Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-11-06

nnemphasized, Hat statements of wit nesses in the case against Germany.
 So we have seen how the Germans conducted themselves in Belgium and how they treated one British officer, which is by no means an isolated case. For-this not to me, but in Colonel Vandeleur's statement to the British war Office-he tells of car ahead of his where, the men being threatened with suffocation, they hammered so madly on the walls of the car that at last carpenter was brought, who cut a small round hole for air.
 VIOLATED HAGUE CONVENTION. Let us see for moment what the Belgians had a right to expect from the invading army, considering Bel gium not neutral but enemy territory. Germany had subscribed to The Hague convention, that gentleman's agreement between nations which was designed, since wars seemed inevi- table, to make for fairness and de- cency. By Article 46 of that conven- tion Belgium, as enemy territory, has this claim:
 Family honor and rights, individ- ual life, and private property, as well as religious convictions and worship, must be respected.
 Private property may not be con. f1scated."
 Article 28:
 '"The giving over to pillage of a town or place, even when taken by assault, is forbidden.
 'sIn sleges and bombardments all necessary steps must be taken to spare, as far as possible, buildings ded- icated to public worship, art, science, or charitable purposes, historic monu- ments, hospitals, and places where the sick and wounded are collected, provided they are not being used at the time for military purposes"
 That is what Belgium had right to expect. What she has had, in wan- ton destruction of historical monu- ments, we know. That is what France, too, had right to expect, and what she got, that also we know.
 But The Hague convention did more than order the protection of cities and noncombatants: It ordered such hu- manity as was possible toward thetop- posing army; it forbade the use of poison or poisoned weapons, the say ing that no quarter would be given, the killing of men who had surren- dered, the use of arms, material or projectiles calculated to cause unnec- essary suffering; it forbade the attack pr bombardment by any means what ever of undefended towns, villages, dwellings or buildings.
 On every one of these counts Ger many must plead guilty. Every viola ton of them is one reason why we are at war. s9d4:a
 WHY WE ARE AT WAR.
 We are at war, today not because the crown prince of Austria was killed in Serbia but because the German army protected it's advance with non- ombatants-men,j women and children.
 We are at war; today not because German submarines sunk battleships but because theyn have sunk and are sinking peaceful vessels, little fishing boats, when the fishermen were labor- ing to get q scant livelihood, and great unarmed passenger ships car rying combatants-men, women, and children.
 We are at war because of those citi- zens of conquered Belgium who died protecting their women.
 We are at war because of that Ger man order of August "A, 1914, for 
 We are at war against the convic- tion, in German minds, that might is right, that the end justifies any means, no matter how brutal.
 We are clean and humane people. We would not believe these things at first. A million and 8 half Belgians fled to- England with the story. We were, still incredulous. Noncombatants were sunk at sea. We still felt there must be some justification. New and ever new cruelties of death came from the German trenches, and we have said: "This is modern war"
 But the score is mounting higher day by day. The politics of this war are lost in its inhumanities, fathered by German skill. It was not enough that men should die. They must die horribly. I
 We have never understood. We have been people of ideals, confront Ing a nation of crass. materialists. It Is time for us to understand. But it Is not time. and never will be time, for the American people to stoop to the of an enemy which would again today, if the necessity arose, protect its advance by the helpless forms of old men, of women and of children. a {,
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 It is we'll for us to pause for a mo- nent to look back on these, things. We were skeptical at first, but time has shown their truth, for they are