The Rules of War

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 August 1916, Page 3

The Rules of War

Hie natiun which has so completely cast to the high winds ol heaven, ail the semblance of honour which it once may have possessed, and which has absolutely no regard lor any law whatever, need not now bo expected to pay •"0 attention to the rules oi war which were dirawn up at the Hague in IBUO. A brief glance at a lew of these regulations which are under the sanction of all the civilized countries of the world, and are designed to ensure fair play for the combatants, shows how completely Germany has broken every pledge and violated every law.

Ihe game of war iu hedged round, by

us many i estnetious as a boxing content under Qiioeiisbuiy rules that is when ;i nation is out "to play tlie game," fairly and .squarely. Ihe poisoning ol wells and streams is strictly forbidden under international rules of war. It is, howeve.r, just :,s Permissible to cut off your enemy's water as it i.s to cut oft his food supplies. No poisonous or poisoned weapons shall be used, andt reasonable quarter in list be given if and when asked. It is a contravention of the laws of war to order that "no quarter will be given.'' Making improper irse of a flag of truce, or any ensign or banner, is also against the rules of war, as i.s dressing up in uniform of tlie enemy. Ii: wounded and sick of the enemy • u.-.t be properly cared lor. and where, crippled or incapable of further fighting, be sent back to their own country at the .first opportunity.

Any soldier robbing or mutilating an enemy i.s liable to be shot without tiial and death is the penality for -wounding or killing a disabled man. The use of "soft-nosed" "and dnra-dum bullets, which open out when they hit a man i= now forbidden. Neither is it etiquette in battle to endeavour to shoot tlie commander of a force unless he persistently or unnecessarily exposes himself to fire. Still every effort'to capture a commander may he made.

Tlie, Red Cross is regarded as sacred in war. It may never be fired on All attendants on the sick and wounded must wear a Red Cross bndige or an armlet, and hospital ships must he painted green "with a red streak.

"War correspondent. press artists, and photographers must, if taken pr>oners. he treated as captured officers.

Private property on land is respected unless military exigieneies demand its destruction. The inhabitants of an invaded country, however, may be requisitioned for supplies, and any of their property capable of direct assistance m the prosecution of hostilities may be confiscated.

When a town or city lias been captured, the wanton destruction of historical monuments, works of art and science, and religious, charitable .1111} educational institutions is regarded rs vandalism, and i.s strictly forbidden. The victorious foe is. however, allowed to hold the art and. other treasures ot a captured city to ransom.

Formal notice must be given by tlie commander of an attacking force of hirs intention to bombard a place, so that non-combatante may leave. if t the bombardment by naval forces of undefended towns, villages, dwellings, or buildings i.s forbidden. Civilians captured in possession of arms or soldiers not in uniform, may be shot after being court-marti ailed.

Private property at sea is liable to capture, but not so neutral goods on an enemy's ship, or an enemy'* goods on a neutral ship, subject to certain qualifications by the law of contraband. A neutral ship, however Mispicious-'ook-ing she may be, cannot- be searched if she keeps within three miles of a neutral shore. Only private ships may be searched, and the search must be conducted by a properly commissioned .ship of war. A ship taken as a prize r»" : i be towed into port by her captors. ' 1' the captors are unable to tow her she must be allowed to go free. A battleship belonging to a nati.n at war may enter a neutral hnrb nn bivt she must not remain there l lore tii:>n twenty-four hotir.s. Vessels emr'oyed exclusively in coast fisheries, or small boats employed in local trade, together with their appliance, rigg' 'q,

ticlde and cargo, are exempt from captire. Seaside resorts may, howevj;', bo ordered to provide foodstuffs and :e----cesgities for a enemy's lleet, but sti contributions must be paid for. The laws of war as applied to are of peculiar interest. A state of v.'ar must «xist before any person can be executed as a spy. He must n the first place Oe caught inside the eneny's lines. To be treated as a spy it must Tie shown that at tlie time of capture Ik: was in diress other than the adop l - i ed military uniform of Jus country.

A spy, even if taken mi tlie act, 'tms be offered a fair and proper trial: i> cannot be shot at sight, except in self defence of if Attempting to escape If a spy escapes and rejoins his arm; he cannot be punished for any provioii; acts of espionage. If he is .subsequent ly taken he can only be treated as ai ordinary prisoner of war. Soldiers in uniform who are obtaining information and aviators arc not regarded as .spies, and if captured air treated as prisoners of war. Not ere layperson passing .secretly through the enemy's lines need necessarily be a spy, When captured, if the prisoner can show that his errand in getting through was of a personal nature, he can only be held -as a prisoner of war. Trading with the enemy, or attempting to enter his camp with letters o a personal nature does not constitute spying. To be treated as a spy it must be clearly shown that the object of th • accused person wa»; to gain information for the ene ey which it would lie to I heir advantage to know. All the countries engaged in the pre sent war have ngr. o,| lo the above rules, and it is the dutv o! the neutral nation* to see that thev are observed.

COP.VTH.V NEWSPAPERS (MY |<; GOOD RESTTLTS. At a meeting of the American Ad vei'ti.sers' Asosciation, Arthur Brisbaiu said: Not the country publisher bin the business man is the chief sufferei from the fact that our merchants am manufacturers have not utilised flu country newspapers' advertising columns as they should and can be ,m I'd:. liemember these facts: He wle reads the little crossroads newspaper and the larger newspapers of the fairsized towns is a man who buys ei\v •- thing. Ffe lives in a bouse and on tic land that he owns. Ffe is inteii'-n d in everything the business men aie doing. Hi rough good advertising vou can sell him anything from the. paint ou the roof of his house to the cement

on flip floor of his cellar. Kveryth : ng between tile root' and the eolhr f-voi vt!iin<jt in the linrn. :in<l uverv tool in the iloTil lie buys and yon mi\ sell Jim. He is not like the dweller in the hi-j; city flat who <»ots His wnt-r through :i pipe, his light through a wire, his heat from the basement, and avlio.sc shopping consists in a readymade suit of clothes nnd a r° l'lv-mad. ('inner in a box or tin. I he man who reads the country newspaper hn\v- < verything. [fe bnxs pumps, lamp-, stoves. a utomobi Icis. clothing. dires<es. b"oks. J>:i is lls. farm implements. I'nriiitnre, carpets. oils. In this room aro "Jo(I men and imliv iduals. .Some of them represent a dozen maim fict u nu-j enterprises and mere. There is'nt a man who has anything to sell that lie eannot sell lo tho reader of a country newspaper. And every man here could more piofitably advertise in a country newspaper in proportion to its cireuhition than n; any other publication on earth. I emphasize the value of the coirtry itew<p iper ar- an advertising medium lor it has that value." The [fomwhenna. Daily Clfroiiiclo U a country newspaper and has a largo circulation, 75 per cent of its readers being fanners. Tt.s district is centrally situated (being half way between Wellington and f'almerston .North) in a rich farming community. .Send tor ( sample copies am] .advertising rates.