Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-03-24
SAYS GERMANY MUST
D|SARM CHEMICALLY
Peace for the World Can be As
sured Only in This Way. Says
Professor Bogert.

assured until Germany is forced To dis
arm chemically and is forced to devote
less attention to the preparation OF chem
icals for war purposes declared DIR.
Marston r. Bogert, senior professor OF
the chemical department of Columbia
University, i'm an adress before the Del
aware Section of tn American Chemical
Society. at Trinity parish house, on Ad-
ans near Delaware avenue. His sub
ject was Science and Disarmament,
and the adress was heard by large
number Of the chemists of the du Pont
Company.
In chemical matters, said Prof. Bo-
CERT, disarmament both for Germany
and the Allies must provide for the
definite reduction and control of the coal
supply. of the dxation of atmospheric nj
trogen, which is the mother substance OF
all explosives. and also the reduction Of
sources of all poison gases and the act
ual manufacturers Of most of the ex-
plosves used in the war.
Exports of all such substances"
continued DR. Bogert. should be
carefully regulated. for export trade in
the familiar excuse for the mainte-
nance and expansion Of colossal plants
disarmament commission might be very
keen for the dismantling OF the Krupp
establishment at Essen. and yet not bat
an eye over the continuance and ex-
nansion of mammoth arsenals, camou-
naged as dye factories or agricultural
chemical works. although the actual
military damage inflicted upon Ger
many might be much greater we're the
| dye and nitrogen factories destroyed
than If the Essen plant were razed.
For example, asserted I,r. Bogert,
IF the Allies fail to reduce directly the
| present German supremacy In syn
thetic dye and nitrogen flxation plants
there will be no safety for this coun-
try until We have a development Of
| those vital industries here superior to
that nf Germany"
The Columbia scientist took excep-
/ ton 70 the view OF General March.
| chief Of staff Of the United States
Army, who in opposing the extension
of the Chemical Warfare Services said
| that he would keep those substances
used in the manufacture If poison gas
from being imported into Germany.
and thus keep down the poison gas out
put The speaker said that from such
simple substances as salt. coke or char
coal and air could be manufactured
phosgene and chlorine.
"Al that is necessary. therefore. !"
observed DR.. Bogert. ironically. IS
TO remove from Germany Ali the salt
under ground or close the salt mines.
and to exclude Germany from ac-
cess TO the ocean; To place similar
ban upon the sulphur mines and the
smelling N sulphur ores: 70 interdict
! the raising Of sugar beets and other
sacchariferous crops. and TO cut down
all the forests-since cellulose, which
| is obtained from these sources. can be
| converted into alcohol. As all modern
warfare depends upon nitric acid and
as nitric acid is now being made from
the nitrogen Of the air, il is equally
clear that this manufacture can be cas-
ily and completely stopped by excluding
| the atmospheric also from Germany.
Except for these slight objections the
plan IS doubtless an admirable one
DIR. Bogerts declared that in order q
cope successfully with a nation having
such skin in chemistry as has Germany
it would BE- necessary 70 have in this
country q weIl-developed chemical war
fare service The speaker was Of the
oninfon that chemical warfare was vet
1
run its course the military art migh1
also invoke medical and biological war
fare. which could be done BY the dis
semination Of germs and disease. H'
therefore maintained that the military
efficiency Of the future would depend
in large measure upon science.
Most fundamental Of all. however.
he concluded for all else rests upor
it. is an intelligent grasp by our peopl,
and government OF what IS an i'm
mensely powerful factor That is, tht
scientific development which makes fol
the progress Of civilization and upoy
which. to a vast extent, the safety O.
the country is dependent. Without such
general understanding. it will be diff
acult or impossible to awaken our fel
,npreparedness in such matters. so =.
to secure that widespread education
and individual proficiency in science
which is our safeguard. With IL there
viii be no difficulty whatsoever in get
ting Congress to enact such Legislation
as will foster and stimulate not only
our synthetic dye and nitrogen indus
tries but also our chemical warfare ang
air service Such action Will have AZ
immediate and far reaching benehcia
effect upon the entire course Of oul
development in science. at time wheI
the world is looking to US for lead il
such matters"
DIR. Bogert also dwelt at length upol
the personal factors in the promotion
Of efficiency In war.
a