The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-03-18

desire of the Government of the
United States to see the European war
conducted in accordance with the pre-
viOusly recognized rules of interna-
tional law, and the dictates of hui
manity. IL is thus that the British
forces have conducted the war and
we are not aware that these forces,
either naval or military, have laid to
their charge any improper proceed
ing. either In the conduct of hos
Titles or in the treatment of prison
ers or the wounded. On the German
side It has been very different
Quotes Treatment OF Beigtans.
!. The treatment OF civilian inhabi
tants I'm b. gium and the north OF
France has been made public by the
Belgian and French governments. and
by those who have had experience Of
Il at hrst' hand. Modern history ar
fords no precedent for the sufferings
that have been inflicted on the defense
legs and noncombatant population In
the territory that has been in German
military occupation. Even the food
of the population was confiscated until
In Belgium an international commits
sion. largely influenced by American
generosity, and conducted under Amer
lean auspices, came to the relief OF
the population. and secured from the
German government promise to snare
what food that WAS left in the country.
though the Germans continue TO make
ievies In money upon the defenseless
population for the support of the Ger
man army.
3. We have from time to time re-
ceited most terrible accounts of the
barbarous treatment to which British
0ftfPHFQ a Al
after they have been taken prisoners,
while being conveyed to German prison
camps, one or two instances have al
ready been given to the United States
government founded upon authentic and
first hand evidence which liz beyond
doubt. Some evidence has been re-
ceived of the hardships to which Brit
ish prisoners Of war are subjected In
the prison camps contrasting. we be
iieve. most unfavorably with the treat
rnent of German prisoners in this coun-
try. We have proposed with the con-
sent OF the United States governmen nj
that a commission of United States
officers should be permitted In each
country to inspect the treatment of
pr soners of war. The United States
government have been unable to OBJ
tain any reply from the German gov
eminent to this proposal. and We re-
main in continuing anxiety and appre.
hension as to the treatment of British
prisoners of war in Germany.
Lay Mines On High Seas.
Q. At the very outset Of the war q
German mine layer was discovered
laying mine field on the high seas
Further mine fields have been laid
from time to time without warming
and, so far as we know. are still be-
ing laid on the high seas, and many
neutral as we'll as British vessels have
been sunk by them.
Z. At various times during the war
German submarines have stopped and
sunk British merchant vessels thus
making the sinking OF merchant ves-
sells general practice. though II was
admitted previously. IL at all. only as
an exception; the general rule to
which the British government ad-
hered being that merchant vessels. II
captured, must be taken before a prize
court. In one case already quoted in
note to the United States govern
ment. neutral vessel carrying food
stuffs to an unfortified town N Great
Britain has been sunk. Another case
Ia now repe rted In which a German
armed cruiser has sunk an American
vessel, the William r. Frye. carrying
a cargo of wheat from Seattle 70
Queenstown. In both cases the car
goes were presumably destined for
the civil population. Even the car
goes In such circumstances should
not have been condemned without the
decision OF n prize court, much Less
should the vessel have been sunk. I.
~ to be noted that both these cases
occurred before the detention by the
British authorities of the Wihelmina
and her cargo of foodstuffs which the
German government aiiese IL the
Justification for their own action. The
Germans have announced their in
tention OF sinking British merchant
vessels, h. torpedo without notice and
without am provision for the safety
Of the crew They have already car
ried out this intention in the case OF
neutral as well as of British vessels
and a number of noncombatant and
innocent lives on British vessels. I'M
armed ad defenseiess have been de-
stroyed in this way.
War On Defenseless Towns.
g. Unfortihed open and defenseless
towns. such as Scarborough. Var
mouth and Whitby. have been deltber-
ately and wantoniy bombarded by
German ships Of war, causing in some
cases considerable loss of civilian life,
including women and children.
.. German aircraft have dropped
bombs on the east coast of England.
where there were no military or
strategic points to be attacked. On
the other hand. l am aware Of but
two criticisms that nave been made
II. British action in all these respects:
"a 1t 10 understood that the
British naval authorities have rEid
some anchored mines on the high
seas They have done SO, but the
mines were anchored and so con-
structed that they would be harmless
II they went adrift and no mines
whatever were laid by the British
nava! authorities TIL many weeks AZ
ter the Germans had made regular
practice Of laying mines on the high
seas. f2) II II said that the British
Government have departed from the
view Of International Law which they
had previously maintained that food
stuffs destined for the civil popula-
ton shoufd never be interfered with.
this charge being founded on the
submission to prize court OF the
cargo of-thc WI tihe4nf4f,sa=- FAs-eaEs-
alterations affecting this cargo have
already been presented In memo
rAndum to the United States Govern
ment. and I need not repeat them
here. fnasmuch az the stoppage OF
all foodstuffs Is an admitted conse-
Quence Of blockade. II IL obvious that
there can be no universal rule based
on considerations Of mortality and