Evening star., 1925-11-09

OF Is minutes after which Gen. Fries
took the stand.
If 1T takes as long to qualify all of
the approximately 100 witnesses de-
case of the first witness, this trial Is
going to last even longer than the
most conservative had supposed. A
good part OF a half hour was taken
up in efforts of Representative Reid
to show to the court that Gen. Fries
knows what chemical warfare is all
about.
The general was required to ex-
plain In detail just what mustard gas,
cholorine and phosgene are, how they
are launched against the foe, how
much OF each is required to affect
certain amount Of territory and wha
effect they have on human beings.
AS Representative Reid continued
to question the witness for exact fig
ures and specific data in connection
with his statement, the general got
out a pad and pencil and set to work,
while the members of the court, spec
tators and press waited.
Court Grows Impatient.
The patience of the court appeared
to be sorely tried, and finally Gen.
Graves broke in to ask what the OBJ
ject of all this questioning was.
Are you trying to qualify the wit
ness or show the court the relevancy
of the testimony he is to give?" asked
Gen. Graves Of Representative Reid.
I'VE are trying TO do BOTH" replied
Mr.. Reid. II am perfectly willing to
dispense with further questioning of
h xxrit nj hy he
Will admit that he is duly qualified to
testify as an expert on offensive gas
warfare"
There was no response from the
court so Representative Reid resumed
his lengthy inquiries.
Gen. Fries went into a discussion
of the various types Of gas used in
the war and their effectiveness in
quantities on given areas.
lis there any one who has had as
much experience as you in chemical
warfare?" asked Representative Reid.
Gen. Fries replied he did not think so
chemical warfare battalion in France.
Objects to Testimony.
Are you able to tell the amount of
gas necessary to gas areas?" asked
Mr.. Reid.
Yes" replied the witness, "provid-
ing know the wind direction,
whether the object is inclosed and
other things"
What amount of gas is necessary
to effectively gas an area the size of
the District OF Columbia in peace
time?" asked Mr.. Reid. Col. More
land objected, on the ground that the
witness was not competent and that
nothing has been shown how the gas
would be conveyed to that place.
I'm comply and ask that question: y
said Representative Reid. Gen. Fries
then told the court the gas could be
carried in cylinders, mixed in shells
or aerial bombs. Still another type
of gas could be sprinkled from air
planes on the area.
Gen. Fries said that a plane of one
ton capacity could carry sprinkling
gas, one half ton being the liquid
and the other half the apparatus.
With regard to bombs, about so per
cent is gas and the other half bomb
NOW" asked Mr.. Reed, what
amount of gas would be necessary to
effectively gas the District of Column
bia."
Col. Moreland objected again be-
cause he said the witness was mot
competent"
His objection was overruled by the
court, the first defeat in this respect
he has suffered since the trial began.
Col. Moreland then declared the
witness hadn't told the types of planes
to be used, whether the planes were
in possession of the land or other de
tails. When the witness replied he
would refer to bombardment airplanes,
President Howe said, THAT answers
the question. stick close TO it.
When Representative Reid again
asked the witness to tell the court
the amount Of gas necessary for the
area in question, Col. Moreland raised
another objection and then Represen-
tative Reid asked the witness to verify
a statement he read to the effect that
9.573S5O pounds of mustard gas would
cause evacuation of the area. Gen.
Fries replied that the statement was
mot correct.
Planes More Accurate.
Here Representative Reid finished
his. examination and Col. Moreland
began cross examination. He ques-
toned the witness on his experience
In bombing from airplanes, and Gen.
Fries replied he had first-hand knowl.
edge of the effectiveness one-half mile
from the scene.
he CCHSlueIeu IllIHScii ali eApeil oii
these matters in response to questions
from the trial Judge advocate.
In giving his opinion on the amount
of gas required to gas effectively the
given area, Gen. Fries said his figures
were based on experiences obtained in
the war. No gas was dropped from
the planes in the war, however, and
when Col. Moreland recalled this
statement later, Gen. Fries declared
there was no difference in dropping an
aerial bomb filled with gas or with
high explosives. He took into considr
Grafton opposition of an enemy air
force and anti-aircraft in attacking
an area with airplanes.
The witness also said, in answer to
questions. that at times gas dropped
in bombs from airplanes was more