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Hokitika Guardian, 18 July 1928, Page 2

The recent explosion of phosgene at. Hamburg, with its tragic sequel, has had the beneficial effect of drawing the attention of the civilised world to the terrible menace of poison gas, and the debate in the House of Lords last Wfipk may be regarded as another salu-

tary consequence of this disastrous accident. Lord Halsbury, who has a long and honourable record as an enemy of war, seized the opportunity to discourse' on the frightful possibilities involved in the use of poison gas, and even if we need not take his figures quite literally, most people will be inclined to give vigorous support to liis conclusion that the time lias come “to put. those tilings under international control and prevent their use in warfare.” No doubt the Marquis of Salisbury had a plausible excuse for his criticism of Lord Halsbury’s speech. As Leader of the House, be pointed out that such statements, made without any reservation, are most misleading, and aro calculated to produce a wholly unnecessary -panic, The im--1 mission conveyed by sensational warnings of this sort is that the resources of scientific defence against such dangers are already exhausted. This, Lord Salisbury pointed out, represents a complete misconception ot the situation. For there might he many ways of mitigating or defeating such attacks with which it would be impossible, or at least highly indiscreet, to deal by the crude methods of public debate. Wo may grant that T.ortl Salisbury’s argument is a sound one, but a tactical success of this kind does not dispose of the terribly insistent question raised by Lord Ilalsburv. If another war comes before any concerted attempt lias been made bv the Powers to prevent the use of poison gas, the “friglitfuliiess” that tlio world is doomed to experience will far transcend in magnitude and intensity all the accumulated horrors of the past. To prevent the manufacture of lethal gases is impossible, For they are practically all .by-products of the dyeing and chemical industries, and processes which are valuable and indispensable in time of peace can be adapted almost at a moment’s notice to tlio purposes of war. There can he no adequate protection, more especially for the countless myriads of innocent noncombatants. from swell a menace as this, and the first duty of the Powers is to co-operate for the purpose of banning the use of any form of poison gas at once and for ever.