The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-01-17
POISON GAS MOST
HUMANE WEAPON,
SAYS Gen. FRIES
Chemical Warfare Chief
Denies 1t Induces
tuberculosis.
Continued from Pdoe One.

CoutHucd gTVW fdQe one.
places which are equally available
20 the duilard as to the most in
telligent.
Not so with gas. The man who
learns best how to use his protec-
ton, such as the mask and gas-proof
clothing. whose mind Is the most
alert, has practically complete pro-
lection against gas 1t Is among the
careless, the reckless. the billiards
and the panic-stricken that the ma
jority of casualties occur. This will
be even more SO in the future than
in the past. Notwithstanding, we
and chemical warfare referred to in
such terms as inhuman' and 'un-
fair and its use called a degrade
ton OF science
Bayonet More Cruel.
why these words should be used
against gas and not against high
explosive that rends men limb from
limb fs unaccountable. Nothing
since the Roman sword is more bru-
tai or more Inhuman than the bayo-
net. A thrust from a bayonet in the
abdomen is fatal, a man not having
1 chance in 1000 to recover.
According to the Surgeon Geh-
erals report, 25s,33s men were in
jured during the war. OF these.
34.24s died on the field OF battle
and 1881 died in HOSPITALS. OF
the 7o.562 gas cases, only 1921 died
OF the 1857 admitted to the hos
pitfalls suffering from bullets, high
explosives and other methods Of
war, except gas. ALTO died. or
those killed on the field Of battle,
We know that very few-probably
under 200 - were from gas, since
concentrations of gas sufficient to
kill within twelve hours were sell
dom obtained. II we assume that
200 died from gas on the field of
battle. the total deaths from gas
would be l,441 out 7O.752. or less
than per cent. or the 1sT.5s6 in
jured by bullets, high explosives
and similar methods, 46,44s. or more
than "a per cent died. Thus it is
evident that the man who was in
jured by gas alone on the field Of
battle had twelve times as many
chances for recovery as THE man
wounded with bullets and high ex-
plosives.
Is Unfair Charge.
The blame for every conceiv-
able sort OF illness has been laid
to the door of warfare gases, in
GLIDING diseases of the central
! nervous system. heart and blood
vessels. respiratory tracts and di-
gestive and urinary systems.
This blame was due to the fact
that gas warfare was new and lit.
tie was known OF the after-effects
During the past eight months.
however. a careful study has been
made. The result proves concIu-
sively that gas. on the whole.
causes no permanent disabilities
Concerning tuberculosis, il may be
said that there is no direct evil
dence that gas is responsible for
this condition.
The records show conclusively
that gas does not cause tuberculo-
sis. but careless people go right
on repeating the charge, never
thinking Of the brutal suffering
that charge may cause. over s.
900 American boys now living were
gassed In France Another $780,
900 were around gas at one time
or another. What dark despair
would haunt those men IL the
charge that gas caused tubercu-
losis were true?
Not Fair to Boys.
1t is really crime to make
that charge. Every man who talks
about the inhumanity of gas and
couples il with tuberculosis for
the "a
dreds and perhaps thousands of
boys who went over the top. Gas
no more causes tuberculosis than
does bullets and high explosive. nor
than does influenza, bronchitis.
measles. whooping cough, or a hun
dred and one other diseases an0
wounds. Don't Brighten every one
OF the boys who was gassed, or
thinks he was gassed. by the be-
lief that he is going to die of tu-
berculosis. Let US give the boys
who fought chance. remember
is ill i. in a fair way to become
so.
1T would appear that the super
stition that sways the savage
mind is responsible for much of
the fear of gas. Gas has unfortun-
ately. among those who are ac-
quainted with IL. the power CT
ghost stories over the ina gination.
am not referring now to those
who through personal interest are
opposing chemical warfare. Such
there be. How many do not know
and il matters little. What does
matter is that science is accused
q -