The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1905-08-03
REPORTERS PROTECT IN W.. f.
Their Presence at Battles Tends to Pre-
vent Carnage and Barb rity.

Their Presence at Battles Tends to Pre-
vent Carnage and Barb rity.
or b wounded Japanese WHO al.
into Russia's hands. and the unwouad
ed as well-excepting those who are
caught playing the spy-I can speak
with confidence, and say that they are
well treated. l had an Asiatic servant
for a while who had been a bearer in
the fighting line, and though he was
not In any way overburdened with love
for the Russians, he bore testimony to
their ~unfailing kindness to their ene-
Wies when the latter fell into their
hands. - It. T.
Most Of us can remember how mis-
chlef.makers on the continental press
tried during the Boer wal to make the
world believe that we ill-treated the
enemy's wounded, holding us up to
the scorn and contempt Of humanity.
We all Of us knew at the time that
this was false. We have proved it
false to the whole world since, but we
have not yet forgotten VI traducers.
II will do us no harm to remember
this as the present war goes on. !
know that the strictest orders have
been given by officers of the highest
rank to the troops to deal kindly with
the wounded after an action. That
many terrible deeds will be done in hot
blood on both sides there can be but
small room to doubt. When men get
to the crossing of bayonets all that is
devilish in their blood is apt to come
uppermost. At that stage a man is
no better than a tiger and many tiger.
ish deeds may be expected. But in
cold blood | do not believe that the
Russians will lay rough hands upon
the fallen.
To explain Just what l mean, let
me say that l should not care to be
III the enemy's trenches when q regi-
ment of the Highland brigade or the
G%renadiers or the Dublin Fusiliers
stormed in with the bayonet. At the
same time, l do not think l should
have an atom Of fear of what might
happen later if l lay in those trenches
among the wounded.
Yet it must be admitted that one of
the great safeguards of civilization
has been removed since the war cor
respondents of the world have been
prevented from going into the firing
line to see for themselves what hap
pens. At present the world has to
take a generals word for it that he
did not at any time behave like a fiend
to helpless foes, and eX parte evidence
is never of a thoroughly satisfactory
character. Commanders complain that
cabled news may upset their plans.
Well. stop the cables, but let the let
tiers go: let one man from each journal
of repute look on and chronicle the
things to be seen, and many a deed of
unnecessary savagery will be prevent
ed by the mere presence of the press
man. for no nation can afford to stand
before the world devoid of honor, of
chivalry or of mercy.
In the interests of the wounded men
who fall in battle l think this point
should be taken up by the whole
worlds press. for the exclusion OF the
war correspondent from the field Of
battle is a step backward toward dark
ness. not from a mere newsgatherer's
point of view. but in the interests of
humanity. The press that only de.
sires cable news to increase it's circu-
lation may very we'll be dismissed,
either on the score of humanity or
utility, but the International press that
is content, as of old time. with dis
passionate letters should not be kept
from the scene when events that are
likely to affect the world at large are
impending.-A. G.. Hales in the Lon
don Daily News.