Evening star., 1943-05-09


geraniums and apple blossoms-to pro
duce deadly war gases for possible use
against the Axis.
This is the word from Maj Gen. Will
liam N. Porter, chief of the Arnly's
Chemical Warfare Service, in comment
ing on persistent reports that the Japa-
nese have been Using gas against the
Chinese and that Germany is preparing
to use it against the Russians.
IF the enemy starts using war gases"
said the general. I'VE have plenty to give
back-and they'll probably get more than
they give out!"
Declaring we already have plentiful
stocks" of IL known war gases-among
them the blistering LeWisite, which smells
like geraniunls: suffocating phosgene,
which has the odor of musty hay; skim
burning muetard, which smells like horse
radish, and the tear gas chloraceto-
phenone, which has the scent of apple
blossoms-the general said:
Eve know that the Germans and the
japanese have large quantities of gases
ready-gaSes that are designed to attack
to blister and burn the skin. But our
arsenals can produce the same gases in
almost unlimited quantities If the need
arises-and, moreover, our methods of
protecting our own troops against enemy
gases have kept pace with our produc-
ton of these chemical weapons for often
sive purposes"
Finest Gas Mask.
Other officers of the service outlined
these protective measures. They said
we have:
l. The finest gas mask in the world
based on comparisons with captured
enemy equipment-a mask that COM
bines maximum of protection with a
maximum of comfort And we've not
only equipped every man in the armed
services with a mask and trained him
in its use, but even our horses and
mules have special new masks that
represent vast improvement over the
feed bag types of the First World War
@ Protective clothing, made of rub
berized material or oilskin, to safe
guard squads especially trained to de-
contaminate areas exposed to gas. and
methods of treating the regular cloth
ing of soldiers to give them some pro-
lection against gases that permeate
cloth. All troops going overseas are
also issued new cellophane capes for gas
protection. They cover the whole body
like sack and can be discarded after
the attack.
3. Chemicals with which to impregnate
| shoes for protection against the blister
ing gases like mustard, which can seer
| through leather.
4. Protective salves to neutralize the
effect of blister gases on the skin.
5. Chemical detectors-crayons, paints
| powders and papers-which, by change
in color, would indicate the presence of 6
! gas which might not be detected by the
nostrils.
Various Ways to Detect.
! They said the chemical detectors-
which work on the principle of litmW
paper-Would be especially useful in cast
| the enemy should resort to the use O.
lllC Ollly llCW CldSS VI wal SdScS ucPGl-
oped since World War 1.-The nitrogen
mustard gases, which have many of the
properties of regular mustard gas, but
which are practically odorless.
Gen. Porter says he is convinced that
one reason gas has not been used on g
wide scale up to now by the enemy is
that early campaigns were short anC
succeeded without resort to chemicals
| Fear of retaliation in casualties among
civilian populations may have been an
| other factor, he says, but he adds that
| it's possible utilization of gas is being
held in reserve for its surprise effect as
| last resort, or if stalemate Is de.
veloped.
Germany he said is party to the
Geneva protocol prohibiting the use o1
toxic gases in time of war, but treaties
signed and sealed have not restrained
to their purpose
Great Britain also signed the Geneva
agreement, but the United States anc
| Japan did not.
"The Senate of the United States
says Gen. Porter, "after full considera.
tion of the facts, refused to tie the
hands in war OF the greatest scientific
and industrial Nation of the world"
But he emphasized that our policy with
regard to war gases, as laid down by
| President Roosevelt, is to refrain from
using gas except in retaliation.
ic \.
in technique since the First World Wa
would make possible attacks on wide,
| scale.
Developments of methods of spraying
! gases from airplanes is chief among
| these techniques Also, in contrast te
earlier methods of releasing gas clouds
| to drift with the wind toward the enemy
lines. chemical warfare agents can now
be employed in almost any place that
explosives are used. Aerial bombs ar
| tillery and mortar shells, special chem
ical protector shells, land mines, HAND
grenades and rife grenades can be f1lleC
with destructive chemical materials.
Although they grant chemical warfare
is no picnic, officers of the Chemical
| Warfare Service scof at recurring SEN
sational reports of the discovery of some
new super gas capable Of destroying the
population of large cities almost in
stantly."
Here is a summation of their views:
Chemists throughout the world have
pretty good idea of the distribution o1
chemicals since World War /, and Their