Evening star., 1922-01-07

Britain and France, there was less
doubt as to the ability to confine these
gases than among the Japanese and
Italians, who know less about them.
"f The kinds Of gases and their
enects on human beings cannot be
taken as a basis for Limitation. In
other words, the committee felt that
the only limitation practicable is to
wholly prohibit the uses Of gases
against cities and other large bodies
of on-combatants in the same man
ner as high explosives may be limit
ed. but that there could be no limi-
tation on their use against the armed
forces of the enemy, ashore or afloat.
1g) The committee was divided on
the question as to whether or not
fare similar to other methods such
as shrapnel, machine guns, rifle,
bayonet, high explosives, airplane
bombs. hand grenades and similar
older methods. In this, as in (e)
and (D. the United States, Great
number), who know gas, were en-
phatic that chemical warfare gases
form a method of waging war similar
to the older forms"
Submits Advisory Report.
The chairman then said that he
desired to read. on behalf of the
American delegation. the report
adopted by the advisory committee
of the American delegation, to the
constitution Of which he had already
referred. This report had been
adopted by the advisory committee
upon the recommendation of it's SUBJ
committee which had dealt with new
agencies of warfare. The report was
as follows:
The committee (of. the advisory COM
mittee) on new agencies of warfare
having had a number of meetings. one
conformity with the committee (of
the advisory committee) on land ar
mament. has the honor to report that
it has given careful consideration to
the subject referred to 1t. Chemical
warfare. which is the scientific term
to cover use of gases in all of their
forms, reached very important and
significant phases during the world
war. The surprise of the first gas
attack on the British forces at Ypres
shocked the civilized world. but its
military effectiveness caused the al
measures not only of protection
against gas attacks, but also Of Of
fensiye action. In consequence. at the
close of the war. the use of poison
gases. not only temporarily. injurious
but Of toxic character. became uni
versal.
The committee has found on con-
to scientific study of the subject that
there are arguments in favor of the
use of gas which ought to be consid-
cred.
Consequences StagEer Imagination.
The proportion Of deaths from their
use when not of a toxic character is
much less than from the use of other
weapons of warfare. On the other
hand, the committee feels that there
can be no actual restraint OF the use
by combatants of this new agency OF
warfare, if it is permitted in any guise.
The frightful consequences of the use
of toxic gases IL dropped from air
planes on cities stagger the imagina-
ton. No military necessity can e2-
cuse or extenuate such events as were
of frequent occurrence during the re-
on undefended and thickly populated
cities. towns and villages for no other
purpose apparently than to demoral-
ize the population. II lethal gases
were used in such bombs 1t mlGnt
well be that such permanent >.Ad
serious damage would pc done. no.
only of material character. but in
the depopulation of large sections OF
the country, as to threaten, II not de-
stroy, all that has been gained during
the painful centuries of the past.
The committee is of opinion that the
conscience OF tne AmetiSon peopie
has been profoundly shocked by the
savage use of scientific discoveries
for destruction rather than for con-
struction.
Chance to Compare Views.
The meeting of the conference on
the limitation of armament in the
city of washington affords a pecu-
liarly advantageous opportunity for
comparison of views on all questions
bearing on the subject. Whatever
may be the arguments OF technlcai
experts, the committee feels that the
American representatives Woala not
conscience of the American people
were they to fail in insisting upon
the total abolition of chemical war
fare, whether in the army or the
navy. whether against combatant or
States assume this position. it would
be no evidence of weakness. but Of
magnanimity. Probably no nation is
better equipped by reason OF scien-
tific knowledge among its technicians
sources to use chemical warfare. eff
fectively. This committee. therefore
submits the following resolution for
adoption by the advisory board and
to be communicated to the American
delegates to the conference on the
Limitation of armament:
Resolved. That chemical warfare: in
cluding the use of gases: whether
toyic or non-toxic, should be pro-
limited by. international agreement
and should be classed with such un-
fair methods of warfare. as poison
ing wells, introducing germs of dis
ease and other methods that are alb
horrent in modern warfare.
The chairman observed that the
foregoing resolution, as he had said,
was submitted to the advisory COM
mittee Of the American delegation by
its subcommittee. and. he was advis-
ed, was unanimously adopted by the
advisory committee.
The committee would observe that
in this report reference was made to
the fact that the subcommittee report
ing had held a meeting jointly with
a committee Of the advisory commit
tee which dealt with the subject of
nished by the advisory committee
with copy of the report of its SUBJ
on land armament, this re-
mort having been unanimously adopt
Cd by the advisory committee. 1t con-
tanned the following recommendation
with regard to chemical warfare:
chemical warfare should be abol-
fshe ed among nations, as abhorrent to
1t is a cruel. unfair and
improper use of science. 1t is fraught
with the gravest danger to non-com-
batants and demoralizes the better
instincts of humanity"
The chairman pointed out that this
renort was signed by Gen. John J..
Pershing, as chairman Of the subcom-
mittee Of land armament Of the ad-
yisory committee, and 1t had been
adopted by the advisory committee.
Continuing, the chairman said that
in view of the reference to q differ
ence of opinion among experts, and
especially in view of the statement