HUMANISING WAR AT SEA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 14 June 1930, Page 5

HUMANISING WAR AT SEA

“In the ‘humanising’ of war, and especially submarine war, a Five-Powers Agreement lias been found not only practicable, but positively easy,” said London “Truth.” “France has taken a leading part in renouncing the use of submarines—as submarines. She holds, and, of course, we agree, that no merchant ship should be sunk without her aggressor making full provision for the safety of the crew. To do this a submarine must coino to the surface, and probably get her conning tower knocked away while she is trying to bo humane. In fact, she is to sacrifice flic one inherent advantage of her type. All this talk about ‘humanising’ war is very soothing, but, unfortunately, the bene-volent-minded statesmen who try to frame new rules for the conduct of civilised warfare are not the people who fight wars, otherwise they would realise that war is an inhuman business and must always remain so. If there is another war in which submarines take part it can only mean that the Kellogg Pact has gone by the board. If the Kellogg Pact goes by the board, what earthly reason is there to suppose that a treaty to stultify submarines will be faithfully observed?”