"GAS ATTACK!"

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 268, 12 November 1935, Page 6

"GAS ATTACK!"

BERLIN'S REHEARSALS. Ton o'clock and the streets of Berlin arc deserted. Xo lights, no traffic, theatres and restaurants abandoned—a scene of desolation. A Storm Trooper stumbles along in the darkness, his face hidden behind the fantastic immobility of a gas mask. Suddenly, a shrieking of aeroplane engines cuts the air. Searchlight* quiver aeros* the sky ill an eager search for the enemy. The whining of sTrcns gives the alarm to the population orouelilng in their gas-proof cellars. Gas Guarde report a bombing attack to station headquarters. Police cars, each carrying two men clad in rubber from head to foot —Strange-looking creatures, these —rush to the stricken areas. The men take samples of gasimpregnated earth from imaginary shell holes and hurry back to the chemical laboratories to have them analysed. Having received a report from the laboratories to the effect that the gas is ordinary poison gas, headquarters sends "clearing"' equipment immediately. Rub-ber-clad men wet down tho area, and chloride of lime is shovelled over the surface. A final sprinkling, and the district is declared free from gae. Restaurants and theatres open their doors. The cellars gradually empty. Berlin resumes its normal night life. Detailed Organisation. Hitler Tia«; devoted himself to tho task of making Germany gas-proof. Rehearsals such as that described are conducted regularly, and nearly every one of Germany's 55 million citizens has become a member of the "air protection league." There is nothing haphazard about the methods used to vender gas attacks comparatively ineffective. Each house in the larger cities has its house captain, and each group of houses hae its block leader. Then, again, each liouse has two "fire guards" whose duty it is to see that attics are cleared of inflammable materials and to place barrels of sand, axes and ehovels where they can be found readily in caee of need. The "fire guard" hae as his assistant a first-aid man thoroughly trained in the treatment of gas eases. Every penson in the house must obey the commands of the 'house captain in an emergency. Those who do not will ho severely punished. Hundreds of lectures arc given weekly to explain detailed plans for the construction of "gas-proof" cellars. It is the intention of the Government to have every house, or group of houses, equipped with a secure retreat in the event of gas attacks. The authorities will readily advance credit to any householder who is prepared to dig a cellar. Berlin's budget alone provides millions of mark- for the "provision of suitable gas-attael- n treats for the populace." Thus Germany ie efficiently organising against gae attack* —the peril of the next European was. ~_._...___