Evening star., 1943-06-09
j. ). Will Reta|iate
Against Use Of Gas,
President Declares
Allies Held Prepared
DefensiveIy, Extensively
To Meet Threat

A possibility that Allied troops
might have to fight their way
into Europe through poison ga!
was tempered today by assur'
ances from the Chemical War.
fare Service that effective pro-
tective devices have been de-
veloped.
President Roosevelt said yester-
day that evidence that the Axis was
making significant preparations
indicating An intention to use gas
warfare was being reported with
increasing frequency from a variety
OF sources"
For the third time he spoke of the
possibility that the enemy would re-
sort to what he called such terrible
and inhumane weapons" and he
promised the Axis armies and peo-
Piles, in both Europe and Asia, that
once they loose poison gas there will
be full and swift retaliation in
kind"
VIII Hit Arms Centers, Ports.
This retaliation. he said, will fall
on munition centers. seaports and
other military objectives through
out the entire territory of the Of
tending nations.
Berlin oflcialdom took cog
nizance today of Mr.. Roosevelt's
warning. but attempted to pass it
off as perhaps masking Allied de-
signs.
The Berlin radio. In broad
cast recorded by the Associated
Press, quoted so-cslled author
lied Berlin quarters not other
wise identified as asserting that
the President S statement showed
nervousness prevailing among the
Allies, but perhaps also revealed
desire to procure beforehand
an alibi for them in event OF their
entertaining such designs them
selves
(The Berlin account ignored
Mr.. Roosevelt's emphatic state
ment that we shall under no
circumstances resort to the use
of such weapons unless they are
first used by our enemies.")
The United States Army has itself
developed a standby production of
poison gases. Maj. Gen. William N.
Porter. chief of the Chemical War
fare Service, said last May that If
the enemy starts using war gases
I'VE have plenty to give back, and
they'll probably get more than they
give out"
1t is known. Gen. Porter said
that Germany and Japan have
large amounts Of gases ready which
are designed to attack the lungs
and others intended to blister and
burn the skin. He added that
American arsenals can produce
the same gases in almost unlimited
quantities if the need arises and.
moreover. our methods of protect
ing our own troops against enemy
gases have kept apace with our
production Of these chemical weap-
ons for offensive purposes.
Salves, Clothing Developed.
Not only gas masks. but also salves
and specially treated clothing have
been developed, should the enemy
once again take the initiative with
gas warfare as Germany did in the
last world conflict.
The President said use Of poison
gases had been outlswed by the
general opinion of civilized man.
kind. and he hoped the United
States never would be compelled to
use them.
In a statement on June 5, 1912,
Mr.. Roosevelt served notice that the
United States was prepared to en-
gage in gas warfare against Japan
If the latter persisted in such tao
tics against China or any other
United Nation. Again later he
spoke OF United States readiness to
reply if the enemy resorted to gas.
Yesterday the President read the
statement on gas to his press con-
ference before the usual exchange
Of questions and answers on news
matters. When he had finished it.
he slapped it down on his desk and
declared he hoped that was strong
enough.
British Issued Warnings.
Aside from the reference to gas.
Mr., Roosevelt would not discuss any
concerning the war
Great Britain has issued warnings
on poison gas similar to Mr.. Roose-
velt's. On April % the British gov
ernment said it had reports that
Hitler is making preparations for
using poison gas against the Russian
'front.' It added that such q de-
velopment would find Britain re-
taliating with the same weapon on
German munitions centers. seaports
and other military objectives'
The Berlin radio replied that Ger
many would use gas only if her en-
emies used 1t first
u. s. Offense, Defense Set.
Also last April Brig. Gen Alden
H. Watt, acting deputy chief OF the
Chemical Warfare Service, predicted
in an interview at Cincinnati that
Germany will use gas. She has lots
of IT. he said, "and my guess is
that she'll use it
If Germany does use it." Gen.
Watt added, "she will be sorry.
We're prepared. both defensively and
extensively"
Following is the text of Mr.. Roose-
velt's statement:
From time to time since the pres
ent war began. there have been
reports that one or more Of the Axis
powers was seriously contemplating
use Of poisonous gases or other in
human devices of warfare.
Il have been loath to believe that
any nation, even our present ene-
mics, could or would be willing to
loose upon mankind such terrible
and inhumane weapons. However.
evidence that the Axis powers are
making significant preparations in
dicative of such an intention is
being reported with increasing fre.
quency from a variety Of sources.
Use Of such weapons has been
outlawed by the general opinion of