Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1915-08-04
field pieces also have been utilized.
Poisonous Gases Used


Poisonous Gases Used
Many new weapons OF war have
been tested with varying debrees of
success. Poisonous gases, projected
from tanks in the trenches, are re-
ported to have enabled their users to
capture opposing positions in several
minor engagements. Steel darts and
incendiary bombs have been dropped
from aeroplanes, and new types of
hand grenades also have been en-
ployed while in France both sides are
said to have made use Of apparatus
for spraying burning oil.
The political effects of the war ire
mendous as they must be. cannot yet
be gagged. The principal result thus
far Is the definite rupture of the ira
ditional alignment, which divided Eu-
rope for years into two alliances with
a theoretical balance of power: Great
Britain, France and Russia forming
the triple entente and Germany, Aus
tria-Hungary and Italy constituting
the triple alliance.
From the day Austro- Hungary be-
came involved in serious difficulties
with Serbia there was little doubt
Germany would support her ally in
case Russia adhered to her tradition
al policy of defending her Slavic kins-
men in the Balkans. The entrance
in the war of France followed as a
natural sequence to her alliance with
Russia and Great Britain joined in
after Germanys invasion of Belgium.
Italy was thus the only one of the
six nations concerned in the two al
liances which was not involved at
the outset Proclmaing her neutral
ity. she utilized the opportunity to
seek from Austria the territory to the
north of her border which she has
long desired Failing to obtain full
satisfaction Of her demands she de-
nounced the triple alliance aud joined
The allies. The triple entente was
thus converted into the quadruple en-
tente, as II is sometimes called now.
Germany and Austria-Hungary were
strengthened by the adhesion Of Tur-
key 10 the informal alliance with Ger
lmany which had sprung up in recent
years and in November Turkey en-
tered the war Montenegro took up
arms with the Serbs, and Belgium, on
being invaded, joined the allies.
Japan. Great Britain's ally in the east,
opened war on Germany, following
Berlin's refusal to surrender Using
tau There are thus eleven nations
now at war, of which eight form what
are known as the allies.
What Caused the War
Historians are agreed that the as
sassination of the Austrian archduke,
Francis Ferdinand, in Sarajevo. Bos.
mia. on June %. 1914, while the imme-
date cause of the war. was not the
determining influence. Europe had
been ON the verge of precipice for
/ a decade Perhaps the chief underly
ing factor was the development of the
national idea, demanding that politi
cal divisions should be made to CORE
spond with the territory inhabited by
the various peoples of Europe; that
each people, with common language
and customs. should have political In
dependence and place in the sum
The struggle to attain this end KEPT
Europe in political turmoil. France
aspired for Alsace and Lorraine, Italy
for Triest and the Trentino, populated
largely by Italians; Serbia for Bosnia
Rumania for Pennsylvania and Bessa
rabia Austria-Hungary, within whose
boundary is complexity of race: