The Washington herald., 1909-05-30

1 lafiolal nero n England Se-U IN tls
course Of soma remarks on etiquette Of
warfare: 7 believe It has always been
understood that the defenders Of a
/ fortress stormed have no right 10 ask
for quarter"
TIE Iron Duke was not a blood-tnirsty
general He was merely stating what
was then 4 part Of the international
I code Of ethics as regarded the war
game. It serves as well as anything 10
show what progress present day warfare
Z has made along the lines Of humanity
No one hears about asking or giving
I quarter to-day. It IS an accepted part OF
I the modern game that an enemy who
| lays down his arms may always expect
I as prisoner. the most humane treat
ment But the Duke Of Wellington lived
In time nearer that when AL was
fair in war" L might even be noted
that he gained his greatest fame from
battle fought on a battle-ground in
neutral territory. To-day he would have
/ found that conflicts on neutral territory
were not in accordance with international
/ law. says the Boston Herald.
But Il should be pointed out that as
/ far removed from present day humani-
tartan principles as was the warfare Of
the early part Of the last century that
I 10 is only recently. for instance, that
/ the Red Cross neutrality which had pre-
vailed In land warfare was extended 70 the
/ sea, and there are other notable instances
of the latter day development which are
4 somewhat surprising IN that they did not
come earlier in the history OF the world
Seek to Prevent War
/ Peace conferences which really form
/ lied international laws began with trea-
ties. The treaty usually followed an
outbreak CT hostilities- Il has been the
aim OF The Hague congresses. as well
as some of the conferences held in Eu-
! rope within the last fifty years. 20 pre-
I ce6e and prevent possible outbreaks OF
I hostilities. and 10 provide laws that would
I satisfy every nation.
At the last peace conference at The
/ Hague. fOT1y-fouT out Of the f0rty-six
nations invited 20 send delegates were
: represented Costa Rica and Hon
dnras, in Central America, were the only
ones that did not Those countries that
( were represented make up what may De
termed the civilized world. OF better. the
enlightened world OF to-day. The confer
( ence added materially 70 the written code
OF international law and its work aug
mented the really important work OF the
/ first Hague congress.
To-day these many new written laws
that have grown out OF the common law
Of nations. as the statute law OF this
country grew out OF the English CON-
mon law. have made more circumscribed
than ever the war game The peace
congresses have constituted q rules COM
mittee. so that war Is to-day IN many
respects q reformed game. Just as Ameri-
can football IS As pugiIists fight the
world over under what are known as the
Marquis OF QueensbeTry rules. or think
that they do. at least. SO the nations
have set and stipulated means b which
a foul may be committed To hit be-
low the international belt is easy. 50
many are the prohibitions and so string
ent are present day regulations The
penalty for fouling. for hitting below
the belt, varies with the importance Of
the offeRse. In most cases Il involves
the breaking OF amicabIe relations with
the world al large. just al q tine when
these smlcable relations are most neces-
sary 70 the power IN question. Expen-
sive modern warfare between two first
class powers involves so much expense
that one az q time IS about al that even
the l9rgest power can hope 70 handle
Then. too. the international code has be
come q set OF laws which are regarded
on the honor system because they are
deemed necessary and right. and they
are seldom broken Japan, in the recent
war with Russia adhered very strictly
% all the international laws. setting in
fact an example 10 the rest Of the civ
ilized world in doing so as strictly and
as explicitly as she did.
Code of Naval Ethics.
II IS interesting 70 note IN connection
with the codifying OF the international
laws OF land warfare that the United
States was q pioneer in this line. n
1888 the instructions compiled by Dr..
LiebeT and known as General Orders
No Iog' made their appearance IN man
uaI form and covered the then recog-
nized war laws between nations. This
has been the basis OF much Of the work
Of the peace conferences that have been
only amended as the times have made
amendments necessary. There Is a: pres
ent sitting at The Hague naval tribunal !
which viii have much 10 GO with future |
naval warfare. A report OF its findings /
and recommendations Is due 20 appear I
very soon
At the last Hague congress an I'm |
portant rule was codifed II regard TO the |
beginning OF war. Up 20 that time there /
were acts which might be construed as !
hostile and ones that made war inevIta- /
bic but there was really no information !
al code that made it necessary for a na- /
ton TO signify its intention OF making |
war upon another In any communication |
to the effect Now. when one nation !
wants TO start the war game with an en-
emy Il must notify that enemy II one OF |
the methods OF modern communication I
and notify the other neutral powers as I
well There are TO be no more invasions /
unless the enemy has had q formal noti /
hcation that the game IS on, and the 1
spectators hidden 10 look on
As 10 the things that may be done /
in war itself and the things that may
not be done a volume could easily be 4
written The only reason that The many 1
laws are easily complied with IS that /
each department OF the armed forces
OF any nation has It's own BIT OF inter 4
national code TO remember and does not /
have to bother with the codes Of the 4
other departments. The naval reguIa-
tons regarding blockedes. the lombard
ment OF unfortihed towns. which Is now
forbidden, and construed as hitting be-
low tbs. belt unless these towns are
the storage places OF implements or
munitions Of war. the laws regarding
private property at sea the status OF the
vessels OF an enemy, the plac-
ing OF submarine mines SO as not 70 en-
danger commerce and the new regula-
ton that every ship OF war must carry
something that shall make It known to
the enemy. and to all other vessels as a
fighting ship. are only few OF the many
things that the navy has m ioO- ont for /