Show 1 I Scientist Protests Against War Gas i I By Dy T T. T EDWARD THORPE President the British Association for the Advancement of Science Warfare It would seem eem has now defInitely definitely definitely def def- entered upon a a. new phase The horrors which the Hague convention saw were imminent and from from which they strove to protect humanity are now apparently apparently apparently ap ap- ap- ap by the example and initiative of Germany to become part of the established established procedure re of war Civilization protests against a step so retrograde Surely comity among nations nations nations na na- na- na should be adequate to arrest It it If the league of nations is vested with any real power It should be possible for forIt forit forit it to devise the tho means and to insure their successful application The failure of the Hague convention Is la no sufficient reason rea rca son for despair The moral sense of ot the civilized world is not so dulled but that roused it can make male its Influence prevail THE DEFENSE Steps should be taken without delay to make that Influence supreme and all the more so that there are agencies at work worl which would seek to perpetuate such methods as a recognized procedure of war Tho The case for what is called chemical warfare has not wanted for advocates It is argued that poison polson gas is far tar less fatal tatal and far tar less cruel than any oth r Instrument of war It has been stated that Among the mustard gas' gas casualties the deaths were less than 2 per cent and when death did not ensue complete re recovery recovery recovery re- re covery generally ultimately resulted er materials of chemical warfare In use uge at the armistice do not kill at all They produce casualties which after six weeks In hospital are discharged practically without permanent hurt PREVENTIVE MEDICINE It has been argued that as a method of conducting war poison polson gas is more humane than preventive medicine Preventive Preventive Pre Pre- medicine has Increased the unit dimension of an army free from epidemic and communicable disease from to a million Preventive medicine has made it possible possible pos pos- sible to maintain men under underarms underarms underarms arms and abnormally free tree from disease and eo so provided greater scope for the killing activities of ot the other military weapons While the surprise ef effects effects ef- ef of ot chemical warfare aroused anger as being contrary to military tradition they were minute compared with those of ot preventive medicine The former slew its thousands while the latter it its millions millions mil mU- lions and is still reaping the tho harvest A NEW WEAPON This argument carries no conviction Poison gas Kas Is not merely contrary to European European European Eu Eu- military tradition it is int to the right feeling of ot civilized humanity It In no wise displaces or supplants existIng existing exist exist- ing log Instruments of ot war but creates a anew anew anew new kind of ot weapon of ot limitless power and deadliness Mustard gas may be a comparatively innocuous product as lethal substances go It certainly was not Intended to be besuch besuch such by our enemies I Nor presumably were the allies any anymore anymore anymore more considerate when they retaliated with it Ita Its effects s indeed wore were gut suf i I terrible to destroy destroy the Germ German morale The knowledge that the allies aUles were preparing to employ it to an almost boundless extent was one of the factors that determined our enemies to sue for tor forthe forthe the armistice |