WAR KNOWS NO LAW

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10734, 3 November 1928, Page 11

WAR KNOWS NO LAW

AMERICA AND GAS,

THE SCIENTISTS BUSY,

' NEW YORK, September 5. It is merely a .coincidence that, on the day Mr) Kellogg, Secretary of State, sailed for France to see" representatives ,of .many nations sign .liis outlawry of war 'treaty, the Secretary of the National Association for Chemical Defence declared that the United States was the most up-to-date among the great Powers in gas plants for warfare. The statement was made in the presence of . 600 members of the American Chemical Society Institute. ' “Chemicals and gases will be used in the war of .the future,” he declared, “even though a treaty might fie ratified prohibiting the use of gas in warfare. ; The probability of a breach, of the treaty becomes greater as the effectiveness of a weapon increases. Many statements have been published that small quantities of some new gas may wipe out a city. As a result, people, get an exaggerated idea of the power of gas and have an exaggerated fear of it. Thereby the seeds of panic are sown, from which we may some day reap the harvest. • “Our association 'believes that the danger to our country lies in the fact, that the general public place reliance ou these incorrect statements as to tho horrors of gas in warfare. Ourf people* are remaining inf ignorance about a weapon concerning which they should be advised for their own safety. Many of our best citizens believe that war will be outlawed, so that it As not essential for our country to be thoroughly informed regarding the developments in the use of gas in warfare, and how best to combat it. “We have outlawed! crime, blit we control it by keeping our Police 'Forces prepared with the most efficient weapons. History nas’ shown us that once m war the weapons with which it is waged cannot he controlled. Gas wfn undoubtedly be used in the next war. We should continue our resarcli so that wo may effectively protect ouT country.”-