The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-08-23

States, would meet with resistance
even to the point of war.
One other matter that wish to men
tion in this paper, and one that am
sure you noticed at the time, was the |
constant and unfair manner in which
President Roosevelt was criticised, for
causing the Russian warships with
their crews, which fed to Manila Bay
in a disabled condition while followed
by the Japanese feet, to be detained
in the harbor of Manila. While
know of no direct precedent to govern
this matter of warfare on the sea,
there are many instances where
armed forces fleeing from an enemy to
neutral territory have been interned
during the remainder of the war.
French history gives an account of
a French army during the Franco
Prussian War in 1901, shut off from
its base of supplies and from commu-
nication with its capital, being forced
to flee into neutral territory to escape
capture. This happened along the
Swiss frontier, and the Swiss authori-
ties promptly interned the French
forces, they remaining in that territory
until the end of the war, at the ex-
pense of France. This was the only
course open to the Swiss Republic to
preserve her neutrality, and was in
accordance with the principles of finter-
national law.
Then there is the question of the
disposition to be made of belligerents
rescued by neutral vessels, during or
after naval battles. At the conference
of Nations held at The Hague in 1899,
one of the most important questions
to be considered, was "The rights
and duties of neutrals." The result
was far from satisfactory, as the
American and English writers on in
ternational law could not agree on
many of the points discussed One
paper read at this conference was by
Capt. Mahan, u S. n, in which he
suggested as remedy, that such
rescue be considered no violation of
neutrality, but that the rescuers should
give up the rescued to the first belliger-
ent ship which demanded them,
whether the enemy or not. This idea
was opposed from the start, especially
by British writer's, who openly ex-
pressed the hope that it might be
rejected. Let me add that their hopes
were realized, as this matter, tho of
great Importance, was postponed until
another conference could be arranged.
What the objections were cannot say,
for the proposition seems to me to be
a fair and excellent solution to much
discussed question.
1t was early in 1904 that the French
British and Italian naval command
ers received the crew and wounded OF
disabled Russian ship on board Their
vessels. This act also caused great
deal of discussion by English writers
t on international law. Nevertheless il
clearly shows that there must be some
t provision made in the future for as
} sistance by neutral. warships, neutra
4 ships, and also by neutral hospita
: chips, as it would pe inhuman to per
J, NIT the wounded or helpless to perish
In conclusion 1 wish to say that q
s some future time l will give you al
s account of the experiences of ou
\ soldiers with the Russians in China
!, during the campaign of the allie'
o troops against the Chinese Boxers il
q 1900. The information, which was ia
, from complimentary to the Russian
i soldiers, was related to me while wa
in the Philippine Islands, by member
l. of the 9th and 14th United States In
it fantry which had just arrived fror
n China. It has satisfied me in ever
J. respect that Japan performed nobl
p act for the whole world when sh
n defeated Russia. G. w.
=, Statisticians declare that twenty-tw
- acres Of land are necessary to sustai
/ t-. - -