Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-07
A BIT OF CONSIDERATION

While we are talking about reduc-
ing ornaments, about doing away
with poison gas and submarines. our
potentialities for making war unen-
durable appear to be very much IN
the making. Distinguished authori-
Ities now claim that vastly more Is
known about destructive agencies
than had been revealed at the time OF
the ending of the World War. Ex-
perts, who are not regarded as Wis
tonaries, declare that it is entirely
possible that a war lasting no more
. than five minutes might be made
more destructive than those of five
years have been. He goes on to ex-
plain: >
, Consider, for example, a few OF
the possibilities which exist in offeh-
sive warfare along scientific lines.
1t Is now conceivable that heavy
charges of high explosives may be
secreted under important govern
mental buildings, docks, factories,
end other strategicallv important
points. these charges being connected
TO radio receiving equipment capable
OF decorating the explosives when
certain secret code signal is sent on
a particular wave length. If po-
1ential enemy were to prepare in this
ssvay for anticipated hostilities, on the
outbreak of war, he could readily
send out the signal of destruction
and to a considerable extent para
lyze his opponent.
I'VE know enough today about the
radio control of remote mechanlsms
. Uhe field of radioteledynamics1 to
! expect that as development proceeds,
| unnamed airplanes, surface vessels,
submarines, and land tanks carrying
dangerously destructive explosives,
poisonous gases, or disease breeding
| bacilli could be aimed at the popu-
! lation centers of the enemy and
sent to their destination in shoals.
The various forms Of destructive
radiation have not yet been worked
out thoroughly, although we know
that the X-rays and heat rays are
extremely injurious in sufficient con-
centration. An investigation of these
and perhaps as yet unknown rays
as well as other incendiary or dis
migrating agencies, may well lead
to the development of extremely
powerful methods of warfare.
THE realms Of destructive chemi
calls and of injurious bacilli have
only begun to be developed and their
potentialities may well be found to
be very great"
Having considered with him it may
be well to consider for, ourselves. and
consult our experience with the pre-
dictions that have been made re-
specting the deadliness of model n
warfare, TO recall how the inventive
genius bent on devising means of de-
struction has been forced to compete
with inventive genius devising means
convinced the world that with the
modern guns there would be nothing
for those having fewer guns than t.
be destroyed outright or abjectly and
quickly surrender. Instead, whei
, war came troops turned to burrow-
ing like rats in the trenches. With
such conditions facing us what is t.
prevent the development of raj
psychology among human beings
And rats mission on earth appears
to be solely to destroy and befou(
Surely mans birthright is finer thar
that. but he must bestir himself II
he would preserve it. We better
keep on striving for disarmament
keep on seeking to have the great ma
tons Of the earth incapacitate them
selves for sudden and aggressive
warfare. Meanwhile, however. we
will need the aid Of science to help
Us determine in what incapacity for
aggressive war consists.