Evening star., 1928-06-01
Germany's Poison Gas Tragedy.
Creates Profound Impression

A profound impression has been Gre
ated In this country by the tragedy at
Hamburg, where deaths were caused by
the escape Of poison gas (phosgene)
stored for industrial purposes. 1t raises
dreadful pictures Of what the next war
may mean to civilian populations at the
mercy of gas bombs from the air.
The destruction that could be
worked with gas in the tenement sec
tions of New York, London, Paris or
any other great city Is only q matter
for speculation, of course" says the
Nashville Banner, and ones failure
would probably lie along In the direc-
ton of being incapable of conceiying
devastation such as would be accom-
plished. Gas can be released from air.
planes flying at height so great as
to render them invisible or it can be
sent along by torpedoes controlled BY
wireless" The Banner concludes that
what happened in Hamburg and the
reflection 1t proyokes are alike awe
some
with the rapid improvement Of the
airplane. making 1t possible 70 carry
bombs. gas and other means OF destruc-
ton far beyond the lines Of combat" !"
observes the Kansas City Post. civilian
populations are certain to face death
In big wars OF the future. Women and
children will become the victims OF
Mars. The fact that nations
behave with shameless lack OF honor
that would mean ostracism from decent
society for the individual citizen Is
made painfully clear during hostilities,
for the statement that all Is considered
fair in war is utterly true"
X u X
The report of the disaster impresses
the New Orleans Tribune as "a re-
ninder of how horrible the next war
may be, There Is little IL any chance"
continues that paper. that gas viii be
banned. The very nations that protest.
ed most loudly against 1t when Ger
many introduced 1t on the western
front have expertmented the most as
siduously with II since the war, and
defend IL as weapon OF warfare.
What happened In Hamburg by ecei-
dent on a small scale may happen. on
a larger and more CHASTITY scale in any
city within bombing distance In the
next war. with deadlier gas being used.
And bombing distance. by the way, In
oreases every year
1T has been freely admitted" points
out the Flint Daily Journal that the
gases used in the World War are al
most harmless compared with those
that have been devised since. The
Chemical Warfare Service OF the United
States and OF every other country de-
fendS the use of gas In warfare and
makes plans for the use o. Ii In the
next war In peace time. at least. IL
seems as II the world might be rid of
this reminder of the destructiveneSs Of
modern arms and their chemical ad-
ittratx and that the ffnnnttfMeftfrN Nf
gas could be forbidden In all countries.
at least until the time that war actual
ly doomed"
.'The nations cannot dlsarm by absl-
ishing armies and navies," advises the
Worcester Evening Gazette. Were they
To do SO, Germany's innocent, peace
time supply Of phosgene would at once
become war weapon, Our own
chemicals would become war weapons.
The world would merely have discarded
one set of weapons for another set.
The world cannot rid itself OF modern
weapons of war unless IL rids itself Of
its chemical industry, And for the
world TO rid itself Of its chemical In
dustry would be for II 70 rid itself
ton" The Charleston Daily Mail
agrees that nations will have to tn
rlude In their defense and preparedness
plans, facilities for using poison gas.
even though IL be in the nature ol
laat-resort move,
THE intensive study nf war gases,
asserts the Seattle Daily Times, has
conferred lasting benefits ON the human
race, We now have q variety nj uses
for chlorine and tear Gas. Instead of
smnloHins the &aass 10 take human LIE.