Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-15
FORCE, THE ARM OF ARMLSTTCES
Modern History Reveals Significant Instances of Respect for Tuce
Earned Through Military Might

THEORETICALLY. authority for an arms-
L tice is grounded In international law.
Virtually a formal cessation Of hostilities
prior to final peace negotiations is dependent
on the obvious military superiority of one
belligerent over another 1t is for this rea-
son that history provides more instances of
armistices observed than OF armistices vio-
lated. The badly beaten nation usuallyt can
not afford to be fiagrantly perfdious.
For centuries. from Grotius down and
even earlier. international law experts have
fattered themselves that It was mass of
knightly Jurisprudence which compelled re-
spect for the terms of an initial agreement
stipulating for a halt in war. They have
laid down rules to the effect that each party
may do within the limits of the truce what
he could have done in time Of peace; that
neither party can take advantage OF the
armistice to do what he could not have
done had military operations continued. and
that all things contained In the places, the
possession of which was contested. must re-
main In the state In which they were before
the afmistice began. These are excellent
principles.
Unhappily for the record of civilization,
however, 1t Is not so much resolutions at
The Hague and other international courts
W
of armed force and the fear OF Its appIica-
tion In case of any slip-up The prod to good
faith in an armistlce runs as follows: ANY
infringement by either party OF the condi-
tions Of q truce entities the other to re-
commence hostile operations without pre-
yious intirnation." The weaker nation which
seeks an armistice through necessity is apt
to be considerate of this dictum, whose
efficacy stems from arms rather than law.
When the disparity in strength between
parties to an armistice is not so great as In
most historical instances the danger OF
trickery Ia inevitably much enhanced. and
specific security regulations may riEhtfuliy
amplfy the basic principles
TIME Balkan wars OF 1928, in SO many
i ways a prophetic miniature with respect
to the world conflict, brlstle with armistice
| complexities. 1t Is noticeable and worth con-
siderinE that the establishment OF an arniis-
tice In the struggle In southeastern Europe
was on several occasions quite the reverse OF
| a trustworthy augury OF the immediate re-
turn of peace.
By the armistce signed at Tchataija, in
Turkey. on December 8, 1912. Bulgaria.
Serbia and Montenegro. who were winning
and Turkey, who was losing the war. agreed
| to send delegates to peace conference In
London. During the armistice the armies
were to retain their positions and the be-
sieged fortresses of Adrianopie and scutari
were not to be reprovisioned.
These pledges were not violated, but the
delegates failed TO come 10 SATISFACTORY nnat
terms The deliberations were broken OF
and the war was resumed The Balkan
Allies continued their successful pace ana
another armistice was signed In APRIL lsis'
Montenegro, however. refused to consider u,
| redoubied her efforts to capture Scutari. took
the town, but was almost Immediately forced
| to rellnqush II under pressure OF the furo-
| pean concert in which the demands of the
| Teutonic Powers were strongly insistent.
| With the concession made, King Nicholas 8
| little land signed the armistice.
The peace treaty, however. left the adjudi-
| cation of certain frontier questions open to
| settlement by the European Powers. Bull
| Karia foresaw some of her excessive claims
| untitled and without warning she attacked
| the Serbian army at slatavo In July. 1913.
| Perhaps, considering that the peace treaty
| had been signed. her avaricious attempt can
| not be, strictly speaking. regarded as a
| breach of an armstice. but questions OF
| the settlement were still unsolved the offense
| 10 International law was patent.
The final armistice after Turkey had re-
| gained Adrianople and Bulgaria suceumbed
| to her Ave enemies. including Rumania. was
| exceedingly brief. King Ferdinand sued for
| peace In the latter part OF July and by
| August 9 the treaty OF Bucharest became a
| valid document.
ARMIsrICE chronicles In modern history
| "a as a whole seldom have been as intri-
| cate as IN the Balkan frying pan. In the
| Franco Prussian War. after Napoleon III
| had surrendered At Sedan, the new French
| republic asked the Germans for their con-
| dirlons for truce. Favre. IN the autumn
| of 1870. had several meetings with Pis'
| marck and the latter declared that NJ (Fuct
] was possible unless traree inno1Lafo)< eir'