The New York herald., 1921-11-25
ABOLISH POISON GAS,
SAYS DR. |. REMSEN
Johns Hopkins Authority
Hopes Conference Will
End It's Use.

Special Despatch to THE NEW York HERALD.
BALTIMORE Nov. 24.--Dr. Ira REM
sen. the Johns Hopkins University au-
thority ON chemistry. who Is author of
several text books. said tonight that
he would be very glad If the confer
ence on armaments abolished forever
the use Of poison gas in warfare.
Looking into the future with his inti-
mate knowledge OF the possibilities of
chemistry, DIR. Rernsen could see one
iendish preparation for the infection Of
human misery and death succeed an
other, only more deadly. He expressed
the view that the world would be def
fiiitely relieved of one of its burdens
of worry were the entire procession elm
mated.
The noted Johns Hopkins man said
that his views on the use of gas hold
good with reference to the bombing Of
defenceless towns from airplanes. He
believed that the airplane has un-
dreamed of possibilities for the future.
but that the rational beings who
evolved 1t should be able to eliminate
its use for destructive purposes.
II have strong feeling against the
use of poison gases in warfare, and /
should be very glad II the leading ma
tons would agree to abolish them,s
DIR. Remsen said.
'It is conceivable that gases. much
more deadly than any OF those used in
the late war, may be made In the
future, and those that we're used were
surely bad enough.
"Of course war cannot be carried on
without horrors. but ] believe the great
majority of the people Of the earth
- 4. 10 hAx rxr t-av,
gas could be got rid OF.
IT say nothing concerning the diff
Guilty of keeping an agreement Of the
kind under consideration. If one nation
should break the pact. others would have
to follow suit That Is what happened
in the last war, / understand. Still l
hope an effort will be made to accom-
plish the desired object. / need hardly
add that my feeling against the bomb
ing of defenceless towns is quite as
strong as the feeling have against the
use of poison gases"
Or. Remsen said that he has not
quite made UP his mind yet concern
ing abolition of the submarine. He is
not sure that the submarine ans not n
legitimate use In war, as. for instance,
running blockadcs. He feels equally
strongly. however. that II should not
be made an engine OF destruction to
the defenseless.
Although he feels so strongly on the
subject OF inhuman warfare, DE-. REM
sen is not prepared TO urge that tho
conference make these phases n direct
issue He believes that the major con-
siGcrations before the conference are
limitation of navies and armies. AMI
that the injection of many questions
may hamper their happy solution.
The use of submarines of all types.
poison gas and airplanes for other than
scouting purposes were condemned by
DR.. J. NJ. T. Finney. chief consultant in
surgery Of the American Expeditionary
Forces. and one OF the best known sur
geons In this country.
IL am heartily in favor OF total aboli-
tion of those diabolical methods Of
warfare" said DR.. Finney. Ancient
warfare was bad enough. but these mod
ern instruments OF destruction, such as
the submarine, poison gases and the use
of the airp'nne in spreading deadly gases
and dropping bombs on noncombntant
persons. are beyond tho pale and should
be done away with"