Evening star., 1942-09-24

0e0Sy 1eLA0o0A nm e0t0tu3u1ys
mean, and sven downright naughty.
A lot o6 people have spoken TO them
about II, and called their attention
70 the black, mark they'll got for
throwing away the rule book. but
this hasn't done much good.
They continue to shoot and bomb
civilians. ronap around disguised In
the other guys uniform. conscript
slave labor, take no prisoners or,
shoot, stab, ,bayonet and mutilate
those they do take. starve citizens OF
occupied lands. shoot hostages and.
innocent people-in short, they be.
have terribly.
Dreadful as It Is to contemplate,
1t begins to look as II the Axis fights
ers have deliberately adopted thsi
policy that anything goes Just 20
long as 1t Is horrible, deadly. destruc-
tive and uncivilized. You know, the.
old end justifies- he-means business.
We mention this because It has
been called TO our attention BY .
reader that down In Miami Beach
the Army Air Force is conducting q
school for officers IN which one Of
the subjects taught u rules of' war.
fare. :
A ANAL examination - given On
the subject and among the quss~
tions asked-to be answered true of.
false"-are:
A platoon commander orders his,
men In battle: "Go get 'em, men!
Now 'em down to the last man.
Ask no quarter; give no quarter!"1
This order, the ofhcers are told.
violates the rules Of warfare. 3
/ A belligerent forces = Red Cross
plane to the ground, uses some Of
the sanitary supplies, and allows the
pilot and plane to 90. free. This IL
authorized practice under the rules.
Of war.
After aperson has been repatriated
he may enter hts own army ana
again be used in military service.
The rules Of warfare set forth
specific means for their e1ncacys
among which are reprisA and the
payment Of damages.
A spy, who. after rejoining the
army to which be belongs, Is sub
sequently recaptiired by the enemy.
Is treated Is . prisoner Of war
ana incurs no responsibility for his
pfevious acts Of espionage. :
: And 30 on-my reader writes
for - questions. =
/ 44F& =
The writing reader wants 10 know
and % do we-wiiat III Of this
has to do with war "a war Il being
fought by the Axis today. What
possible good are rules Of war
fare when one set OF contestants
went abide by them and makes
It clear that he has no intantion
Of doing 50 and that he considers,
them a something that went out
with handlebar mustaches?
Can you imagine . United Ma,
tions soldier saving his skin by say,
ing something like this to . Jap
or Nazi:
Look here. old fellow, you can't
do this to me. Really. you can't.
It Is specifically prohibited BY The
Hague Convention Of 1907 and tho
amendments adopted at Locarno In
1895. Now, behave yourself. or Til
have to report you for violating not
only the letter but the spirit Of the
rules - we'll" a.. =,
| sscs A*
The hours the officers spend on
such = subject - rules Of warfare
should Be utilized. for somethin&
useful, such q. how to shoot Ger,
man In the back when he Isn't look
ing. how to cut . Jap's throat
from 10 PAGES without making &
sound and how generally to OUT
dirty-trfck m enemy that has no
decency or thought Of fair play.
The war has been going on quite
. while now. and there hasn't been
one single instance Of one Of our
foe being killed by . blow on the
head with rule book. The enemy
I'VE are fighting understands but
one language, and it Is spoken
by . gun, not. by frock-coated
| idealist.
OF course, We may have the Axis
soldiers all wrong. They may be.
al sweetness and light, IS Herr
Goebbels says, but wouldn't you
hate to face one with nothing but
copy Of the Locarno agreements
In your hands?
Distributed b. MeNsught Syndicate lne.t