The Cordova daily times., 1918-02-05
HUNS" SCORNED
LAW OF NATIONS
Use Of Civilians as Hostages and
for Screens Part of
DeyiIiSh System.
FIRST MADE USE OF IN 1870
At That Time It Was Condemned by
the Civilized World, but the Ger
man Military Leaders Have
Never Abandoned 1t.

AmPle proof TINT the march, Of the
| German armies through Belgium
wae marked by massacres and cr1t-
elites almost beyond belief is qiren
in a document mute public By the
committee on public information,
from which The foHorjug is tahen:
The massacres in Belgium and
lro"hern France were part of the
German system of frightfulness. An
other feature of this system was the
use Of civilians as hostages and for
screens.
In discussing the use of hostages the
German War Book (KriegSbrauch i'm
Landkriege) says:
| by hostages are understood those
persons who, rs security or bail for
the fultillment of treaties, promises, or
other claims, are taken or detained by
the opposing state or its army. Their
provision has been less usual in re-
cent wars, as result of which some
professors Of the law of nations have
wrongly decided that the taking of
hostages has disappeared from the
Ipractice of civilized nations.
"a new application of hostage right
was practiced by the German staff in
the war Of 1870, when it compelled
leading citizens from French towns
and villages to accompany trains and
] locomotives in order to protect the
railway communications which were
threatened by the people Since the
lives Of peaCeable inhabitants were,
without any fault on their part, there
| by exposed to grave danger, every
writer outside Germany has stigma
tiZed this measure as contrary to the
law Of nations and as uniustified to-
wards the inhabitants of the country"
Chung to FrightfuIness.
Although their deeds in the Franco
Prussian war had been universally
condemned, as they themselves admit
ted, the leaders did not intend to
abandon such a useful measure Of
frlghtfulness. In LTnterprete Mill
taire the forms were provided for such
acts in the next war. Both in Belgium
and In France the Germans have con-
stantly used hostages. The evidence
is contained in the prOclamations of
the govSning authorities and also in
the diarS@ of the German soldiers. A
few examples from these will illus
trate the system which was employed.
A specimen of the arbitrariness and
cruelty is furnished by the proclama-
zion Of Major Dieckmann, from which
the following sections are presented !:
"After Q .. m. on the 18th Septem-
her | will permit the houses in Beyne-
ileusuy, Grivegnee, and BEDSIDE Breux
to be Inhabited by the persons who
'iv"f in hem Formerly, as long as
these persons are not forbidden to fire.
quent these localities by official pro-
| hbition.
Prominent People Hostages.
'In order to be sure that the above
mentioned permit will not be abused,
thc hUrgOmasters Of Rpyne-HeuSay and
Of Grivegnee must Immediately pre-
pare lists OF prominent persons who
will be held as hostages for "a hours
each at Fort FlerOn. September 6.
1914, for the first time (the period of
detention shall be) from p. IN. until
September at midday.
1.-THE life of these hostages depends
on the population OF the above-men-
toned cOmmunes remaining quiet un-
der all circumstances.
During the night 1t is severely for
hidden to show any luminous signals.
Bicycles are permitted only between Z
a. m. and p. m. German time).
From the list which is submitted to
me | shall designate prominent per-
sons who shall be hostages from noon
Of one day until the following midday.
If the substitute is not there In due
time. the hostage must remain anoth-
er "a hours at the fort. After these
"a hours the hostage will incur the
penalty Of death. If the substitute fails
to appear.
PRIESTS, burgOmaSters. and the 9th
er members of the council are to lie
taken first as hostages.
II insist that all civilians who move
about in my district show
their respect to the German officers by
taking off their hats. or lifting their
hands to their heads in military salute.
In ease of doubt, every German sol
der must be saluted. Anyone who
does not do this must expect the Ger
man military to make themselves re-
spected by every means"
Hold Small Nations Have No Righta
"The fate that Belgium has called |
down upon herself is hard for the in
dividual' but not too hard for this p0-
litical structure (StaatsgebiIde). for
the destlhleS of the immortal great ma
tons stand so high that they cannot |
hut have the right, in case of need, to
stride over existence that cannot de- |
fend themselves, but live, as parasites, |
upon the rivalries Of the great" Prof. |
H. Oncken, in Suddeutsche MOnatsheft, |
(South German Monthly
WnnIn fhox,