The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-14
Army Chiefs

W contemplate lllrll DpStlull-
!ty. 1t assumes that II Is dealing
not with brutes but men. Internal
tional law is the etiquette of interna-
tional society. and society. as II has
been gravely said. Is conducted on the
assumption that murder will not be
committed. We do not carry revolv-
ers In our pockets when we enter our
clubs, or finger them when we shake
hands with n stranger. Nor. to adopt
a very homcly illustration, docs any
hostess think II necessary to put up
a notice in her drawing room that
guests are not allowed to spit upon
the floor. But what should we think
OF n man who committed this dis
gushing ~ofcrCc, and then pleaded
mat thcre was nothing to show that
the hostess had forbidden Il? HUI
man society. like political society. ad-
vances in proportion as IL rests on
voluntary morality rather than posi-
tive law. In primitive society every
thing IL taboo because the only
thing that VIII restrain the undis-
ciplincd passions OF men is fear. Can
II he that his Is why tho traveller
In Germany finds everything yer
botcn.' and that things which in our
W country are eft to tho coed
sense and good breeding Of the citizen
have to he ofhc.ously forbidden? ar
1t he that this people which is always
making an o~stentatious parade Of It's
culture Is St.ll rcd in. tooth and
claw" When a man boasts his breed
ing We instinctivcly suspect it. in
deed tn" boast - itself III bred. II the
reader thinks these reflections un-
charitable, let him ponder on the
treatment Of Belgium.
The War-Book Itself is divided into
" parts: the first part dealing with
the usage of war In regard to the
hostile army and the 9" md part In
regard to the enemN's o. .rl:ory and
its inhabitants. t'ndnr the heading
of rights II duties + the inhabitants
the War-Ropk saws.
VIZ concerns poi merely tn" active
clements. but also the passive
Clements are involved IN the cummon
alffcriag. ic.. the inhabitants %: the
occupied territory VINO do n belong
tc the army. opinions as 20 :hc rela-
tons between these poaceab,e inhab.-
tHntS of the occupied TERRITORY and the
'lmy in hostile possess on have fun
d1menta!iN altered In the curse Of me
last century. Whereas IN cari.er times
the devastation of the enemy's terri
tory. the destruction OF property. and
IN some cases indeed the carving
away OF the inhabitants into bondage
or captivity. were regarded as a uuite
natural consequence Of the state Of
war, ana whereas IN later times milder
treatment of the inhabitants took
place although destruction and ami
hi'ation as a military csource still
continued to be entertained. and tho
right OF p,urdering the private prop
crty of the inhabitants remained COM
plCt"iy un.imitcd-to-day. the univer-
sally prevalent idea j. that the m
hahitants Of the enemy's territory are
no longer to he regarded. generally
speaking, as enemies. II VIII b. adj
mltted, as a matter of law, that the
population Is. in tho exceptional cir
cumstarces of war. subjected 70 the
Limitations, burdens. and measures ~
compu.s.on conditioned by Il. and
owes Incidence for the time being to
the power dc f0cfo. hut may continue
e. exist otherwise undisturhed and
protected as in time Of peace by the
course # law.
II follows from all this as a matter
If right that as regards the personal
position Of the inhabitants Of the oc-
cupied territory. neither IN life nor In
limb. in honor nor in freedom are
they to he injured. and that very
unlawful killing. every bodily injury
due 10 fraud or negligence. every in
suit. every disturbance of domestic
peace, every attack On family. hone,
and morality ana generally every
unlawful and outrageous attack or
act Of violence are just as strictly
punishable as though they had been
committed against the inhabitants Of
ones own land. Thare follows, also,
as a right Of the inhabitants OF the
enemy territory. hat tho invadinS
army can only Limit its personal III
dependence in 50 far as tn necessity
Of war Internationally demands 1t.
and that any infection that needlessly
goes beyond this Is 10 he avoided.
As against this right there is nat
ural,y a corresponding duty on the
part OF the inha bitants to conduct
themselves in a really %peaceable man
ner, In no wise TO participate In tn"
conflict, to abstain from every injury
to the troops OF the Power in occupa'
ton. and not to refuse obedience TO
the enemy's Government. II this pre-
sumption ts not fulfilled, then there
can no longer be any talk OF violations
OF the immunitics OF the inhabitants
rather they ara treated and punished
strictly according to martial law.
The view that no inhab1tant of oc-