acts of
American soldiers in other wars with I'm
civilized peoples. Sympathy with one
semi-savage race that disregards the laws
Of civilized warfare requires sympathy with
other savage races. To prove that Amer
lean soldiers are capable of violating the
laws Of civilized warfare and probably
have done so in the Philippines the men
who make these charges cite a num-
Der of cases of alleged cruelty to-
ward Indians from early 10 recent
ines. Some OF the cases cited are
legendary and others have doubtless been
exaggerated by sensational narrators. but
whatever acts of cruelty may have been
practiced by Americans toward Indians
were justified by the laws Of retaliation and
the fact that far greater cruelties were
practiced by the savages toward the
whites. Even the laws Of civilized warfare
permit retaliation. The celebrated General
order No. 100. containing instructions for
the United States armies In the Field
"a " 1AaiaNA ACD oAA RAOAANAo1NNa
by President Lincoln in 1863, and which is
still in force. says:
The law Of war can no more wholly dis
pense with retaliation than can the law
Of nations, of which it is a branch. Yet
civilized nations acknowledge retaliation as
the sternest feature of war. A reckless
enemy often leaves TO his opponent no
other means of securing himself against
the repetition of barbarous outrage.
This distinctly recognizes retaliation in
kind as a legitimate means of warfare if
made necessary by a reckless or barbarous
enemy. Although it is the sternest feature
of war; it is nevertheless permissible. The
animus of the assailants Of our army in
the Philippines as shown by the fact that
while they have no word Of condemnation
for the uncomfortable and indescribable
t~ortures and barbarities practiced by the
Filipinos against American soldiers and
prisoners. they hold the latter to strict
compliance with the laws of civilized war
fare and even deny them the right of re-
t~aliation which is permitted under those
laws. The so-called water cure" OF
which a few cases have occurred-so few
that two Indiana soldiers who have recent
a wv stoAo al III
Philippines say they never heard Of it till
they returned to the States-this so-called
water cure is a mild punishment compared
with the devilish atrocities perpetrated by
Filipinos on our soldiers. In the way of re-
taliation II falls far short of what would
be justified under the circumstances anu
the law of war above quoted. General
OrGer 100 says further that retaliation
will never be resorted TO as a measure Of
mere revenge. but only as a means of pro-
tective retribution." There is not a particle
of evidence that the so-called water cure
has ever been applied in the Philippines as
a measure of mere revenge or for any other
purpose but to break up dangerous con-
spiracies and subdue the insurgents by
giving them 4 dose of their own medicine,
though mild as compared with what they
have administered 10 our men. A savage
methods of civilized warfare must be sub
dued by extraordinary methods, especially
if they are permissible under the laws OF
war as retaliation. The more vigorously
wars are pursued" says General Order No.
100. "the better it is for humanity Sharp
wars are brief" The party that is hunt
ing for a popular issue will not find it in
the exploitation of sympathy for Indians
and Filipino insurgents against American
soldiers.