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Show WAR AND HUMAN RIGHTS, (Butte Miner.) Time was when even nations at war recognized the advisability and propriety prop-riety of certain rules of warfare, for it was their belief, as well as that of the rest of the civilized world, that to suspend all rules of humanity and actually conform their procedure according ac-cording to the fallacious statement that "all is fair in war," would be a mighty check to human progress. There have been instances of international inter-national law violations in the present European war that have astonished the rest of the world. And immeasurably worse than that has been the utter disregard of human rights that has been astounding. just because the conflict is of such vast proportions is no excuse at all for the abrogation of International laws, one time agreed to by all the great nations of the earth, and cer-tainlv cer-tainlv nn pvcuao ovon ? cMrrUni j tJ i v.ii 1U auulODI, UP gree for permitting of the ignoring of human rights such as must be safeguarded safe-guarded under any and all conditions if civilization is to continue, if humanity hu-manity is to keep on progressing and if the world is to keep to its pathway of "onward and upward" in future. Tho Germanic allies have been accused ac-cused of some fearful things in certain cer-tain instances. They have received worldwide discussion. At this time the Germanic action of deporting Belgians Bel-gians for forced labor is that manner of subject that is before the world. Today there is published a news report re-port from Washington, D. C, making known the contents of a note of pro-man pro-man officialdom regarding the deporting deport-ing of Belgians for the purpose mentioned. men-tioned. The note says that such action ac-tion is against all -precedents and all humane principles of international practice. The new report in its entirety en-tirety is intensely interesting. And it is important Some might ask, "What good. Is any such protesting going go-ing to do?" The answer is, "All the good in the world." The fact of the matter is that such a protest goes on record. It shows that such a great nation as this one Is opposed to the elimination of all "humane principles of international practice." It proves that this country Is not sitting idly by and acquiescing to the violation of humanitarian laws and rights. The European war is going to come to an end some day. And when it does, the American protests are going to have their day. The nations will. -have to reassemble reassem-ble for the formulation of a new code, a new course of international procedure. pro-cedure. And then and there will the American voice speak and in thunderous thunder-ous tones to surprising effect. - rrt |