The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-07-03
The Law Is to Hospital Ships.

The Law rs to Hospital Ships.
The determination of the Kaiser's
Government to make the German
name kissing and reproach through
out the civilized world has never been
made more manifest than by the sink
ing of the Canadian hospital ship
Llandovery Castle last Thursday
night. Assume. If you please, that
the commander of the German subma-
rine was justified in believing that
American aviators were on board; his
right under the rules of international
law was 10 search the hospital ship
and make captives OF the military
men. IL any there were, or take the
vessel into port as n lawful prize for
having violated the rules of the Ge-
neva convention.
Those rules were adapted to naval
war and approved by oil the great
Powers of the world ut the second
Hague convention, which was con-
cluded on October IS, 1907. They are
embodiel in Convention No. y. In
which instrument His Majesty the
German Emperor, King of Prussia"
IS mentioned first in the recital of the
parties to the International agree
ment. Article I. of this convention
provides as follows:
military hospital ships that is to
say. ships constructed or assigned by
States specially or solely with view
Of assisting the wounded, sick and ship
wrecked, the names OF which have been
communicated to the belligerent Powers
at the commencement or during the
course OF hostilities, and in any case
before they are employed, shall be re-
spected and cannot be captured while
hostilities last"
Article V. further provides that mil
itary hospital ships shall be distin-
guished by being painted white out
side. with a horizontal band of green
about a meter and half in breadth :
and such vessels "shall make them
selves known by holsting with their
nationSl Gag the white flag with red
Cross provided by the Geneva con-
vention." This agreement was signed
by the representatives of forty-four
nations, the plenipotentiaries Of Ger
many being the first to sign. Even
the remote empire of Persia particl-
mated in the convention, but the Shah's
delegates reserved the right, to which
rhe conference consented OF employ
ing the Persian emblem Of the lion and
the sun in place of the red cross.
Not only does the Hague conven-
lion provide for the immunity of gov
eminent hospital ships, but It also
protects hospital ships equipped
wholly or In part at the expense OF
private individuals or officially recog-
nizei societies of neutral countries,
when they are placed under control
Of one of the belligerents. Thus n
hospital ship fitted out by the Ameri-
can Red Cross, if under the control
of the United States, should be en-
t1rely safe from molestation by Ger
man submarines-and would be If the
naval authorities of Germany paid
any attention to international law or
the obligation of treaties,
The fact that the German naval
authorities can torpedo n hospital
ship at night without warning and
upon an utterly false pretence indi-
Gates that four years of war have de,
tracted nothing from the power of
German militarism.
We cannot help believing that there
must be some men of character and
influence in Germany to whom all
such outrages seem as monstrous and
horrible as they do to us; but If there
are any such, they must be few and
far between, for their voices are woe
fully silent. How any intelligent Ger
man who has sanctioned the horror
Of their submarine warfare can ex
pect after the war ends to be received
anywhere else in the world with re
spect or even liberation 1t is impossi
BILE to conceive.