The Globe-republican., 1906-07-12
RED CROSS TREATY
Practically All the Civilized Ma
lions of the World Have Signed
u the New Convention.
GOVERNMENTS MUST RAT|Fy
Have Agreed Upon Rules Governing
the Treatment of Sick, Wounded,
Dead, Hospital Corps and Sur-
SEES in Time of War.

Geneva, July 9.-The final text o
the revised Red Cross convention,
whereby practically all the nations
| of the civilized world agree upon rule
in the matter of the treatment of thu
sick, wounded and dead, members o
hospital corps and nurses in time o
war, shows number of changes from
the Anticipated convention Of 1864.
The protocol of this new convention
which was signed Sunday night by
William Cary Singer, who was as
sistant secretary of war under Secre'
tary Root; Rear Admiral Sperry, pres
ident of the naval war college; Gen
George B. Davis, judge advocate gen.
eral of the American army, and Gen
eral O'Reilly, surgeon general of the
American army, all acting in behalf
of the United States, gives until De-
cember 81, 1906, for the ratification
of the convention by the governments
concerned. The main features of the
new treaty are as follows:
Chapter / is devoted to the wounded
and sick. Each beligerant is required
to respect and care for wounded and
sick officers, soldiers and others at
tached officially to the enemy's army
who fall into its hands. Should one
belligerant be compelled to abandon
sick and wounded on the field, and
leave members of the hospital corps
and material for their care, such sick
and wounded become prisoners of the
enemy subject to the stipulations made
by the belligerants for the exchange of
prisoners after each engagement. The
final occupant of the field shall adopt
measures to find all wounded and dead
and to protect them against pillage
before the final disposal of the bodies
by burial or incineration. The occu-
pant of the field is charged with a
scrupulous examination of the bodies
of the enemy. There shall be reci-
procal exchange of information. rela-
tive to the dead and all letters, per-
sonal objects and and valuables found
on the field of battle shall be gatherer
and transmitted to the other side
Chapter 2 provides for the immunity
of all members of the field hospital
corps. This immunity shall cease
should those in question commit acts
prejudicial to the enemy, but the car
rying of arms by the members of
the hospital corps, the pesence of
pickets or sentinels around hospital
or the presence of the arms of the
wounded within a hospital do not
constitute grounds for the waiver of
such immunity.
Chapter 3 details the protection to
be accorded the various branches of
the hospital service, the members of
which are exempted from the treat
ment given prisoners of war. Other
chapters provide for the protection of
the hospital material and the immuni-
ty of conveys conducting excavations
and require that the various govern
ments adopt repressive laws against
the commercial use OF the Red Cross
emblem.
The provision relative to arbitration
by the permanent tribunal of The
t.~..
of the terms of the new convention
In times of peace.
In addition to the leading nations
Of the world, China, Korea, Siam and
Congo were among the participants
of the conference. The Russian and
Japanese delegates took most active
part in the proceedings, n l1ging'
together in most friendly spirit.