Evening star., 1919-05-11
HAD HUN BEATEN
IN GAS WARFARE
When Hostilities Ended
America Was Producing
Ten Times the Quantity
Enemy Could Put Out.

An official narrative Of the part
American industry played in providing
munitions for the American Army in
the great war 10 unfolded in a book
being prepared under the direction OF
Assistant Secretary Crowell of the
War Department. who was director
of munitions up to the close Of hos
tilities. when he was specially as
signed by the President to direct the
demobilization of material.
Advance pages Of two sections Of
the book-those dealing with the
chemical warfare material. offensive
and defensive, and with the equip
ment for the Signal Corps-were made
available yesterday. telling for the
first time onicially and completely
not only Of the stupendous scope OF
the projects, but Of tho difficulties
and delays encountered and Of the
patriotic support of tho war program
given BY American business generally.
The chemical warfare section tells
of the original work done by the ord
nance department toward obtaining
toxic gases and anti-gas devices for
the use Of American troops. Subse-
ouently this service became a sepa-
rate branch of the Army under the
direction of Maj. Gen. W. L. sibert.
Among other secrets disclosed is the
basis of frequent statements that at
tho time Of the signing Of the
armistice the United States alone was
producing gases for military use at
q rate ten times In excess of the best
production Germany could obtain. The
Germans produced with all their ia
gas per day, while the United States
was producing more than sixty tons
a day and employing methods Of pro-
duction far moro modern and ef-
| hcient than anything attained by the
| enemy.
Taking up the defensive side Of gas
| warfare material. the report shows
that the American troops had the
| best and most protective gas masks
tho world had seen, and they brought
| these with them by the millions" A
| total Of 5,250,00o masks was produced,
! of which 1000, 600 were sent overseas,
| and the report states that these
masks gave twenty times the protec-
| tion afforded by the best German gas
masks"
mo American soldier was ever
gassed due to the failure CT an Amer
| ican gas mask" the report says. "and
such gas casualties as did occur were
| due to the fact that the masks were
not quickly enough utilized when the
| gas was thrown over. or because the
soldier was unaware of the presence
| Of gas"
Tho report tells Of the development
Of gas masks from the original gauze
pads soaked in chemicals to the box
respirator," which came into general
use. The Americans and British en-
ployed a double protection mask. the
face piece being gastight, but, to
| insure against leaks. a mouthpiece
and nose clip being supplied also. in
suring protection even in torn
mask. The first order was for 1,000,-
ooo of these masks for the American
| forces.
! In speaking of-the first German gas
| attack upon Canadian troops at Ypres
the report says chlorine was used
and, while protection of the troops
from 1t later became an easy mat
ter. "it was only lack of faith In their
new weapons that prevented the Ger
mans from winning the war with II
then and there" j..
Had they-brought into the fight
ing a suflicient supply Of this chlor-
me-" the report continues, "they
might have gassed their way to Paris
| in short order. AS 1t was. they
brought to the line an almost neg
lixible supply. and they themselves
were insufficiently protected to 60
| through their own gas and follow
up the attack. BY the time they were
able to renew gas warfare the French
and British had equipped themselves
with masks which were sufficient to
i.t..t inen against chlorine"