The sun., 1919-02-12
Putting History Straight as to Pol
sOnous Gas.

m an Intelligent and clearly argued
article in the outlook Mr.. LUcIUs Il.
BEERS of this town reviews some OF
the atrocities Of Prussian militarism
from the point Of view indicated by
his title, poison Gas or League or
Nations?" That Is to say, we must
choose between the frightful methods
OF fighting Of which the use OF as
phyxiating gas is an extreme exam
ple and an International agreement
or establishment to stop their further
use. for the sake Of humanity and
civilization. Mr.. BEERS says:
I'VE are como to the place in history
where the road forks. and the humane
nations must take either one road or
the other. They must combine to pre-
won't these inhuman practices or must
separately prepare to resist them"
It Is an extremely practical and
important question which Mr.. BEERS
raises. THE SUNS purpose is neither
10 discuss nor to dispute his conclu-
sions; nor, again, to consider at this
time the probable efficacy OF any
League Of Nations that can be formed
to enforce universal abstention from
this particular form Of military fright
fitness. We need scarcely say that
Il Is still less our purpose to justify
Germany for starting the use OF pol
sonous gas in the present war.
But for the sake Of the truth OF
history and Of impartial Justice We
do wish to recall the almost forgotten
fact that when an earlier league or
nations proposed twenty years ago to
prohibit by solemn agreement the use
in warfare Of asphyx.at!ns or delete
rious gases the proposition was
adopted by the Powers assembled at
The Hague, with only one absolutely
dissenting vote, and that was the vote
Of the representatives Of the Ameri-
can Government. The reasons of the
American delegates for voting against
this provision were then stated as
follows by Captain, afterward Ad-
miral, MAHAS:
II. That no shell emitting such gases
is a. yet in practical use or has under
gone adequate experiment consequently
a vote taken now would be taken In ig-
norancs OF the facts as to whether the
results would be OF a decisive character,
or whether injury IN excess OF that
necessary to attain the end OF warfare
of Immediately disabling the enemy,
would be inflicted.
80. That the reproach of cruelty and
psrddy adducsd against these suIoosed
shells were equally uttered formerly
against firearms and torpedoes. although
each are now employed without ecr-1pls
Until We know the effects Of such as
rhy1iating shells there Is no saying
whistler they would be moro or less
nsrciful than missiles now permitted
-S, That It was Illogical ana not de-
monstrably humane to BIO tender abou
asphyxiating men with gas. when al
were prepared to admit that It was al
lowable to blow the bottom out OF ar
ironclad at midnight. throwing four oil
fve hundred men into the sea to b'
choked by water. with scarcely the re
rnotest chance OF escape II and wheI
a shell emitting asphyxiating gases ha.
been successfully produced. then. snt
not before. will men be able to vote in
ha a1tft
Perhaps the arguments presented
by MAHAN in possible eXtenuation o.
the Use of poisonous gases read {
little strange in the light Of 1919
They were sufficient, however, TO pre-
vent the United States Government
from becoming a party TO an interna
tional compact to abstain from thu
use Of projectiles the sole object o
which Is the diffusion Of asphyXiatinl
or deleterlous gases. The United State
stood alone In all the world In It's re
fusal 10 pledge itself against thi
frightful method OF warfare TIL
declaration which we refused to adop
was ratified by Germany, Austria
Hungary, Bulgaria and Turkey.
Days of Grace for the Smoker,