Evening star., 1946-01-04
BY NELSON nj. SHEPARD.

A War Department report warned
today that development of deadly
germs for biological warfare, unlike
the atomic bombs, could proceed
secretly in many countries, large oI
small, under the guise of legitimate
medical research without vast ex-
penditures of money Or huge pro-
duction facilities.
In whatever deliberations that
take place concerning the imple-
mentation of a lasting world peace,
the potentialities of biological war;
fare cannot safely be ignored.
George w. Merck, special con-
sultant to the Secretary of War ON
such matters. cautioned.
While the war ended before either
side resorted to the use of bacterio-
logical or pathogenic agents III
actual military operations, Mr.. Merck
reported that all evidence indicates
the Axis powers were trailing the
United States. the United Kingdom
and Canada in developing this pos
sible mode of warfare. AS in the
case of poison gas, this country was
prepared and waiting for the first
move of the enemy.
Undertaken by Necessity.
The activities of the United States
in this field, instituted as early as
the fall of 194l. the report stated
were undertaken under the goad of
necessity and aimed primarily to-
ward securing for this Nation and
its troops adequate protection
against the possible use by our
enemies of biological warfare agents
The objective was attained; ade-
iquate defenses against a potentially
dangerous method of warfare were
devised, the possibility of surprise
from this quarter was forestalled. >
These methods were defined in
the report as the use of bacteria
fungi, viruses, rickettsies, and toxic
agents from living organisms (as
distinguished from synthetic chemi-
Gals used as gases or poisons), to
produce death or disease in men
animals, or plants. This type of
warfare was practically unknown in
the World War, though the Germans
at one time inoculated livestock
leaving American ports with disease
producing bacteria.
Investigations conducted in Japan
by American military agents after
the occupation showed that Japan
had made definite progress" in this
field since 1886, but at the time the
war ended it had not reached a
position whereby these projects could
have been used Extensively in op-
erations. Reports of the investiga-
tions, received here after Mr.. Merck
had prepared his own, said the
japanese had pursued these efforts
with energy and ingenuity" until
1945.
$1,000 Scientist Engaged.
At the instigation of former Sec
retary of War Stimson, the Ma
tional Academy of Sciences sur
veyed the current and future possi-
bilities of biological warfare for
anti-sabotage and defensive pur-
poses. In November, 1912, the
Chemical Warfare Service assumed
responsibility for operations in
which $500 scientists were engaged
at four large facilities, including
one at Frederick, Md. Great Brit
ain and Canada teamed up with
the United States in program and
a strong intelligence service was op-
Grated in all overseas theaters to
ind out what the enemy was do
ing in this regard.
While the military Developments
cannot be disclosed in the interest
OF national security, the War De-
partment said, the research contrib
uted significant knowledge to
what was already known concern
ing the control of diseases affect
ing humans, animals and plants.
This information will be made
available to the public through the
ordinary channels by which ad-
vances in science and medicine are
disseminated in peacetime.
The American research was con-
Quoted in secrecy as binding on
the sciences as was that of the
atomic bomb. After early 1912,
Germany was able to obtain no in
formation whatever concerning our
activity in biological warfare and
no leaks of information occurred.
| In all the work carried on ex-
treme care was taken to protect the
participating personnel from infec-