The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-07-16
GAS IMPORTANT
element IN WAR
Chemists Are Constantly Study.
Ing New Fumes.
STARTED BY BRUTAL HUNS
Forces Rest Of World to Enter Upon
Cold, Calculating, MercIless Work Of
Human MISUNDERSTANDING Be.
Ileves Gas Will BE the Biggest and
Most Effective Weapon to Hasten
the End Of the War.


On table in large room in which
were several American Ofiicers--untll
recently professors Of chemistry and
noted scientists connected with promi-
nent American cOrpOratiOns--were
several shells, jars of liquid, small
containers filled with powder and ev-
cry imaginable thing connected with
the business Of "killing and safeguard
Ing with and against gas attacks"
For gas has become the big element
Of warfare and there is no telling how
gigantic 1t may be before the war
comes to an end.
To sit with these experts in killing
and listen to their simple statements
about the possibilities of destruction,
and at the same time to know them
as men of finest sensibilities and hu-
name impulses, is q sort of grim reve-
lation Of the terribleness of this war
and the appalling transformation that
Is overcoming ut least part Of hui
manity. OF course everyone knows
that Germany started the use of gas.
She has specialized in the use of gases
of most deadly character. She has
perfected methods of spreading these
CHASTITY fumes where soldiers cannot
escape, but must stand or sit and face
death In gas masks. But she has
forced the rest Of the world, as a
means Of self-protection. to enter up
on this cold, calculating, merciless
work OF human destruction. With
out revealing any Information not al
ready known to the Hun, It may be
Stated that Germany realizes that If
she insists upon carrying on her war
with gas she will be met with the
spirit Of tooth for tooth and an
eye for an eye, and 1t is not unlikely
that 1t may be two for one.
Huge Gas Dud.
One of the big prOjectiles on the
desk in the room referred to was Il
gas dud-a shell which did not ex-
plode. 1t was one Of 500 which were
hurled simultaneously into the Amer
lean lines. The projectile is 8 inches
In diameter, about 1S inches long,
weighs about rs pounds and has a
rather blunt nose. 1t contains about
two gallons Of the deadly phosgine gas.
| "Isn't 1t rather dangerous thing to
keep around as an Office pet?" asked.
eve took the fuse out. It's quite
harmless" was the reply.
This dud Is hurled by the minenwer-
fers. The Germans have system of
attaching long string of these weap-
Ons so that they are fred with the
touch of button. This chorus firing
is continued for perhaps IS minutes
and sends verltable shower of the
big projectiles into the selected spot
and releases a great quantity Of the
deadly gas. If the range is right and
the wind at all favorable the result
Is likely to be serious. The fumes are
shot out with terrific speed over Il
small area by the explosion of the
shell.
There were someAmaller shells con-
tanning phoseineI gas used very ex-
tensively, and others filled with n new
gas used by the Germans. This is
not poisonous but Is calculated to pave
the way for genuine gas attack. The
little shells contain quantity of the
chemical, which Is in powdered form
and surrounding layer of INT which
causes an explosion which suggests
shrapnel and high explosives instead
of gas. The powder is widely spread
and is intended to irritate the mem.
branes Of the throat and nose just
enough to cause the person reached by
1t to sneeze. When he begins to dc
this the supposition is that he will re
move his gas mask and on the theory
that he Will do so the apparently harm
less powder shells are followed by Q
blast Of mustard gas or phosglne.
Working on New Gases.
Suppose" asked one of the dis
tinguished experts, "a gas shell should
explode in city street on perfectl,
still day, how far would the fumes
penetrate and how long would the,
take to cover n given area?"
The expert opened jar containing
about quart of dark liquid. Wher
the air touched 1t white smoke arOs,
slowly. The expert blew this softl,
into the room and 1t settled with abou
the speed Of q ring of smoke from {
fragrant cigar.
'That's about the way the gas woult
travel If the air were perfectly still
One shell probably would cover al
area so feet in circumference and tn,
gas would remain for half hour Ol
MORE"
Shells gathered by the Americans
show that the Germans are constant!
working on new gases. This, coupled
: with the statements made by German
{ prisoners. indicate that the German
believes gas will be the biggest weapon
. to hasten the end Of the war.
No gas bombs have yet been drop
ped by either side to the war. No
long ago some small rubber balloons
were found after German airplan
had passed and they were thought Il
have contained poisonous gas. Thi
J is found to have been untrue. The bal
, looms were filled with ordinary ga
and were used for meteorological pur