The New York herald., 1921-11-27
U. s. URGES CONTROL
OF WARFARE VIPERS
Demand Is Put Squarely Before
Conference With Backing
of American Public.
ACTION CAN BE FORCED
Committee Now at Work on
Problem Of Putting Check
on Terror Weapons.
sssciat Despotcb to THE NEW York HInALD.
Nory Vcryx ueyald Rnr~su

g5.ciut Despotcb to THE New YORK HLHALD.
New York Herald Bareau.
Washington. ID. c.. Nov. 20.
International regulation OF sub
marines. poison gases and other viper
weapons which outrage the sensibili-
ties OF humanity in modern warfare. is
being discussed at executive sessions
OF the Conference on the Limitation Of
Armaments, it was disclosed here to-
day.
Secretary Hughes and others OF the
American delegation are understood to
have placed squarely before the dele
cations the view that there is in the
United States a very determined opin-
ION that something must be done to
suppress the misuse OF such weapons.
The Americans are reported to have
made clear that unless the conference
can arrive at an understanding along
this line q plain acknowledgment Of
failure must be made to the civilized
world.
Special committees OF the conference
composed OF experts now are consider
ing the problem OF minimizing the
horrors Of modern conflict, which were
multiplied hundredfold during the
great war as result OF the subversion
Of the undersea boats and other So
called "under cover" implements OF
slaughter
strong Arguments Ready.
Tho purpose OF the American dele
gates is 10 prevent the easily imaginable
destruction and Wholesale slaughter
that must come with the next war--if
there should oe one-fron the raining OF
liquid destruction on cities by aiTplanes.
With poison gas warfare completely de-
veloped along the lines in which 1t Is
travelling, officials feel that warfare ten
years from now would mean the destruc-
ton Of thousands Of men at time
through the dropping OF gas bombs on
cities. Non-conbatants would have no
protection against airplane gas warfare.
it is pointed out. which would mean the
extinction not only of fighting men out
women and children in the cities at
tackled.
In dealing with the proposal to regu-
late or abolish the use OF poison gas. the
American delegates are believed to have
an advantage over those who might op-
pose the measure.
The United states army scientists
now experimenting with poison gas de-
veiopment are reported to have been
more successful than the military re-
search men of any other nation. Al
about the time the great war closed the
American army experts had worked out
methods of manufacturing on scale
larger than any other country 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.
u. y. Can Force Action.
This country thus is in q position,
it is pointed out, to make poison gas
warfare 80 startlingly horrible that its
abolition would probably be demanded
by the civilized nations of the world.
The development OF poison gas war
fare is being studied by the American
committee ON new implements of war
fare.
The subcommittee Ia making list Of
all known poison gases. Chairman
Carmi Thompson announced. The list
will include the gases discovered by the
United States. together with history
of similar research work done abroad.
the subcommittee study. being made
through the cooperation of General
Pershing and Admiral Rogers, will be
complete in about two weeks. Mr..
Thompson believes.
with tho study as a basis, the sub
committee will be IN a position 20 lay
before tho advisory committee a de-
tailed picture OF the poison gas war OF
the future with on accurate exposition
Of the probable horrors of such con-
flct.
The picture being drawn for the al
vinory committee will be passed along
to the American delegates for their use
in tho main sessions Of the conference
when the subjects of viper weapons
poison gus and submarine abolition
come UP.