WHAT AN ARMISTICE MEANS.

Cromwell Argus, Volume L, Issue 2647, 10 November 1919, Page 7

WHAT AN ARMISTICE MEANS.

Military law recognises three kinds of armistice —a suspension of arms, a general armistice, and a partial armistice. The first is usually a local affair, which a military commander has power to ask for. in • order, for instance, to bury his dead. A partial armistice is usually the outcome of exhaustion on the part of opposing forces, either on account of fighting or disease, while a general armistice, such as Bulgaria asked for and Germany proposed, can only be arranged by the belligerent Governments. It means an entire suspension of naval and military operations to discuss terms of peace. It is dangerous, however, to believe too readily the notification from an enemy that an armistice has been concluded. According to French historians Blucher with 5,000 men escaped from Genei'al Lasalle in 1806 by sending a notice that a six weeks’ armistice had been concluded. One of the most remarkable armistices on modern record was concluded between Spain and the Western Republics of South America at Washington in 1871. It provided that there should be no . renewal of hostilities between the contracting parties, except after a three years’ notice, which* was to be given through the United States Government.