WAR CRIMES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 124, 19 February 1919, Page 9

WAR CRIMES

THE INDICTMENT OF;THE KAISER

THE LEGAL POINTS

:it is being assarted in many gunners' (says the -."Spectator") that the ex-Ger-man Emperor cannot. 1e .trio^ -because' he has not pommittod «ny act which before the war was recognised as a punishable offenco. "Ho cannot -be'ar--raigned as a criminal except on' some ex post facto' declaration "of ••-international■ law.- But ex post, facto declarations of taf : ara unjiist 'by the universal admission, of mankind.-" Very-possibly this lino'off argument"applied to the general William II entered upon tie'var.-inepirid by a -ft'iqked'and.tyrannical policy and ono oootrary to tlie.beijt. interests of humanity'., .'.'But though tho. Kaiser oanno|:. be tried merely-.for beiu'ij. ft .wicked '.man,. lie can b^-.tried, as we Bh'6ived ; last week, for spbeificac.lH-.fcoh-; trary : 'to. the iiiles of war uml to ..the eolemn Agreeinents niad'o, liy tho -I'oSvers ati The Hague to prevent- vcrtain definite Wat Grimes.-.. ".-.-. .-•-.'. ■'•■■.

The r'ules'and-agreements in regard.to war crimes-are laid down-in the official'l "Mamialof 'Military Law," compiled and published by our War Oifitfl on behalf of-the -British-nation'•(l9ll).' \ This : boofc. is a very carefully prapareil siunniiiry <tf whajt is binding.upon as- ;n ad 'other States. The .Brituili.'iO.Oyi'rument as a whole, and Jiot'merely iho Y/ar' Officp, responsible, tor what ■■ appears in it. 'HiJre is our wleiun offlcisl.- definitioivof war crimee:— -~.v ' .■','■•■'■■', '■'< ". v ' : "441. Tho term /VaT- : criine' is the technical expression for such-' 'nil set of enemy soldiara- and • snciv.y civilians' 'tis may : he visited- by•piiriisuni-af.'on capture of "tho.'offenders. ;''Jt is. usual to employ this tenp," biit il; inust..b() emphasised that.it ia Vised in "thtv.tf-dihical military o.ud legiil the moral"sense/ •■li'ov alth'iKj.ii, . these'aots.suoh'flsabiifio of .t'<o. jiriv-ir. leges'or tli.e.'.Bcii. \Cvass. 'or'. th.R murder flf -prisonfrs,. inc.y bi),d»?racef,ui,' j-et : .others,,suoh' tion about the 'enemy, -'may :,}io.. highly patriotic-and .praisiiwreHiy.; The enemy,' however, is .in" .any:-' ofl'« ,Bntiticd to punisli these,aois as Wai , . Crimes. .-■ ■ .."412. .War.crimes' niay- bp.liiividpd.info, four differ.'ent .classes:—.{i).:Vipl!i.tions-,-of. the" recognised-.rnl<>3.:<if' viu'fa.r(<:.l)y meni : - bersof tKe-.arDiefl..forceo..-•■ (n/Illnqiti'mate hostilities .in .'arms 'committwl' liy individuals who,are not 'members of-the armed'-foroes.-, ■ '.(i:i)'- Espionage "and war ■treason, (iv) Marauding. . '■\- v

■ "443. :The more ininortant violati6fis are the following :—Mal;iriß -use of poisoned and otherwise forb'iddt'ii m-riia"■■riuCanJ'-; munition;-lulling'of ,th«",wo.uhdecl; -refusal of''quarter;' tfencheroiis' feqiYest.of q-uarter; maltreatment- of ;d?a ! d todies} on the battlefield; 'ill-treiitanent'jOf prisoners of 'war; "-breaking of parole by,.prisoners ,of wav; firin? onjiinilefended localities; abuse of fcho,fla£rpf'"■frjuoe.j. firing on the :fing of •'■'•tinice; ' 'nbusp of the !Rpd Cross flag and bn<lge; and oflier Eolations 'of ,the : Gfrneviv "Conr ventiohr'use of. civilian oloihing liy troops to coriceiir their niilitar.y charac■■ter'during battlej'bombardmon.t .of pitals' and . other , privileged .Jjiiildirifrs.i improper iiso : of;privile|;e. biiildin'gsrfnr itiilitefy;purposes;' pisorii'ii{,'.':.of.. \v?\\s. and streanisj'pillnge'.jind defitruotidn; ill-treatnierit ofinhabitflrilsin conquered territory. however, ,to note that mcinliew ,nf the armed forces who comniit such violations of the recognised.; rules of -warfare as e.Te ordered by their Government. ; ;or by. their.'.'cflmihanderTare not war v criminfils. and cannot .'therefore be punished,-by the enemy... He may, punish..the '.officials- or cbmmandor.l responsible for such* orders if they fall into-Wshnnds,-.but.other-, wise he may -only-resort to , tho other . means of obtnininir redre?s which' are dealt with in this chapter." • •'. ■ =■•

In view of ihft>e provisions; it is ■ impossihk'to call tho proposal to-iiwaipi the Kii.is n r. a.;iiror">3al for ex ".post'facto law.. '-.-The; method?- of. tryin.* vnreririiinals, and thu piuiishmon^. which nisy.ho ■-. inflictpd-upon -ttipm,- arV*.F*f;fWfK' t iJi JKe following- paragrSiphs :of 'the '"■nift'e; .pKfjP;. ter—i.'oV. that' clea!ipg : with "The" Laws, an* Ilsaeo. of TVrvr":— '' ; .'',.' '.' "449. '■' Charjres of war erimes.v'niay, bo dealt with by iTiiHt.iry courts or by.such . ..cenrts as-.th?■ Kellifferent' coiicetncd may 1 determinn. ,Li sypry case, however,' there nin?t lin i-.rKl.lWfori-.Tinni^nnent, ' : and:the. utmb-^.lcrirp mii't'hi , taken ; -to, ~ confine ; the .punishment /to • the actual offender.. .' . ..' ;.'..' .; • •.' •■■ ! . "450. All war..criraw are .liable ;to.-. be pnriishnd..bv tloaW),; brit-«/more\ lenient • penalty may- b?-pronounced. ■■■_> Gorhprnl , ; piinishmßnt.is «(tlnd<vl. an<' Cruelty in; any'faroi Tmist.bs!nTOided. .Tho-punish'-' ment should h"'-. deterrent, but' TTO^t •. eeveritr. may iti-own ?nds : bydriving the population to rebellion. ? ■; ; '"i&i. Tn prpnounrinß a .'wtitonneof iriiprißonmont it,.ne»d hrt.be taken- ipto'eonßide.ri>.t<on .whether:.tlif»re;is'S, probn-Wlity-nf the .OTisoner released i>(i> " the.'>wl of the war. ■■'There is ; 7>n figlitto claim release,' jvnd it would rot b< , in the- interests of hTunanitv'td.'.irrwt'Kiip'i , right,-for , ' , othervHse' Ki»lli?erpiit'n won'»l bo forofd^-te-.'carry 'but JcripUal pnniVH-.; in many mrire cases than'is now : nsnially'neoe'psary." ',' ■ - '~ ' ; 'i . It may- or; vindictive, to; try'- the'Kaifer for war. erimev.but it (s'oleaily not unjust or.illegal. ,/..■.....