New Britain herald., 1922-12-05
Herbert Knox Smith Says It Will Be Fought With Air planes and Deadly Gas.

Herbert Knox Smith addressed thu
 New Britain High school club in tht
 banquet hall of the Young Mems
 Christian association last night or
 "International Difficulties America is
 Pacing Today" President Russell
 Haigis, introduced MT. Smith. who is
 a Yale graduate, former chairman of
 the republican town committee, Hart
 ford, member Of the Connecticut
 house of representatives. t90S-5, dep
 uty commissioner of corporations,
 chairman of the department of com
 merce and labor. and progressive cam
 didate for governor of Connecticut in
 1912. During the World War MT.
 Smith was in charge of the gas ex-
 perimcntal station at Camp Meade. He has recently returned from Eur ope. visiting devastated France.
 Mir. Smith spoke as follows: The next war will be a gas and air war. It will be fought in tho clouds. Air planes manned by wireless and equip ped with gas destroying bombs will destroy towns and cities in question of hours Take any large city in Am erica today, tic up its railroads and the community will die of starvation in several weeks. War is only a prac- tical business proposition. Most wars are fought for commercial supremacy. America fought for moral rights. 1T America should engage in commer- cial war, you fellows better stop and consider, will it be worth spending billions and waste millions of lives?
 Not Prepared To Fight Japan.
 Japan does not want America to. trade with China Japan IS slowly stealing land in China by peaceful penetration, by going over there and slowly occupying the country we are not prepared to go over the Pa cific to fight Japan. because Of the distance and the lack of fortlfied coaling and repairing stations. we have the island of Guam, but that IS not fortified and does not afford any nrotection. In war with Japan 1t would be taken over by Japan in one week. Our battleships are not pre- pared to cross the Pacific carrying their own fuel.
 ..If we were to engage in a war with Japan for commercial reasons we would lose more than we couio ever gain and it would be titanhc waste of money and men, All wars are foolish, unless fought for moral reasons. Otherwise they are not Jus tified.
 The European Situation.
 No wtake the western questions and wrangles that you fellows read about daily. Most of the wrangllng is between England and France. Be fore the World war, Germany car ried on an extensive trade with Eng land. Now English factories are idle. On recent visit to Englano I saw thousands of laboring people idle. England therefore is anxious to resume relations with Germany. France has national hatred for Ger many and does not want to see her border crossed again. France IS self supporting, largely by farming md does not look to Germany for her commerce and trading. France wants Germany broken because or her fear of a third invasion Ger many has brought ruin and devasta- lion to France and cannot repay her 1T, money or land. Germany is again planning an alliance with Russia. Russia has the natural resources, Germany the skilled labor. Before the late war Germany manned the Russian factories and she is again desirous of taking over Russia's large plants.
 Poland Thorn in Germany's Side.
 "Poland won her freedom because of the aid given her by France. It is closely allied with France and proves a thorn in the side of Ger many Because of the mighty fight for commercial supremacy between France and England, France is aiding the Turks. That is the reason that is so respectful toward the Turks and is negotiating for peaceful relationships.
 Material gain is the caus of all vars. Wars do not benefit any one. Every one of you boys will be poor IT in dollars and cents for the next fifty years because of the late war. You cannot destroy large part of he worlds wealth and not feel the fleets in later years. The world is ,oor today and the World war is the ause of it all.
 Another War In 40 Years
 "I believe that we will have an- ther war in forty years. This war will be a gas and air war. It will estroy all civilization. Just now in Europe there is ten times as much ,owder as there was at the beginning f the World War. The nations are % poor to fight just now, but, when hey recover, it is my belief that we will experience a war that will an- ihilate all civilization.
 Tt is up to you boys to study the auses and troubles of the wars. All commercial wars are hindrance to