The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-01-22
SUDDEN DEATH
GAS READY FOR
+
THE GERMANS
-
But the War Ended Before
the American Troops
Could Use 1t
GIGANTIC SHELL
FILLED WITH GAS
One Breath Meant Instant
Death to All Within a
Hundred Yards

"The arnistice was signed by the
Germans at the psychological mo-
ment so~far as they are concerned,
hut about six months too soon from
the standpoint of the United States.
If they had kept up the war another
six months they would have found
what it really means to go to war
with Uncle Sam, fer we had some
surprises in store for them that
would have knocked them fiat. We
could have taken Metz and Stras-
bourg and Ccblenz and Mayence, and
any other of their strongest forts, al
most without the loss of man on
our side and with a minimum of des-
truction to the captured places"
The speaker was an army ofIlcer,
who for various reasons does not per-
nit the use of his name. He has not
been over there His observations of
the war have all been made from this
side of the Atlantic, but the position
he has occupied in this country while
Pershing ald the two million other
Americans were fighting in France
and Belgium fits him admirably to
discuss certain phases of the prepara-
tions the United States had made to
crush Germany.
"In 5he first place." said this officer,
"you know what large part artillery
has played in this war, but possibly
YOU do not know that the heaviest
ordnance uied in France was supplied
by our War Department and that,
great as it was in destructive force, it
was almost puny beside things we had
in store fo~ Fritz.
"The great mortars that brought
about the destruction of the Liege
forts were of about 1t inches and
were actually the largest guns used
by either side-.in. the4ANar. But the
United States has completed mortar
of 21 inches, far more mobile than
the great Hun cannon, with greater
facility in firing and in every way
superior weapon to that manufacture
ed by the Skoda factory in Bohemia.
A sufficient number of these guns
had been completed so that the use of
them could begin in the spring and
preparations were under way to get
them to France. Of course, you know
that the German debacle came so sud-
denly that il entirely outstripped the
plans of our general staff. The half
hearted resistance that our army met
when 1t reduced the st. Mihiel salient
was great surprise, for we had
rather expected stern job there.
But am told that the plans of
Marshal Foch, the allied generalissi-
mo, did not include even such an am
bilious advance as was achieved by
the Americans.
"Over here one heard constant in
quiries whether the Americans had
attacked Metz and speculation of how
long it would take to>capture that re-
doubtable stronghold. All this amused
me, for | happened to know that no
attack on Metz was projected until
spring, and right here is where the
huge mortars made for the American
army would have been used
II have told you that the shells
to be hurled by this huge piece were
81 inches in diameter, but have not
told you yet what they contained
They were rot high explosive shells
designed TO raze concrete and stee
and overthrow the most modern forti
fcations. They were to contain a gas
so deadly IN its effect as to dwarf the
German ga, warfare entirely.
sThis gaS of which / will tell you
little, except that it has been perfect
ed, has more of the torturing horror:
of the German chlorine, phosgen o.
mustard gases. Like them, it wa.
transported and used in liquid form
but there its similarity ceased, fo1
once loosed in locality every living
thing for more than 100 yards on al
sides would fall lifeless. One breatl
of it was sufficient.
"a few of these huge gas bearins
shells dropped into the streets ant
squares of a city or the bastions of {;
fortress would have spread sucl
death and terror that no army coul,
have been found to withstand it. Tha
is why ,say~that the American arm,
could have captured the stronges
German Notifications with almost ri
diculous ease.
"Any of the battles waged between
the German and Americans up t
the signing of the armistice showe
the great superiority of the Ameri
leans over the Germans. Of course
the Americans were fresh troop:
while the bulk of the Germans wGr
wear1ed by years of combat, but tina
IS not the sole factor. Our men fgh
on their own as the English say, an
the worse they are up against it tn
harder they fight. They are an arm
OF individual scrappers, subndktin
perfectly ia leade..ch:r, hut ercir,xz In