A DEFENCE OF GAS WAR

Hokitika Guardian, 4 July 1925, Page 1

A DEFENCE OF GAS WAR

XKHIU) TROOPS’ IMMFXHTY. LOXDOX, June 20. -Mr Tin Mime, who is well known ns one of the ablest of our biochemists and wlio fougl i L as an infantry officer in the war, in this trenchantly written but grim little book, Callinieus, pours ridicule on those who seek to prohibit poison gas in the warfare of the future. “So far is poison cas from being inhuman that, as ho says, though mustard e;is caused IoOJIOO casualties in the British Army alone, less than 1,000 of these for 1 in JO) died, while only about 700 (or 1 in every 2(K)) became permanently unlit. Vet the Washington Conference lias solemnly agreed that the signatory Powers arc not to use this substance against one another, though, of course, they will use such Illinium.! weapons as bayonets, shells, and incendiary bombs.’’ One of the strange facts ascertained by losts in the war is that some people are resistant io mustard gas vapour. “The American Army authorities found thin there was a very large resistant class, comprising 20 per cent, of tlie white men tried, but no less than SO per cent, of the -Negroes. It looks therefore as if. after a slight preliminary test, it should be possible* to obtain coloured troops who would all lie resistant to mustard gits blistering in concentrations harmful to most white men. l'aiough resistant whites arc available to officer them.’’ BRACK STORM TROOPS. He suggests that in the war of Lhe future operations might thus ho eonducted : “Heavy concentrations of artillery would keep an area, say, JO miles in breadth and 10 in depth, continuously sprayed with mustard gas. After allowing, say. two days for the development of blisters, the gassing positions within two or throe miles of the front line is discontinued, hut a long-range bombardment, especially of the roads, goes on. Sucklenly, behind the usual barrage of high explosive shells, appears a line of tanks supported by Xegro troops in gas masks.” There is no diflicultv in building tanks which are gas-proof, as Colonel Fuller, the former Chief of Staff in the Tank Corps, has pointed out, so that tactics of this kind should ensure victory. For the ltritisli failure to use mustard gas early in the war, he gives Ibis quaint explanation : In 19In a British chemist proposed to a general who was concerned with such questions that the British should use it. “Does it kill ” asked the general. “ Xu." lie was told, “but it will disable enormous numbers of i lie enemy temporarily.” " flint is no good to us.’’ said the man of blood. “ we want something that will kill. I'll the war the Herman gas-masks were never as good as ours. And this is thus explained by -Mr Haldane. •• The most competent physiologist in Hei'ii’iiiiy with any knowledge of breathing was a Jew. This fact was quite well known in Herman physiological circles, but apparently Ids race prevented the military authorities from employing him.” As for the safety of London. Mr Haldane thinks that the danger from gas bombs is less than the danger from explosive bombs:

“Mouses arc far more vulnerable to explosives than oai tliworks, ami do far more damage To their occupants in collapsing. besides being inllamniahle. And on the other hand, they contain far more refuges which are nearly gasproof. A shut room on a first or second floor would he nearly proof against gas.” None the less, he advises that the civil population of London should he provided with respirators, as otherwise : “Judging from experience, a gas or smoke attack from the air would occasion a first-class panic.”