The Washington herald., 1922-01-07
WOULDOUTLAWGAS
us. Leads New Fight for
Abolition of Cruel and
Unfair Warfare.
NAVAL VIOLATIONS
CLASSED AS PIRACY
Root Supplementary Res
olution Completes Sub
marine Program.

The United States is leading a
new fight for the total abolition Of
the use Of poison gas as an auNili-
airy 10 warfare.
II would place the use Of Fas in
she category OF unforgivable Of
fenses. denounced by all civilized
nations. such as poisoning wells and
the like.
This action followed a sweeping
victory for the American delega-
tion at yesterdays session Of the
naval committee Of the armament
conference, when the nye powers
represented adopted. as a penalty
for the violation Of the law Of ma
val warfare reaf1rmed at Thurs
days session. the Root declaration
that in the future violation Of these
principles OF international law shall
be piracy and punishable as such.
OF course this proposed penalty
can be applicable on the nations or
the world only after all civilized
powers shall have approved the
contract entered into at Thursdays
meeting. They are TO be Invited TO
do so at as early a date as pos
sible. The final section Of the reso-
iutions reafhrming the law OF war.
as applicable to submarines. pro-
vided that all OF the civilized ma
tions shall be requested TO record
themselves in favor Of the con-
struction outlined in the Root reso-
lutions-
The adoption Of the Root suppls.S =
mentary resolutions completsd ~ :
suomzrine program ard the com.
mittee at once took UP the ques-
tion of the use Of gas
The subcommittee Of the naval
committee. made up OF experts. hat
declared in favor OF the retentiuu
OF the use OF gas as proper
weapon of warfare. Chairman
Hughes read this report. Then hs
presented a report signed by Gen.
Pershing as chairman, in which th-
use Of gas as a weapon was con
demned as "a cruel. unfair and I'M
proper use OF science" and another
signed by Admiral Rodgers, setting
forth the same conclusions frem
the naval viewpoint
Reports Are surprise.
These reports came as a rors-
plete surprise 20 the other delera-
tions Earlier in the session the
Italian representatives had pre-
sented resolution outlawiag
poison gas. Il was hurriedly
shuffied aside and the subcomu;it-
tee went on record as declaring
that Il could not favcr the pro-
hibition Of the use OF gas because
INSCRIPTIONS nations would be able
70 manufacture IL in secret and
then bring Il into use at a time
when an opponent would have NJ
opportunity to combat it," exactly
as Germany did in the late war.
However, Chairman Hughes made
il very plain yesterday that he ami
his associates on the American de-
cation are convinced that the use
Of gas is an inhLman method of
wREinE warfare. At the request ot
Mr.. Hughes. Elihu Root was d.
rected 20 prepare and present a
resolution dealing with the subject
Meanwhile a recess was taken urtIV
later in the afternoon to afford op-
portunity TO do this.
The Root resolution. which h-d
been adopted and which completed
the submarine program. was mace
public as follows:
The signatory powers desirirS
to insure the enforcement Of TIE
humane rules Of existing law. de-
c!ared by them with respect to at
tacks upon and t%s seizure and Ilc.
struction OF merchant ships. further
declare that any person in tbs sery,
ice Of any power who shall violate,
any OF these rules. whether or nur
such person Is under the orders OF
a governmental superior, shall he
deemed to have violated the laws
OF war and shall be liable TO triaI
and punishment as IL for an act
Of piracy. and may ,be brought to
trial before the civil or military
authorities OF any power within the
Jurisdiction OF which he may be
found"
Report on Gases Read.
After the committee reconvened.
Chairman Root -ead the report OF
the subcommittee which opposed the
abolition OF the use OF gas as q
weapon OF warfare. Stripped OF
technicalities IL said:
Chemical warfare gases have
such power against unprepared
armies that no nation dare risk en-
tering into an agreement which an
inscriptions enemy might break q
he found his opponents unprepared
to use gases both extensively and
Extensively.
Prohibition Of the use Of gases
wculd cause misund-rstsndings and
result In excuses being found to
launch gas attacks Research which
may discover additional warfare
gases cannot be prohibited re-
stricted or supervised. The ma
jority opposed peace-time prohibi.
tion Of gas use. The committee felt
that the only limitation practicable
is to wholly prohibit the use Of gases
against cities and other large bodies
o. noncombatants In the same man
ner as high explosives is limites
The committee also was divided as
70 whether gas came within the
methods of warfare as does shrap-
mel. bombs and the like"
In opposition TO this report Chair