ARTICLE 6 The State may utilize the labor of prisoners of war according to their rank and aptitude. [249] Prisoners may be authorized to work for the public service, for private persons, or on their own ac count. Work done for the State is paid for at the rates in force for work of a similar kind done by soldiers of the national army. When the work is for other branches of the public service or for private persons, the conditions are settled in agreement with the military authorities. The wages of the prisoners shall go towards improving their position, and the balance shall be paid them at the time of their release, after deducting the cost of their maintenance. ARTICLE 14 An information bureau relative to prisoners of war is instituted, on the commencement of hostilities, in each of the belligerent States and, when necessary, in neutral countries which have received belligerents in their territory. The function of this bureau is to reply to all inquiries about the prisoners, to receive from the various services concerned all the information necessary to enable it to make out an individual return for each prisoner of war. It is kept informed of internments and transfers, as well as of admissions into hospital and deaths. ARTICLE 6 The State may utilize the labor of prisoners of war according to their rank and aptitude, officers excepted. Prisoners may be authorized to work for the public service, for private persons, or on their own account. Work done for the State is paid for at the rates in force for work of a similar kind done by soldiers of the national army, or, if there are none in force, at a rate suitable for the work executed. When the work is for other branches of the public service or for private persons, the conditions are settled in agreement with the military authorities. The wages of the prisoners shall go towards improving their position, and the balance shall be paid them at the time of their release, after deducting the cost of their maintenance. ARTICLE 14 An information bureau relative to prisoners of war is instituted, on the commencement of hostilities, in each of the belligerent States and, when necessary, in neutral countries which have received belligerents in their territory. The function of this bureau is to reply to all inquiries about the prisoners, to receive from the various services concerned all the information necessary to enable it to make out an individual return for each prisoner of war. The individual return shall be sent to the Government of the other belligerent after the conclusion of peace; the bureau must state in it the regimental number, name and surname, age, place of origin, rank, unit, date and place of capture, internment, wounding and death, as well as any observations of a special character. It is kept informed of internments and transfers, as well as of releases on parole, exchanges, escapes, admissions into hospital and deaths. It is likewise the function of the information bureau to receive and collect all objects of personal use, valuables, letters, etc., found on the field of battle or left by prisoners who have died in hospitals or ambulances, and to forward them to those concerned. ARTICLE 17 Officers taken prisoners may receive, if necessary, the full pay allowed them in this position by their country's regulations, the amount to be refunded by their Government. ARTICLE 23 In addition to the prohibitions provided by special conventions, it is especially forbidden: [250] (a) To employ poison or poisoned weapons; (b) To kill or wound treacherously individuals belonging to the hostile nation or army; (c) To kill or wound an enemy who, having laid down his arms, or having no longer means of defense, has surrendered at discretion; (d) To declare that no quarter will be given; (e) To employ arms, projectiles, or material calculated to cause unnecessary suffering; (f) To make improper use of a flag of truce, of the national flag, or of the military insignia and uniform of the enemy, as well as the distinctive badges of the Geneva Convention; (g) To destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or It is likewise the function of the information bureau to receive and collect all objects of personal use, valuables, letters, etc., found on the field of battle or left by prisoners released on parole, exchanged, escaped or who have died in hospitals or ambulances, and to forward them to those concerned. ARTICLE 17 The Government will grant to officers who are prisoners in its hands the pay to which officers of the same rank of its army are entitled, the amount to be refunded by their Government. ARTICLE 22 a It is forbidden to compel ressortissants of the hostile party to take part in the operations of war directed against their own country, even if they were enrolled in its service before the commencement of the war. ARTICLE 23 In addition to the prohibitions provided by special conventions, it is especially forbidden: (a) To employ poison or poisoned weapons; (b) To kill or wound treacherously individuals belonging to the hostile nation or army; (c) To kill or wound an enemy who, having laid down his arms, or having no longer means of defense, has surrendered at discretion; (d) To declare that no quarter will be given; (e) To employ arms, projectiles, or material calculated to cause unnecessary suffering; (f) To make improper use of a flag of truce, of the national flag, or of the military insignia and uniform of the enemy, as well as the distinctive badges of the Geneva Convention; (g) To destroy or seize the enemy's property, unless such destruction or seizure be imperatively demanded by seizure be imperatively demanded by the necessities of war. the necessities of war. An army of occupation can only take possession of cash, funds, and realizable securities which are strictly the property of the State, depots of arms, means of transport, stores and supplies, and generally, all movable property belonging to the State which may be used for the operations of the war. Railway plant, land telegraphs, telephones, steamers and other ships, apart from cases governed by maritime law, as well as depots of arms and generally all kinds of munitions of war, even though belonging to companies or to private persons, are likewise material which may serve for military operations, but they must be restored and compensation fixed when peace is made. possible, be paid for in cash; if not, a receipt shall be given, and payment shall be arranged as soon as possible. ARTICLE 53 An army of occupation can only take possession of cash, funds, and realizable securities which are strictly the property of the State, depots of arms, means of transport, stores and supplies, and generally, all movable property belonging to the State which may be used for the operations of the war. All means of communication and of transport operated on land, at sea and in the air, for the transmission of persons, things and news, as well as depots of arms and generally all kinds of munitions of war, even though belonging to companies or to private persons, are likewise material which may serve for military operations, but they must be restored and compensation fixed when peace is made. Submarine cables connecting an occupied or enemy territory with a neutral territory shall not be seized nor destroyed except when absolute neces sity requires. They must likewise be restored and compensation fixed when peace is made. NEW ARTICLE relative to the indemnification for violation of the Hague Regulations respecting the laws and customs of war on land. A belligerent party which shall violate the provisions of the present Regulations shall, if the case demands, be liable to pay compensation. It shall be responsible for all acts committed by persons forming part of its armed forces. Annex 17 PROPOSITION OF THE DELEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Amendment to the Declaration of 1899 concerning the employment of bullets which expand, etc. The employment of bullets that inflict unnecessarily cruel wounds, such as explosive bullets and, in general, every kind of bullet that exceeds the limit necessary for placing a man immediately hors de combat, shall be forbidden. [252] Annex 18 Declaration of 1899 concerning the interdiction of the launching of projectiles and explosives from balloons. The contracting Powers agree, for a term of five years, to forbid the throwing of projectiles and explosives from balloons or by other new methods of similar nature. The present Declaration is only binding on the contracting Powers in case of war between two or more of them. It shall cease to be binding from the time when, in a war between the contracting Powers, one of the belligerents is joined by a non-contracting Power. The present Declaration shall be ratified as soon as possible. The ratifications shall be deposited at The Hague. A procès-verbal shall be drawn up on the receipt of each ratification, a copy of which, duly certified, shall be sent through the diplomatic channel to all the contracting Powers. Non-signatory Powers may adhere to the present Declaration. For this purpose they must make their adhesion known to the contracting Powers by means of a written notification ad Draft declaration presented by the Belgian delegation. The contracting Fowers agree, for a term of five years, to forbid the throwing of projectiles and explosives from balloons or by other new methods of similar nature. The present Declaration is only binding on the contracting Powers in case of war between two or more of them. It shall cease to be binding from the time when, in a war between the contracting Powers, one of the belligerents is joined by a non-contracting Power. Non-signatory Powers may adhere to the present Declaration. For this purpose they must make their adhesion known to the contracting Powers by means of a written notification addressed to the Netherland Government, and by it communicated to all the other contracting Powers. In the event of one of the high contracting Parties denouncing the present Declaration, such denunciation shall not take effect until a year after the notification made in writing to the Netherland Government, and by it forthwith |