The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-05-09

| appear necessary to make out violation
of the treaty, has not been produced
:. Using dum-dum bullets.
The use Of expanding bullets was first
treated at The Hague conference in 1899.
and A provision relative thereto was in
serted in a declaration of the conference
in the following language:
THE contracting parties agree to alb
stain from the use of bullets which eN-
pand or iatten easily in the human body,
such as bullets with a hard envelope
which does not entirely cover the core.
or is pierced with incisions."
This declaration was ratified adj
hered to by all of the present helliGer-
ents. but IL was never signed or ratified
by the United States. The United
States. therefore. not being a party to
the declaration. would have no duty or
right to interfere in case of violation of
| its provisions by any of the ratifyins
or adhering powers
1t may be thought that Hague Conven-
tion " of 1907. relative to the laws and
customs of war on land. Article BE. is
broad enough to prohibit the use of ex-
panding bullets. This article reads as
follows:
In addition to the prohibitions pro-
vided by special conventions, ii is espe-
Claily forbidden
"e To employ arms. projectiles. or
material calculated to cause unnecessary
suffering.''
This article is identical with Article
23e OF Convention II of 1899. which was
concluded at the same time as the dec
laration of 1922 just quoted. 1t appears
to he conclusive, therefore. that the two
provisions relate to different matters.
for otherwise it would have been I'M
necessary to execute two separate agree
ments. That the agreements were re-
garded by the conference az distinct Is
shown by the Use in Article 23e of the
words I'm addition to the prohibitions
provided by special conventions Cor
roborative of this is the fact that Great
Britain did not adhere to the declara-
ton of 1899 until August 20. 1907. while
The Hague conference was in session
and was considering Convention ", of
which Article BE is a part. The conclu-
sion Is inevitable that the prohibition OF
the use of expanding bullets depends
upon the provisions of the declaration
of 1899. to which. as already pointed out.
the United States is not a party.
Submarine Mines.
s. Laying submarine contact mines.
Reference to the laying of submarine
contact mines on the high seas seems
unnecessary in view of the fact that
the belhgerents on both sides have ap-
parently employed this method of naval
warfare. 1t should. however. be pointed
out that Russia neither signed nor rat
flied Convention VIII of 1907 dt was sign
ed. but not ratified by Turkey or Mon
tenegro) which restricts the use of such
mines SO that the provisions of the con-
vention do not apply in the present war.
1t Is important to note, in connection
with this general subject Of the viola
ton of the rules Of war on land and sea.
which are laid down in The Hague con-
ventions. that the belligerents on both
sides of the great European conflict have
repeatedly called to the attention of the
world the disregard Of their opponents
for the rules Of humane warfare recog-
nized by international usage and treaty
stipulations.
The frequency Of these charges and
the denials of the governments charged
indicate the influence which the public
opinion Of the world exerts upon the
conduct of the belligerents. and shows
their earnest desire to avoid the con-
demnation Of civilization on the charge
Of inhumanity and wanton brutality.
While the conflict Of evidence and the
impossibil;ty Of impartial investigation
At the present time prevent neutral ma
tons from determining the truth or
falsity of the charges and counter
charges, the denials and defenses, which
have been made by the belligerents. and.
therefore. furnish no basis for protest.
the tine viii undoubtedly come whfn the