FRIGHTFUL WAR DEVICES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 252, 18 July 1919, Page 13

FRIGHTFUL WAR DEVICES

J-. $ —: — « , BARBARITIES WHICH RECOILEI) ON THE -GERMANS. With the development of trench warfare, the enemy resorted to devices of devilish ingenuity to gain an udvantago over the Allies. The rules of civilised warfare were ilouttd .in accordance with tho German intention to win the war by fair means or foul, the latter, it became clear, for' preference. In this they were seconded by the concentrated effort of their scientific men. • •' In April, 1915, the Germans launched their first gas attack, gaining by tho aid of this 'atrocious weapon of warfare, an advance, north of \'pres. Tho news of the foul device sent a thrill of horror throughout Christendom,/ but for a long timo.the Allies recoiled from, reprisals in kind, Gas masks were invented and perfected, and efforts made with these protectors to counter whatever advantages were gained by the enemy \\ ith the aid of the gas cloud. Then the Germans introduced other forms of gas, more- subtle in their approach, more penetrating in their ramifications, more hideous in their torment, adding at the same time a frightful weapon known as tho flanunenwerfer—tho flame-thrower—l by which liquid fire was projected into flic Allied trenches, inflicting excruciating agony on tho unfortuiialo men who wcro caught in the zone of burning spray. It now became a matter of_ military necessity to meet fhese atrocities by reprisals in kind, otherwise tho situation would have been seriously prejudiced. Tho Allies called on their scientists, and, it can truthfully.bo said, for every weapon >of friglitfulness 'the Germans devised the Allies went, ono better. Poison gases were invented, flame-throwers devised and other varieties of frightfulness introduced which, were perfectly appalling in their effeots. Their influence oh tho moral of the. Germans may bo judged by the. fact that hints were actually thrown out by tho enemy's agents and propagandists that proposals for a return to recognised methods of warfarenj'ighl! bo discussed. Needless to sn.y.'theso .| prniw-iiils were not entertained. The German's had by this time, forfeited all claims to any sort of consideration at fie hands of civilisation, and, they were niailc to pay dearly, before the armistice, j for their disregard of the rules of war and their frightful violations of tho rights of humanity.'