Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-03
BETTER POISON SHELLS
NEEDED TO WIN WAR
Such Is Opinion Of Major-General
Crozicr, Who just Returned
From Front.
ITALY A POWERFUL FACTOR
Her Genius in Engine and AirIlane
Construction and Quick Recovery
From Military Rcvcrses Consid-
cred One Of Wonders OF War.

WASHINGTON. June Italy Is
daily becoming a more powerful factor
In the war plans OF the allies. Her
genius in engine and nirplane con-
struction. her wonderful recovery from
1917. and her confidence In ultimate
victory were WILDLY described to-day
by Major-Ceneral William Crozier.
member OF the United States war coun-
eli and OF the board OF ordnance and
fertilization. who has just returned
after an exhaustive survey OF ordnance
plants in France. England and Italy.
AS a result OF his stuuy abroad. Cen
eral Crozier believes that every effort
should be made to perfect the use of
poison gas as a war weapon. lie be-
l!eves that better gas shells must be
designed and produced in great guam
titles before the allies can confidently
attempt the supreme drive against the
German forces. General Crozier voiced
confidence absolute in the ability Of
the allies to halt all German offensives
attempted this year. He said:
The purpose OF the German drive
in March was far more clear in its
purpose than that now under way.
AS yet there Ms no indication that the
offensive can achieve any results of
disastrous nature. The sturdy strength
OF the British and French in holding
fast on the two shoulders OF the wedge
give ample pledge that the drive soon
will be halted. Even IL 1t is possible
for the German army to strengthen the
line and combine the two salients Gre
ated this year. they must still bring to
bear a huge assault against the British
lines to the north.
hH
man strength Is now represented by
Teutons, Austrians and other indus
trially intelligent people to the num-
Der Of about 110.ooo.o0o. Opposed to
them are about 12o.000.0o0 people who
have shown equal resource.
GERMAN DRIVE TEACHES
LESSON IN TWO PARTS
"As result the waf on the western
from: has at times come to a point
where some have said that stalemate
existed; that it was impossible for
either side to break through. But the
| German offensives this spring have
| taught lesson that cannot be denied.
The lesson is in two parts. First.
| given sufficient men and artillery, 4
great trench system can be pierced.
| Second. without great force Of re-
serves to hurl through the broken limo
| no victory can be won.
With these two lessons before us 1t
| is clear that ultimate victory must be
with the allies. They now industrially
! have equal strength with the intelli-
| gent German forces. Given the no.
| 100000 people of the United States put
! ting forth their fun industrial energy
| for victory, the enemy strength will
| he half that of our forces. 1t will
| mean that we cannot only break the
! German line. but we viii be able to
do the thing which has been Inpos BILE
| for Germany-namely. bring = great
| food of reserves to make sure che VIC
! tory laid before us by the primary
/ assault.
at Is, of course. impossible 10 dis
| cuss in detail the ordnance strength
| of the allies. 1t would appear however,
| that our greatest anxiety at this time
! should be to perfect ourselves in the
use and means for using gas.
! GAS REPLACES IRON
AND LEAD IN BATTLE
! 1T may seem strange that modern
battles are fought with gas instead
| of with lead and iron. Such is com
! the Germans in the use of gas, for
gas is not only an effective weapon of
destruction, but 1t Is equally powerful
in breaking the enemy's morale, for it
| is an unseen foe and there is nothing
| harder TO fight than an unseen foe.
Italy is responding nobly to the
needs of the great cause she shares.
The Italian people from my obervation
are unit in their support Of the war
aims of their nation. They are Won
derful people. both as warriors and as
craftsmen. l visited all their great
war plants
Their production of munitions Is
aweinspiring. In their retreat before
the Austrians at the opening OF last
winter they lost many big guns.
weapons essential to defense and Of
Tense on the terrain where they were
fighting. They have replaced all guns
lost, and. better than that. have pro-
duced many more than they ever had
before. They also are doing wonder
full work at their airplane factories.
and it is we'll known that in the con-
struction OF excellent gas engines
both for transport and for aircraft.
they have few equals. Now that
America has adopted the Caproni air.
plane as part of our equipment. the
Italian genius more than ever before
will be OF immense value to us.
Italy to-day has the factories, the
workmen and the skill. She needs only
raw materials, iron and coal to sus-
tain her in the great work she is do
ing"