The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-04
RlALl.lAsssLAt.sssINs.

When an Impartial, capable histo-
RAN, generation hence. perhaps,
comes TO record the story, OF the pres.
emit European conflict, 1t viii be
strange indeed ~ he does not devote
at least chapter to the first exten.
siye employment in war Of airships
and their futility In accomplishing
anything OF practical military value,
While at the same time serving as
agents OF death and injury to helpless
noncombatants. One could almost
wish that airship bombs might cause
the destruction OF some great fortress
orlreduce iother; military works to sub.
lection so that in the eyes of posterity
the use by twentieth century belliger.
ents o these vicious vehicles might
be at least partially justified. 1t is TO
be feared that the verdict which sue.
ceeding generations will pass upon our
standard OF civilization will be far
from flattering.
Guerilla methods of fighting have
always come under mankind's severe
condemnation. Early settlers on our
western plains were the frequent vic.
tins Of the redskins treachery and
contemplate cruelty. The Indians, on
the testimony of those who were
brought IN contact with them, simply
had no conception of fighting fairly
and their ignorance and disregard Of
the ethics Of warfare were character.
istic merely of sayagery the world
over. For them, as for the Zulus or
the bushmens OF Australia, or the can.
nfbalisticg creatures OF certain isles in
the Pacific, there were no rules of tho
game. Tolpounce upon sleeping white
men and chop their heads of, to sub.
ject women and children to torture,
these We're the practices to b expect.
ed from these degraded spcC .et4s Of
humankind, brothers to the brute. But
civilized man 4prided himself on con.
Quoting his warfare with the sem.
biance, at least, of humanity. Through
long ages OF conflict regulations and
customs were formed, the violation Of
which stamped the perpetrators with
the stigma OF barbarism. Until the
present war these rules were quite
genrally observed. For nuisance,
cities and towns were given notice
and opportunity to sure ltler before
bombardment, in accorda. . with an
Gent usage. Now, with < any au-
thorized alteration in the Iles Of in.
ternationaI warfare. the airship has
changed all that. It Is considered the
height Of military cunning to sail over
undefended villages, by day or night,
and drop deadly bombs with indiscrln.
mate deyiltry. Every great was haI
had its roll Of innocent victims, ns...
combntants caught between the linrJ
or accidentally slaini n their homes.
Such slaughter was not deliberately
planned. L Yves part Of the fortunes
OF war. But the modern "sky raid" Is
for killing and not scouting purposes.
Its object is to terrify the populace
Of o hostile territory by spreading
death and destruction among the stay.
at-homes, tie noIl:combatants. old
men, women and children. Here a
little boy Is "rightfuily maimed" when
an explosive missile drops into tho
yard o hts school. There the inmates
OF q 49,. nifty hospital are stricken
with psl..c Us bombs fall on the root.
In the suburbs OF a town, a peasant,
aged &C years. Is torn TO pieces.
1t Is conceivable that q fleet OF air.
ships poised menacingly above city
or town could exact an enormous trfb.
ute under threat Of bom6ar nent or
could lake the course Of e ing Its
surrender. Either proeedl. r both
would be IN accordance With le rules
of war. but these airship nturdererB
do not afford their victims tie oppor.
tunity Of submission. Even the hold.