Evening star., 1941-09-21
Hostages


torical precedent for the detention of
one individual as surety for the good
behavior of another. International
custom dating back to the remotest
times recognizes the meaning of the
word hostage" as "a person handed
over by one OF two belligerent parties
to the other or seized as security for
the carrying out of an agreement or
as preventive measure against cer-
tain acts of war" The practice so
described admittedly is very ancient
and has been used constantly in
negotiations with conquered nations
and in cases such as Surrenders,
armiSticeS and the like"
As recently as 1906. the Sultan of
Bagiemi, in Central Africa sent his
nephew to undergo military training
with squadron of Spahis and at
the same time to serve as a guaran-
tee of his fidelity to the French"
The logic represented in the arrange
ment was the same as that which
led the Romans of antiquity to take
the sons of tributary princes to be
educated at Rome, thus holding
security for the continued loyalty of
the conquered nation and also instill-
ing possible future ruler with ideas
of Roman civilization" Feudal chief
tains in medieval Ireland exchanged
their children as hostages" of a sort,
and the whole of Irish society was
strengthened by the circumstance
The British in India and the French
in North Africa maintained the prac-
tice in their relations with native
communities. More often than not
the result was constructive and help
full.
But there have been many occa-
sionS when the taking of human
earnests has had evil consequences.
Napoleon in 1896 endeavored to con-
troll Lombardy by holding in captivity
important residents of that territory.
Three years later the so-called law
of hostages" was passed in France to
meet the challenge of the revolt in
La Vendee. Relatives of emigres
were taken from disturbed districts
and imprisoned and were liable to
execution at any attempt to escape.
Sequestration of their property and
deportation from France followed on
the murder of republican, four to
every such murder, with heavy fines
on the whole body of hostages" The
law, it is recorded, "only resulted in
an increase in the insurrection."
During the Franco-Prussian War
in 1870, the Germans had more sue
cess with special measures to put a
stop to train-wrecking by parties in
occupied territory not belonging to
the recognized armed forces of the
enemy, an illegitimate act of war"
Prominent citizens were placed on
the engines of trains $50 that it
might be understood that in every
accident caused by the hostility of
the inhabitants their compatriots
would be the first to suffer" Lord
Roberts, campaigning against the
Beers in South Africa in 1900, adopted
the same plan for a similar reason.
Yet the whole concept of keeping
hostages is repugnant to the con-
science of modern man. The mas
sacre of the Archbishop of Paris and
other distinguished characters by the
Communists in 1871 was "an act of
maniacal despair" which could not
be explained away by any apologist.
1t created wave of revulsion which
gave force to the declaration of the
international Law Association in
1928: mo inhabitant may be arrested
on any ground whatever Gas hostage,
civil prisoner or otherwise) unless it
be for the definite infringement of
the laws and regulations in force"
When the German authorities in
occupied France execute innocent
persons for the crimes of unknown
offenders, they are guilty of the viola
tion of two great principles-that of
elemental justice and that of COM
mon sense. Even If reprisals were
effective correction of the problem of
the moment, the price that eventually
must be paid for them in world opin-
ion is heavier than the Nazis seem to
have ths Wit to guess.