South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-10-30
DEW OF DEATH Is
NEW WAR REAPER
Chemists Point Out Horrors
of Future Conflicts Be-
tween Nations.
BY \. Il. BRADFORD.
(SneciaI 10 The NeNHa-TimenN

WASHINGTON. Oct. 29. - The
Dew of Death! The next war will
be more horrible than the last world
catastrophel
This prediction, frequently heard
from not only army and navy ex-
perts but from the average citizen,
seems certain Of fulfllment unless
some summary action is taken by
the forthcoming Washington con-
ference to prohibit or restrict the
use of these latest war devices.
One Of the three main SUBJECTS to
be taken up at the conference under
the broad question Of limitation of
armament is: Rules for control of
new agencies of warfare" The
chemical warfare service Of the
American army is believed to possess
today the deadiest poisonous gas in
the world. This is called "Lewisite."
a gas developed during the latter
part Of the war by Winford Lee
Lewis, a professor of chemistry of
Northwestern university, but never
used in the last war.
A quantity Of this gas, equivalent
TO three drops, reaching a mans
body in liquid form, viii kill. Lewis
tie is similar to mustard gas. burn
ing gas, which caused the major
portion of the gas casualties of the
war.
Death Rain From Planes.
Gas was never used from air
planes during the war. but it is
understood that the chemical war
fare service is prepared. In a future
war, to let down from fleets of air
craft a veritable rain of most power
full gases.
These gases would be released
from tanks carried by airplanes, and
would drift TO earth in liquid form,
as a light rain or dew. The mus
tard gas evapOrates more slowly than
does the Lewisite, thus retaining its
power for injury by burning longer,
but Lewisite is the deadlier of the
two.
A picture can thus be gained of
down this dew of death" on armies
airplanes. in a future ware, letting
T. the field, and on cities in back of
the firing line, should this be re-
sorted to.
The chemical warfare service
knows that clothing, soaked with
heavy linseed oil. can be made to
protect the wearer from this gas.
but it IS also equally true that men
cannot stand the wearing of such
clothing for long. Complete protec-
ton from poisonous gas seems i'm
possible.
Pointing out the importance of
the use Of poisonous gas In war.
Brig. Gen. Amos Fries of the chem
ical warfare service said:
Aviation Made Important.
THE use OF gas makes aviation
ten times as powerful as it would
ordinarily be, and doubles the value
Of every other branch Of warfare.
the importance of gas is evil
denced by the fact that p per cent
OF the American casualties during
the war was caused by this new
agency Of warfare Then. too. the
casualties caused by all the weapons
OF infantry-the bayonet, the rife,
the hand grenade. the machine gun
were only slightly more than the
gas casualties.
"The use OF gas in particularly
valuable as a means OF defense.
Imagine an enemy fleet, bringing up
the army Of the hostile country. to
attack the United States. Our air
planes would go out and bomb the
enemy ships with explosives and gas.
IF. after this, the enemy forces
did succeed IN getting UP 10, or on.
the American shore, rain Of poison
Gus gases could be let down on them