HORRORS OF NEXT WAR.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16738, 20 May 1922, Page 3

HORRORS OF NEXT WAR.

AMERICA’S GREAT POISON WORKS. A graphic description of America’s poison gas works at Edgewood, Baltimore —probably the greatest poison works in the world—appears in the “ Manchester Guardian.” The Chemical Warfare Corps is a special branch of the army, like artillery, consisting of about 2000 men. 100 officers, and 1200 civilians, besides 100 trained chemists, who receive purchase money for all inventions, but the Government reserves the right to purchase. The War Office pays for the establishment 1,200,000 dollars out of the army grant, which is about 400,000,000 dollars. The works, brought to the highest perfection just before the armistice, could then produce twenty tons of poison-gas daily. They are now working at greatly reduced pressure, hut are maintained in complete readiness, with a permanent staff of machines in working order. The results are continually inspected and tested separately. Staffs for defence and offence are continually working against each other, every advance in poison being met, if possible, by protective methods, such as new devices in masks to prevent death hv suffocation, or impermeable overalls to prevent death, by burning Upon the French front our masks could he put on in six seconds; here, the mask can be put on in three, by one single movement, without ties. There are notable devices for preventing mist upon glass goggles, which are also so constructed ns to break, but. never splinter. Much imnrovoment has heen made in the breathing tube and cylinder. There are two hermetically sealed chambers, which men volunteer to enter, without extra, payment, to test, the power of the gases, and in which they are watched through a window till thev signal on feeling the effect of gas in faintness or sickness. FROM COMMON TABLE SALT. Chlorine made from .common table salt is the basis of all poison-gases, except. perhaps, Lewisite. The >alt is dissolved in -normon* vr.ts ,-wch as used . .

gases are manufactured- The best for suffocation is called phosgene. Mustard gas burns the flesh off as well, and penetrates any clothing, as was found in the war. Chloropicrin produces intense vomiting, disabling the victim until the enemy arrives to kill. Lachrymatory gas causes floods of tears, like a melodrama. as one finds upon approaching the. factory, in spite of a rather sweet smell, but the effect wears off—if the sufferer survives a bayonet attack. Lewisite is a burning gas, like mustard. but far more powerful. It spreads slowly, unlike phosgene, which, on that account, is move favoured in ordinary bombing from the air, for wind rapidly carries phosgene far and wide, suffocating all. But Lewisite could be sprayed upon cities as with hose from aircraft. Tt. has an effect in burning clothes, skin, and flesh off all. citizens and soldiers indiscriminately. it is difficult to estimate the area which could be thus affected, but. if skilfully used, the gas would certainly kill a whole population with great rapidity. Bombs are now made up to a weight of 43001 b. each carrying one ton of the highest explosive. T.N.T., or a. similar amount, less in weight, of suffocating or burning gas. WIPING OUT BIG CITIES. Large aircraft, each carrying several bombs or spraying machines, could easily destroy great cities if unopposed, and gradually reduce the whole human population. There is a most interesting museum upon the premises illustrating the growth of various destructive chemical processes and attempts to counteract them- The whole factory proves human ingenuity for slaughter and the horrors of the next war. AH attempts to check the employment of improved instruments of destruction have hitherto heen in vain, as was proved at The Hague, and in our protest against the use of gas in che late war. It is useless to forbid inventions. The only way is to exterminate war. Perhaps this object may be’furthered by increasing til.? terror for stay-at-home elderly men and women, who will no longer give Their sons only, but themselves.