The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-07-16

and the cruel and treacherous participa
tion OF the entire population in acts o.
war, certify once more the lapse from
| civilization which the people OF these
countries have undergone.
"The collection OF evidence does moi
purport tc be complete in any respect
II is naturally restricted to the exposi.
tion OF facts which have been either Off
eially investigated or authenticated in
IN unimpeachable way.
'In proportion to the number of cases
which have actually occurred, the num-
Der Of the proven instances ia exceeding
~ small. Up to this day, the ministry
of foreign affairs Is still without infor-
nation concerning the fate OF several
consular officials who have been arrested.
The Austrians and Hungarians who are
being detained in hostile countries can
be counted by the thousands. Almost
all of them still endure in silence the
outrageous methods wherein the govern
ments of hostile countries set human dig
nifty at naught. The breaches of the
laws of warfare as compiled in part OF
this collection, must likewise be consid-
cred however. as only individual EVIL
dence. For the time being we cannot
have anything approaching a eomprehen
sive knowledge Of events in the terri
tories which reach us and from trust i
worthy news published in foreign daily
papers, it is possible TO draw the we'll
founded conclusion that thousands of
shocking violations Of the law of ma
tons have occurred especially in the dis
tricts Of our country occupied by the
enemy.
Wilful Violations.
1T may be conceded that certain
breaches of international law seem to
ing of troops on so huge a scale as this |
war has produced But ii is nevertheless
most disappointing that the International
agreements assuring the protection of
lives, the honor, the freedom of the re-
igious faith of peaceful citizens, and the
lrts and sciences, should be wilfully vio-
ated by the troops and officials OF the
very government under the aegis of
shich The Hague conferences reformed /
md completed the laws of warfare. One
If the main causes for this unfortunate
ituati0n must be ascribed to the EN-
,loyment OF troops wholly unable to per
Give the legal restrictions applied to
warfare. The French professor of law
lready quoted above, enumerates the
doctrine that countries at war with ma
ions of a low standard of civilization
re compelled to apply methods of war
are which correspond to the level of
heir opponents morals. He adds; The
'rench acted in accordance with this pre-
ept in Africa. Tonkin, China, and Da-
omey; the English in India, and Rus.
ians in Caucasia and in Turkestan.
rance, Great Britain and Russia could,
berefore, not possibly expect that their
lfrican and Asiatic subjects would re-
pect the provisions of international law; :
here cannot be the slightest doubt that :
hey are well aware that they are dis
agarding the law Of European nations
hen they line up savages and half I
ayages against the troops OF European 3
overs. 9
The object OF this publication is to Z
iduce only such violations OF the inter
ational law as have been perpetrated z
reetly and individually against nation
Is of the dual monarchy; il, therefore, :
les not include the evidences OF numer- !
rs exceedingly grave breaches Of the o
W which affected Austria Hungary in
a indirect and general way. Such ?
caches are TO be found in the arbitrary Q
Id unlawful declaration of France and l
reat Britain with regard to the status >
Morocco, Egypt and Cyprus, In the ?
olation OF the rights of neutral nations "
I'd in the systematic disregard Of the
gulations provided by maritime law. o
"The preposterous claim Of the hostile ?
tions to the right 10 subject the en- II
e population OF large countries to fam g
E must be stigmatized as a sacrilegious u
olation of the rules OF warfare No :
IS saerilegous is the act of the hostile d
yernments in tolerating, II not ac- W
ally inspiring. the unprecedented agi m
tion OF a press which disseminates lies p'
d fosters hatred. Most OF the excesses
which thousands Of innocent and de- on
useless people have fallen victims are az
: direct outcome Of that agitation.
The collection Of evidence, as now OF
hlished for general information. cannot
lvey even a faint idea OF the decay th