The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-11-28
Russia or England shall live up to the

terms Of supposed agreement OF 1907
with us and the rest OF the Powers 10
abstain from dropping bombs on non
ccmbatants. or to give proper warnius
of the purpose to lombard. must rest
upon either Convention XIV. or Con-
vention ". of the series. Convention
XIV. Is mentioned first because 1t Is
specific. 1t is a declaration prohibit
ing the discharge of projectlles and ex-
plosivcs from balloons" II declares:
The Contracting Powers agree to pro-
hibit, for u period extending to the close
OF the Third Peace Conference, the dis
charge OF projectiles and explosives from
balloons or by other new methods OF
similar nature"
This. Of course, would cover such
commandments as the alleged attacks
on German towns by the flying artillery
Of the Allies, or the dropping Of bombs
on Paris and other towns. French and
Belgian, by the German Zeppelins 'r
Taubes. The United States both signed
and ratified this agreement. Great
Britain signed and ratified 1t. France.
Germany and Russia neither signed
nor ratified IT. and the declaration
itself limits its binding force in the fol-
lowing manner:
4. al. oil .x,, l. x,,lxy lad.
ing on the Contracting Powers in case OF
war between two or more OF them.
1T shall cease to be binding from the
time when in war between the Con-
tracing Powers one of the belligerents
is Joined by non contracting Power"
The declaration. therefore. could pos
sibly apply only to war between
the United States and England among
the great Powers; and even in such \
case 1t would cease to be binding even
on ourselves IL France or Japan joine1
Great Britain as an ally. To the pres
eut contest IN Europe the declaration
does not in any manner apply.
The other possible ground for protest
must he found in the general regula-
tons annexed TO Convention ~. limit.
ing the methods of warfare on lani.
We find among these rules:
ARTICLE XIV.
"The attack or bomba rdment. by what.
ever means. OF towns. villages, dwellings
or buildings which are undefended is pro-
hibitsd.
ARTICLE XVI.
The officer In command OF an attack
ing fore, must. before commencing a bonn
bardment. except in cases OF assault. do
all in his power to warn the authorities
ARTICLE xxvii
I'm sieges and bombardments all nee
essary steps must he taken 20 spare. as
/ far as possible, buildings dedicated to
religion, art science or charitable pur-
poses historic monuments. hospitals and
places where the sick and wounded are
collected, provided they are not being
used at the time for military purposes.
! Manlfestly these provisions as to Nil
sorts Of bombardment would apply to
the dropping Of explosives from air
ships: and IL of binding force on the
present bclligerents would AFFORD just
cause of protest on our part on proof Of
/ violation. Hut the same Convention
] ". limits its own operation as follows
I in Article H.:
ThA iptn "a " a NJ
! nexedl regulations. as well as in the pres
/ ent Convention. do not apply except be-
tween Contracting Powers, and then only
If all the bellis5rents are parties 10 the
Convention
All the hcl,igcrents are not parties
to Convention ". Germany is party
Austria is, Great Britain is, Russia is
but France never ratified Il. Therefore
/ it became imperative all around when
/ France entered rhe war. The United
! States is also IA party, but II cannot pro
test against acts and methods exempted
from the prohibition 10y the terms Of
the convention itself.
These are the rcH sOns for our dl sh"
! lief in the WOTIJs report that Pres
dent WILSON has already based a
protcs, against aerial bomb throwing
upon the provisions Of the conventions
of The Hague. We cannot believe, more
over. that he will ever base such a
protest on the fact of the participation
OF the United States in tho conferences
and agreements aforesaid.
shielding Criminals Through Fear.
| The murder Of RAFF, the poultry
dcalc which at first threatened to