The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-08-23
U. s. TROOPS IN
WAR GAS DRILL:
CALL IT HOT AIR
Each Stays 3 Minutes i'm
Chamber of Fumes.
No Accidents.
WARNED BY OFFICERS
Number of Americans With
French AstOnishes Ger
man Prisoners.
From a stag Coresgondent.

lCOpvrfohf. 1917. oil riohfs reserredJ
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE,
Aug. 21.-The American troops to-day
made acquaintance with war gas and
never turned hair. All day men with
masks on were passing through the spe-
cial chambers charged with heavy
mixture OF deadly vapors. but they were
absolutely unperturbed. There was not a
single accident.
The Yankees showed not only great
nerve but also a quick mastery Of the
French gas mask. Each soldier and ma
rine spent three minutes in the dark
chamber and came out as irrepreesible as
ever. shouting do la la" their favOrite
French expression. as an Indication OF
relief at emerging into the cool outside
air All the cha mbers were erected by
the French. who took charge and showed
the American specialists how to dig the
earth. bank heavy logs around the cham
bers and arrange sandbags so as to pre-
vent leaks.
Before entering the chambers the
Americans were put through a careful
examination. a hundred at a time. TO see
that their masks were properly worn.
However, there were but few mistakes
to be corrected. because the men had
been put through q preliminary drill yes
terday. All the ambulance units were
made ready. though 1t was decided not
to use strong asphyxiating gas on the
first trial.
Warning TO Troops.
Tear gas was used instead. but the
men were told that 1t might prove
deadly. Though one Whit might not be
dangerous French attendants were sta
toned at the entrances Of the dugouti
to wipe the soldiers eyes when they had
finished a session in the chambers.
The gas was discharged by a French
officer inside the chamber by mans OF
a little pistol containing a glass car.
fridge. The officer then left the Ameri.
cans in the chamber, which had double
doors and curtains. During the frst
! they began to talk. Such comments
were made as. This is happy gas and
! "a lot Of hot air"
American officers are convinced from
the experience with gas masks and from
| tales OF both American and French eX.
| perts that much care must be given the
American national army in gas training
| Much time must be devoted to breathins
. exercises. This Is because troops tc
stand gas must be able TO hold theii
breaths much longer than the average
person can.
Under the stress OF battle. LIE o,
death depends upon quickness in putting
/ on the mask. This must be done the in
slant a man gets smell OF the deadly
fumes. He must stop breathing and put
I nn ha critical fitne he Il
! able to hold his breath II he can hold
/ his breath for fifty seconds (;wenty ovel
/ the averase) 1t may mean the difference
/ between safety and asphyxiation
. Readers Of THE Sun will be interestei
! to know that the first thing the Ameri
| cans did after coming out was TO igh
/ up a smoke" French experts say th'
| Americans will make good gas troops
! because they are clean shaven TIL,
| mask does not 1T snuvly over a beard
The American officers are taking
! pains 10 impress their men with III,
I seriousness OF danger from gac. anc
with the fact that not a second must b'
! lost in donnng the mask at the ap
| proach OF this peril. They are WARNING
the boys to watch for gas shells. which
wobble in their flight through the ali
and burst with "A dull thud. scatterin,
a few small fragments. Emphasis Il
4, laid on the fact that most deaths from
gas are due TO carelessness IN puttinI
on the protective covering. More ga
chamber work will follow. with n rca
gas wave being used in attacks on tn
| practice trenches, First weak dis
charge viii be employed. then a dense
qua nifty OF fumes viii be poured out
what PershinG saw.
Gen. Pershng and the many Ameri
| can officers who have been present a
Nerdun, where they saw the new Frencl
offensive, have brought back news whic
increases the rejoicing among tn
| Americans over the success OF their con,
rades In arms. which had been antici
pated for some days, The officers sa
the attack was splendid both in plannin
and execution.
German prisoners were examined b
Americans who were very near the fror
and were actually under fire. The
found the prisoners had been tod ther
we're only a few hundred Americans wit
the French, and they were astonishe
when they learned the truth. One GeI
man who said nc had II wife In Brook
lyn. declared he would not have gon
hack to the fatherland to join the color
n he had thought America would ente
the war. Canned goods were found q
prisoners marked with the maine Of Sout
American firms
One officer of the American Generi
staf, witnessed one OF the most brilliar
feats OF the day by n famous Frenc
division. whose commander was compl
mented by Gen. Pershing on their retur
from the charge. The troops fought G
the west bank of the Meuse, The n
turned Americans say that they cal
tured their first and second objectives
quicker time than that planned by II
French stan.