The Washington herald., 1922-01-07

though directed towards a particu-
lar target it's destructive effect is
nott limited to that target, but
passes beyond control of the bel
ligerent agent and may involve a
sacrifice of innocent lives over a
wide area. On account of this pc
culiarity the use of gas which
causes death Is Objectionable be-
cause not only the combatant is
killed. perfectly legitimate tar
get. but many noncombatants may
also be victims, and these innocent
persons may deliberately be made
the objects of gas attack by un-
scrupulous belligerents. Lethal
gases should therefore be prohib-
tied.
"The two principles in warfare,
Cd that unnecessary suffering in
the destruction of combatants
should be avoided. (2) that innocent
noncombatants should not be de-
stroyed. have been accepted by the
civilized world for more than 100
years. The use of gases in war
fare in so far as they violate these
two principles is almost universally
condemned today, despite its prac-
tice for certain period during the
world war.
Tear Gas Could Be Used.
Certain gases, for examples tear
gas, could be used without violat-
ing the two principles above cited.
Other gases will. no doubt, be in
vented which could be so employed:
but there will be great difficulty in
a clear and definite demarcation be-
tween the lethal gases and those
4 III =,
ing as distinguished from those
gases which simply disable Tempo
rarily. Aiming the gases existing
today there is undoubtedly a diff
ference of opinion as to which class
certain gases belong. Moreover,
the diffusion of all these gases is
practically beyond control and
many innocent noncombatants
would share in the suffering Of the
war. even IL the result did not pro-
duce death or a permanent disabil-
ity.
""The general board foresees
great difficulty in clearly limiting
gases so as to avoid unnecessary
suffering in gas warfare and in en-
forcing rules which will avert suf-
fering or the possible destruction
of innocent lives of noncombatants
including women and children. Gas
warfare threatens to become So ef-
| ficient as to endanger the very es-
istence of civilization.
''The general board believes it to
be sound policy to prohibit gas
warfare in every form and against
every objective, and so recommends.
"'W. L. RODGERS,
Admiral U. S. A.
The chairman thought It was
hardly necessary to add anything
to these comprehensive statements
with respect to the use of gases In
warfare. He said that, despite the
conclusions reached by the SUBJ
committee of this committee and
set forth in the report which he
had read, the American delegation,
in the light of the advice of it's ad-
visory committee and the concur
renee in that advice of Gen. Per,
shing. the head of the American
land forces. and of the specific rec.
ommendation of the general board
Of the navy. felt that 1t should pre-
sent the Recommendation that the
use of asphyxiation or poison gas
be absolutely prohibited. He would
ask Mr.. Root to present the resolu-
ton.
Resolution Requested.
Mr.. Root said that the chairman
had asked him to prepare this res
olution. pursuant to the recon-
mendation OF those military and
naval authorities and advisory COM
| mittees to which the American
delegation was bound to pay the
highest respect. There was an ex-
preston on this subject which pre-
| sented the most extraordinary con-
sensus of opinion that one could
well find upon any international
subject. He had drafted the res
olution, which he would present in
a moment In the language of the
treaty of Versailles, which was
subscribed to by four of the five
powers here and was appropriated
and taken over by the United States
and Germany in the treaty con-
cluded between them on the 25th of
August last, and was repeated in
the treaty of st. Germain between
the same powers and Austria. ana
again in the treaty of Neuilly of the
same powers with Bulgaria. and
again in the treaty. of the Trianon
with Hungary. and taken. over and
homologated by the United States
in Its treaty with Austria and it's
treaty with Hungary and repeated
again in the treaty of Sevres. He
read from Article Ill of the treaty
of Versailles, which says:
The use of asphyxiating, poison
Gus or other gases and all anala yous
liquids, materials, or devices being
prohibited. their manufacture and
Importation ate strictly forbidden
in Germany. The same applies to
materials specially intended for the
manufacture, storage and use or
the said products or devices. A"
That declaration of prohibition
against the use of poisonous gases
he understood to be a statement or
the previous rules which had been
appointed covering the history of
The Hague conferences: and with
out undertaking to question or TO
inquire into it, 1t stood rs a dec
laration. of all the countries here