WAR STORY DENIED.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 2 March 1929, Page 7

WAR STORY DENIED.

USE OF PLAGUE GERMS. OFFICIAL GERMAN STATEMENT. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) (“Times” Cables.) LONDON, Feb. 28. ‘‘The Germain Government aufthor-is-as me to state that there in not the .slightest foundation for Sir Berkeley Moynihan’s allegation regarding the use of plague bacilli in the war,’ states Herr Sthamer, German Ambassador in London, in a letter to ‘‘The- Time®.” The former commander of the technical. sid: of German war-time aviation, who was specially charged with •the organisation of bomb-throwing, also the former head of the medical department of the air force, definitely declares that German air bombers never carried plague- bacilli of any kind. No attempt was made to spread plague by such means. It was reported on Monday that Sir Berkelev Moynihan, -speaking -at the London Authors’ Club, disclosed a- war secret when he- revealed that the Allies heard in 1916 that the Germans weregoing to use plague a lethal weapon. “We actually recovered plague bacilli from bombs dropped over the Fifth Army,” said Sir Berkeley Moynihan, who recalled that the plague was spread bv fiea-s through rats. ‘ ‘Consequent! v, ’ ’ lie added, “we encouraged cats, -protected owls, and encouraged gamekeepers to keep down rats to prevent the plague spreading.”

SIR BERKELEY AIOYNIHAN’S REPLY. REFERENCES IN OFFICIAL HISTORY. LONDON, March Ist. Sir Berkeley Aloynihan, in a letter to the Press says that he has nothing to withdraw. He draws attention to the' passages in the second volume of the British official History of the War, stating it was rumoured on the western front in 1916 that the Germans might use plague bacilli, though it was regarded as improbable. Instructions were given that led to rats being, examined in the laboratory. Later, in January, 191 S, a medical officer of the Fifth Army reported that a mob ft e laboratorv had examined material dropped from a German balloon, and bacilli resembling bacillus 1 pesti-s, was isolated. Increased attention as after that was paid to rat destruction.