The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1942-06-23

POISON GAS
We hope those Army men know


We hope those Army men know
what they are talking about when
they say the horror stories about
use Of poison gas have oeen great
ly exaggerated. and that Presi'
dent Roosevelts warning that the
United States is prepared 10 re-
taliate If Japan persists In using
gas does not presage a terrifying,
inhumane type Of warfare such as
is sometimes fan,ifully painted.
The predictions tina: the popu-
lation OF great cities can be put
TO death at one stroke have little
basis, they said, because no system
OF gas warfare is that effective.
Actually. under The type of long
range warfare between the United
States and Japan. these men en-
visage few situations where gas
could be probably used. that Is.
could be used as effectively as 9TH
er means OF attack.
Expert opinion holds that on a
long range aerial raid for exam
pie, far more effective results could
be obtained with high explosives
and incendiaries. In fact, use OF
them probably would yield returns
Of several times more military val
ue than gas, and the japanese could
hope TO score far more effective
blows against the Pacific Coast
with high explosives and incendi-
aries than with poison gas.
What the Presidents warning APP
parently means is that when spe
cial circumstance favor the use
OF gas the United States will not
hesitate to use Il il Japan con
tinues to use II. such opportuni-
ties would arise most frequently
in static warfare on land, or in
certain favorable areas
Mr.. Roosevelt's warning focused
attention on the fact that the Unit
ed States is not bound by treaty
or agreement not to wage gas
warfare. but it implies the lnten-
ton not to initiate that type Of
warfare.
That is in line with the British
position, as expressed recently by
Prime Minister Winston Churchill.
Britain ratified the Geneva proto-
col against the use Of poison gas,
as did also Germany and Italy.
Russia adhered to it later The
United States did not ratify II
That protocol resulted from the
international conference on super
vision OF the international trade in
arms and ammunition and nipple.
ments of war. called in 1925 by the
League Of Nations The United
States delegation at that confer
ence advanced two proposals. one
announcing universal Condemna-
ton OF chemical warfare and BAN
ming all expectation OF chemicals.
the other illegaliEing the export
as a means of lessening the hor-
rors OF war and Of amelioratinz the
sufferinEs of humanity incident
thereto"
It turned out that many dele
gates were not Authorized to deal
with the subject so the separate
bChFNd Eds HlbADNOl was Al d " II
up. Thirty-nine nations ratified
II Several important nations did
not including Argentina Brazil,
Czechoslovakia and Japan so the
United States Senate withheld rati-
hcation.
Those ratifying the protocol are
bound by its terms until such
time as one Of their number vio-
lates il.
II Japan institutes The practice
OF gas warfare she will be handing
another superior weapon to her
enemy. The American chemical
industry is capable OF producing
more chemicals for gas warfare
than the Axis. just a. American
factories are rapidly understanding
the Axis in the production Of wea.
pons for mechanical warfare. No
matter what the Axis powers give
We can repay in kind plus inter-
est, once We get undo way.