, 1922-01-25
SCIENTIFIC

warfare by chemical process Is a new principle
suggests the Congregationalist. at is diabolic. IL
goes away beyond anything that civilization has ever
sanctioned. In the desperation of the Euronean s.r,r
slc certain forms of this new warfare. of n crude and
ielatively inefficient sort, met with a retaliation in
KIND Since the shame of the first employment of mi
sonous gas at Ypres, a great DEVELOPMENT In var;at;o.
oil gases has been made, and in their deadliness NAL
ing pig allowance for boastfulness upon our side of
the Atlantic, it still is probably true that this kind of
war can hereafter work n destruction of life which
has until now been undreamed of.
a leading principle of civilized war has been 10
disable opposing forces. Killing was not primarily
sought 10 wound a soldier is usually a greater bur
den to the enemy army than to kill him. A wounded
man is apt to be removed permanently from the con.
met ana ms care is burdensome and expensive. Shoot
al the enemy's legs was one of Napoleon's maxims.
chemical war began in conformity to the old princinle
OF disabling the enemy. If highly successful IL made
MN an invalid; frequently it predisposed him To mil
nonary tuberculosis. Now, however, the claim, naked
and unashamed, which our scientists set forth. ia for
the deadliness of their gases. And they follow this
with inc proposition that such warfare be made by
aeroplnnes on undefended cities. In comparison with
such tactics the poisoned bullet is the scheme Of n
prtterer, and the polluted spring the work of A nv
gone barbarian. All past war is an amateur perform
ehce IN killing, once let the chemist become comman-
der-in-chief.
are glad that America originates the proposal
to outlaw this method of death-dealing. and particu-
iariy because our chemists are supposed to be the most
piohcient Of any in the world in the production of nm
assorted variety Of vapors guaranteed to cause such
wholesale slaughter. All credit to ex-Secretarv Root
e~Nb ~ AAo AoDoE OICt
and for all to deny the right to employ the gas retort
alongside the cannon factory. God grant an END to
beth!
But the struggle to forbid is not going to be so
easy as it gems. At the present hour the use of gases
makes an appeal to one of the strongest of the lower
passions. 1t seems to be throwing away an advan-
tage. We have, or think we have, the start of the
world in the discovery and production of the Internal
stun: Opposition to the agreement reached is sure to
develop when the senate is called upon to act.
There is but one thing to say. Let US look where
we are going. The continuance of gas warfare would
be a step over the precipice. Barbarism is not less
barbaric because it is severely scientific any more than
crime is less criminal when it is highly intellectual.
Civilization in ages past has been broken down by SUI
perior strength. 1t might today commit scientific sui
eide. The advocacy of lethal gases in warfare is a
threat to civilization. 1t will become necessary to
stand against it, and in popular support Of the action
CT the international council. 1t will be O clear case of
unfolding civilization against the arguments Of those
who do not realize that they. IL given their way, are
prepared to become uncivilized. Let us forget the
menace of Russian Soviets as manipulated by Boil
~shevists, and watch out against the much greater dan
ger of American chemists, as manipulated by mill
t~arists."