The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-28
The Conventions OF The Hague
Has the President Already
Protested?


Has the President Already
Protested?
Our upighbors the World and Ere
sing Post have become responsible for
the positive statement from Washington
that our Government has already Inter
posed its protest against attacks IN
cities occupied by non.comba tants by
means of bombs dropped from aircraft.
The protest was made early in October
last II was made. without official cor
respondencc. AT secret conferences with
the diplomatic representatives OF the
belligerent Powers II was made by
President WILSON personally: his re-
monstrance against aerial bomburlment
was based upon our participation in tho
conventions adopted at The Hague. but
he. the President. was careful not ~
specify particular instances of offence
or 10 name the alleged offenders against
the prohibitions contained in the con-
ventions such. ut least. is the story
as told by the World and repeated
with slight variations last night by
the ErcninJ Post. In describing Mr..
WILSON'S interviews with the represent
atives of the belligc. en' nations the
World's Washington correspondent says;
'The President laid befor. each of them
va Hague convention
which provides for notice OF twenty-four
hours OF purpose TO attack a zone IN
hnbted by -erec:ives. to enable such
persons within that time To remove them
selves from the danger zone"
If this is true IL is PERHAPS the most
Important news concerning America
relation to the war in Europe that has
appeared since the beginning of August.
Its surprising Importance is due 70 the
fact that II true il would Indicate the
Administrations acquicSc"nre In the
urgent demand Of thousands of we'll
meaning persons throughout the coun-
try that this Government. as one Of
the signcrs of tho conventions of The
Hague. shall 'do its duty" with REGARD
to infractions of tho rules Of warfare
supposed to he contained in these con
ventons. The practice Of aerial bonn
bardment Is so outrageous in III" view
Of common humanity, the prohibition in
the rules supposed TO have been adopted
at The Hague is So clear and explicit,
and the compact by which the nations
In conference nj The Hague agreed 10
obey these rules i apparently 81 SOL
emn and binding. that we do not won
der at the attitude Of many of our fc,-
low citizens The excellent Canon "
st. John the Divine. who is likewise a
member Of the Worlds Alliance for the
Promotion of International Friendship.
gave an illustration the other day II
the force Of this sentiment when he de-
clared that "it is our duty, when the
terms OF the Hague convention are
disrcgarded to demonstrate ana hold
up to ccnsure the offending party or
parties Any other course will brand
US rs towards
Yet We cannot believe that the state
ment photographed Yesterday from Wash
ington to the WorId is true We cannot
believe that the President has already
demonstrated against the practice of
dropping bombs from aircraft on non.
comhaiantS. baSing his protest on the
contract engagements Of the bell gcrents
in the conventions of The Hague. We
cannot believe that the President would
take n step 80 momentou merely on the
strength Of popular mi conception az
to the contents of these conventions.
and without fully informing himself
as to what the convent ions really rn
quire and what they do or do not pro-
hibit. Lastly, we do not believe that
Mr.. WILSON could consult the Depart
ment Of State-"ven he Department of
state in the time Of Secretary BRYAN .
without asrcrtainng the central fact
which TN SrN for several dn~, now
h"S oecn S"''"N "''HS W "hpl'SS upoH
the minds of camornnts for an official
protest; namely, that in the present
circumstances of the war there is abso-
lutely no basis in the conventions =
The Hague for Intervention on our part
% one OF the slguatories.
For any demand from Washington
that Germany or France OF Austria or