Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-11-04
MEANING OF ARMlSTlCE.

MEANING OF ARMIS1ICE.
At 8 o'clock this afternoon, European time-that is.
about 8 o'clock this morning in Grand Forks-hostilities
between Italy and Austria ceased in consequence OF
IN agreement having been reached yesterday. The terms
Of the arnistice are being published today, and from a
casual reading Of them it does not appear they are less
lenent than were the terms imposed upon Bulgaria and
Turkey-in fact, it would seem that then Austrian terms
are even sterner than any previously enumerated.
Although the world has always been full Of wars and
srmistices, the latter subject is comparatively little known
and exact definitions are difficult to obtain. Naturally
one turns to what is surmised to be the latest authority.
namely, The Hague conventions of 1907, but the only Sec
ton here dealing with the subject, Chapter Y, Articles
xXxvI to XII, dismisses it with a pretty general and
pretty vague definition, and details which might now be
Of particular interest are not given.
Usage is a better authority on armistices, and it may
be proper at this time to consider briefly some Of the pre-
eedents known.
Quite lately it vas asserted in the New York Times
that wars almost invariably end in an arnistice." but
that this takes place only when the terms OF peace have
been agreed upon" Despite the fact that the statement
was signed by a military expert General Francis ".
Greene), it is misleading, for there have been many wars
which ended without any armistice. The instance Of the
thirty Years war, endlng With the peace OF Westphalia,
4s notable, and attention has also been called. to the fact
that the American war with England in. 1912 came to a
close without the armistice agreement being resorted to.
The war between Prussia-Austria and Denmark in 1854
was punctuated by armistices but ended abruptly with a
peace treaty after the resumption of hostilities on two
occasions. In the war between Italy and Turkey six
years ago no .armistice was arranged.
It has happened that armistices were concluded only
after the signing of peace treaties. but in such cases the
arrangement was meant merely to cover the pariod be-
tween the affixing Of signatures and the coming into eff
fact OF the treaty.
AS a general rule it can be said that the business Of
auspending hostilities is largely governed by circumstan-
ces more than by precedents. One fundamental rule has
been that military operations are suspended through mu-
tual agreement between the, belligerent parties.
How far this will apply in the case of the armistices
OF 1918 remains to be seen. for a recent Interpretation Of
the rules comedies that it is for the parties who agree
upon an armistice, to stipulate the special rules and con-
dltons. The terms upon which Bulgaria and Turkey latd
down their arms were exceedingly specific, for they left
no doubt that hostilities were to cease completely and lit
eFally-as far as the vanquished nations were concerned.
The extent to which the Allies reserve the right to
continue the preparation of military operations. should
such be necessary, has not been very clearly discussed.
and many writers today take it for granted that when an
. rmistice is signed with, for instance, Germany. it will
Include a stipulation to the effect that the Allies reserve
AL rights to maintain the war strength Of their armies
and navies, and even to increase that, while Germany, of
course, will have no such rights.
There is the essential difference between this years
afnistices and those Of former periods that the element
Of negotiation has disappeared. The whole thing has been
reduced to a very practical business level where terms
simply are submitted. II the recipient of the terms is dis
satisfied with them, their authors are prepared to bring
the armistice about in some other way. No matter what
IT Is called NOWADAYS fhe arrniSfira amounts 70 .
der where terms are not discussed. but dictated.
In a nutshell, the arnistice Of the 1918 vintage Is a
preliminary peace treaty in this that it esta blishes a basis
for the final submission. 1T looks now very much as
though the peace conference will be as unlike the con-
ferences Of yore as are the arnistices, for the Central
Powers may not even get the opportunity Of presenting
their side Of the case. the reason being that they have
no case to present.
There is much to indicate that news Of the most far
reaching Importance will develop within the next FEW
days. What it is and when 1t will come; no one outside
the council at Versailles is in a position to say today. but
50 = reading Of all the signs is not extremely incorrect, it
does appear probable that the news OF, unconditional Ger
man surrender will be coupled with an announcement
that the emperor Of Germany and all the princes Of the
Hohenzonern5 dynasty have forever renounced their rights
"a the imperial throne.
In other words-further information. about armis-
gtIces will merely mean that all conditions have been die
tated--and accepted by reason Of overwhelming neceestt,
and that only the forma1ity Of signing a peace treaty
rsmains. The Allies have shown no disposition to fr4ke
nth the Central Powers. and for this reason 1t il quite
asfe to assume that the enemy viii b4 left in no position
ats refuse the terms dictated by the generals ana ststes-
sA4saen 81 the victorious nations.
* ----- I4@5
THE SENSE OF JUSTICE
sas@A Aftsr the battle OF Waterloo and while he va Ia
" lriss zlBluchsr. the Prusstan field marshaI, proposed
steest !; 'sfay ths psns u me diplomats not again