The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-11-02

bow 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 ofiice-he tells Of car ahead of
his where, the men being threatened
with suff0cation. 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
Belglans had right to expect from
the invading army, considering Bel
GUM 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-
ton Belgium, as enemy territory, has
this claim:
"Family honor and rights, indlvld-
ual life, and private property, as we'll
as religious convictions and worship,
must be respected.
"Private property may not be con.
fiscated."
Article %:
'The giving over to pillage Of n
town or place, even when taken by
assault, Is forbidden.
'In sieges 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-
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: 1t ordered such hui
mainly as was possible toward the OPP
pOSlhS dlbny IL lOlb tiC Nov VI
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; 1t forbade the attack
or 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.
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 its advance with nom
combatants-men, women and children.
We are at war today not because
German submarines sunk battleships
but because, they have sunk and are
sinking peaceful vessels, little fishing
boats, when the fishermen were labor
ing to get scant livelihood, and
great unarmed passenger ships car
rying oncombatants-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-
ton, 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 half Belglans
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. 1t was not enough
that men should die. They must die
horribly.
We have never understood. We
have been people of ideals, confront
Ing q nation Of Grass materialists. 1t
Is time for lis to understand. But II Is
not time, and never will be time, for
the American people to stoop to the
Of an enemy which would
again today. II the necessity arose,
protect its advance by the helpless
forms Of old men, Of women and Of
children.
1t Is well for us to pause for mo-
ment to look back on these things.
We were skeptical at frst, but time
has shown their truth, for they are
Of a piece with the things that have
happened since. They belong with
the Lusitania and the little fishing
boats. With the attacks on London.
With liquid fire.
We are people Of homes, Politics
means little to us; the Quarrels OF