The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-12-20
ARMS CONFERENCE TO
LIMIT VIPER WEAPONS.
CONTROL OF CHEMICAL WAR
FARE MAY BE DEMANDED
BY UNITED STATES.
SUBS" AND GAS INCLUDED

Question of Putting Check on Terrors
Of War to Be Decided by Delegates
At Washington America May Force
Some Action.
WASHINGTON, D. c. Argu-
ments by the American representatives
against the misuse of submarines, poi-
son gases and air bombs, and other
wiper" weapons will be made before
the arms conference within the next
few weeks, it is expected, as soon as
the reports of committees are made.
Secretary of State Hughes is under
stood to have already placed squarely
before the conference the view that
there is in the United States deter
mined opinion that something must be
done toward International regulation
of these machines which outrage the
sensibilities of humanity in modern
warfare. The Americans are reported
/ to have made clear that unless the con-
ference can arrive at an understanding
along this line a plain acknowledge
ment of failure must be made to the
civilized world
Minimize War Horrors.
Special committees of the conference
composed of experts, now are consid
ering the problem of minimizing the
horrors of modern conflict, which were
multiplied hundredfold during the
great war as result of the subver-
sion of the undersea boats and other
so-called under cover" implements OF
slaughter.
| The purpose of the American dele
| gates is to prevent the easily imagin-
able destruction and wholesale slaugh-
| ter that must come with the next war,
! if there should be one, from the rain
ling of liquid destruction on cities by
Iairplanes. With poison gas warfare
completely developed along the lines
! in which it is travelling, officials feel
| that warfare ten years from now would
lmean the destruction of thousands OF
men at a time through the dropping
| of gas bombs on cities. Non-combat-
ants would have no protection against
airplane gas warfare, it is pointed out,
which would mean extinction not on
Ily of fighting men, but women and
children in the cities attacked.
In dealing with the proposal to reg
uate or abolish the use of poison gas
the American delegates are believed
to have an advantage over those who
might oppose the measure. The Unit
ed States army scientists now expert
lmenting with poison gas development
are reported to have been more sue
lcessful than the military research men
Eof any other nation.
American Slaughter Gas.
AT about the time the world war
closed the American army experts had
worked out methods of manufacturing
on a scale larger than any other coun-
TRY a new slaughter gas so powerful
that but few drops would destroy
hundreds. In the government works IN
| MARYLAND the government now could
produce this gas at the rate OF several
hundred tons a day, or IN quantities
larger than any other nation.
This country thus is IN position,
it is pointed out, to make poison gas
warfare so startlingly horrible that its
abolition would probably be demand
led bv the civilized nations of the
world. The development of poison gas
warfare is being studied by the Amer.
Iican advisory committee through its
subcommittee on new implements OF
warfare.
The subcommittee is making a list
!of all known poison gases, Chairman
Thompson announced The list will IN
clude the gases discovered by the Unit
ed States, together with a history OF
similar research work abroad. The
sub committees study, being made
through the cooperation of General
Pershing and Admiral Rogers, will be
complete within a short time, Mr.
Thompson believes.
From Above and Below.
The unrestricted use of the airplaneI
and submarine also is being consId-l
cred among the viper" instruments
of warfare. 1t is we'll known that Ger
many's ruthless policy of attacking
non combatant ships caused the Unit
ed States to enter the conflict, while
1.-THE advancement made in aerial de-
vices makes the use of poison gas,
LIQUID fire bombs and other methods
of death more easy. The conference IS
lexpected to take up all these subjects
and make some definite decision on
the use of warfare "vipers."
IOnposad tn Clemencv