The Hawera Star SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1935. AERIAL AND CHEMICAL WARFARE.

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 2 March 1935, Page 4

The Hawera Star

SATURDAY, MARCH 2, 1935. AERIAL AND CHEMICAL WARFARE.

Delivered every evening by 5 o clock in Hawera, Manaia, Kaupokonui, Otakeho. Oeo, Piiiama, Opunake. Eltham, Ngaere, Mangatoki, Kaponga, Awatuna, Te Kiri, Mahoe, liowgarth, Manutabi, Kakaramea, AJlton, Hurleyville, Patea, Whenuakura, 'Waverley, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangs.i/ Meremere, Fraser Boad and Ararat/a.

While the thoughts of nations are concentrated on increasing their aerial strength, apprehension grows apace in the civil population that the “next war” will speedily become mass murder of non-combatants. Recent events and pronouncements have not allayed that apprehension. The wholesale issue of gas-masks to the population of entire towns lias been discussed and deemed impracticable. Instruction would be difficult to impart ; repair and safe keeping of the masks could not be guaranteed; while, most important of all, the necessary replacement, of the protective chemicals could hardly be done except at prohibitive cost in time and organisation. Now from England comes the news that the Royal Air Force is experimenting with the construction of bomb-proof shelters at strategic points along the coast near the important industrial and military centres. These shelters are considered impervious to any bomb yet evolved. Their construction may be considered an official admission that civilians will be in some danger,

and will add to the fears of those who foresee fleets of aeroplanes raining down high explosives and poison gas on defenceless civilians. T here are many, who would diminish this . possibility by eliminating military aircraft and poison gas. It must be admitted, however, that effective regulation is extremely difficult, Civil aviation is bound to expand, and every passenger-carrying aeroplane can be looked upon as a potential bomber in time of war. The dyestuff industries ox Germany and now of England are extensive and remunerative, and very such factory needs only minor co n v ersion to enable it to turn out mustard gas, phosgene or other poison capable of military use. Chlorine (the first poison gas used by the Germans at the. second battle of Ypres early in 1915) is a byproduct of ‘the electrolytic manu facture of caustic soda, and is one of the foundations of the dyestuff industry. It is also the effective constituent of bleaching powder, by means of which areas contaminated by mustard gas can be cleansed and rendered habitable once again. These are examples of the impossibility of legislating against aerial or chemical preparations for war, or of distinguishing between legitimate manufacturing, military or defensive chemical operations. On the other hand are the optimists who prefer to gaze upon the lighter side of the picture. They assure us that the first problem of the hostile aircraft, loaded as it is i with its dangerous cargo, is to attain its objective, and that this is not easy when harried by lighter, faster moving defensive machines. Secondly, they assure us that the area rendered uninhabitable by a gas bomb is no greater than that destroyed by a similar weight ot high explosive, and thus that complete extinction of civil populations by gas bombs is a mere bogey. More comforting still is the assurance that there is no poison without its antidote, and that any widespread liberation could be promptly neutralised, as, for example, mustard gas is cleaned up by bleaching powder. .The majority of modern poison “gases” are really liquids which, like kerosene, slowly evaporate. Temporary measures, such as, »for example, using’ gas masks, or staying indoors or occupying tempory shelters, would therefore be effective in the interval required by the military chemical authorities for cleaning up the infected areas. It will come as a distinct relief to many, therefore,. to know that the prompt and'painful extinction of civilians is not taken for granted as the opening phase of the “next war.” In the meantime the public can rest assured that defensive research is no less active than offensive, and that the experiments of the Royal y Air Force arc but an earnest of still more intensive work being carried on behind the scenes.