The hummer. (Houston, Miss.) 1914-19??, 1915-06-11
WITH VARS HONORS
Defeated Soldiers Who Are Ac-
corded distinction.
Defenders Forced Through clreum
stances to Surrender Fortified
Places Usually Treated With
Generosity by captors.

When Przemysl, the great fortress
on the Hungarian frontier, fell into
the hands of the Russians, the terms
Of surrender provided that the garrison
should be accorded 'honors Of war"
AS consequence, the defenders
marched out with their colors flying
and surrendered to the commander OF
the attacking forces to the sounds Of
drums and bugles. The prisoners were
neither deported to Siberia nor sent to
concentration camps, but were placed
en- parole in a certain t0Wn OF Russia,
aud the officers were allowed to retain
their swords.
II is interesting OF recall that at Port
Arthur, the greatest siege ever known.
at the end Of seven months investment
the Russians made various offers of
surrender If they could Slarch out with
all the honors Of war. but the Japanese
demanded unconditional surrender.
Ordinarily, in all these siege opera
tons, a surrender Of a fortress is un-
conditional, and the vanquished tacitly
agree to accept whatever terms the
victor, in his wisdom. may impose, re-
lying upon the latter's magnanimity
for good and lenient treatment. The
usual course is this: The garrison Is
disarmed They are made to fan in.
all so many prisoners, and escorted to
wherever their conquerors decide they
shall be detained.
The c0nquerors, Of course. see that
the escort is a strong guard, properly
armed. able to put dowR at once any
attempt on the prisoners part t. es-
cape or disobey orders. Worst Of all.
and certainly the most CALLING to anv
real soldier the almost sacred trophies
Of the different regiments becsme the
spells Ct the vietors.
Guns, ammunition, colors and such |
like things all have to be given up. |
though men have given their lives to |
defend them. Fer the future they
grace the homes Of the enemy. or are |
turned against their old owners In the
field.
Il is in these things that the humilia.
ton Of surrender becomes complete;
yet all Of 1t Is saved when the beaten
garrison Is granted the "honors Of
war" as the Austrians were at Pre-
mysl That means the defenders we're
simply defeated, hut not disgraced."
BY its use, the successful besiegers
admit to the world that the garrison
we're able to make something better
than an unconditional surrender. Their
heroic defense had not left them At
their last gasp; they could maintain
hostilities for some time yet; and. al
though they would undoubtedly be
heaten at the finish. the fortress could
only be taken after more or less had
been suffered.
In such a case all that is demanded
Of the beaten men is that they should
evacuate all their positions. These
the enemy take possession q. as what
they have been striving for. All the
colorH and other trophies are retained
by the garrison. The defenders are
hot prisoners OF war, compelled to sur
render, They are simply beaten men.
giving up the unequal con-
Test
They are not disarmed and escorted
BY guards. mastering under their own
leaders, as they did at Przemysl. they
have no enemy over them giving or
lers. Headed BY their own bands. with
heir own colors flying above them,
md no foreign flag near. they march
ut" Of the positions they have so
lobly held, saluted BY their success
Drs and acclaimed BY the world as he