Show ACCUSE FRENCH OF USING USING- USING GAS GAS FIRST SEMI OFFICIAL STATEMENT ISSUED IS SUED DEFENDING GERMAN WARFARE WARFARE METHODS Compares Use of Gas With the the Inundation dation of Fighting Areas and Argues Argues Ar Ar- gues That Both Methods Are Equally humane t Berlin A A semi official statement has been Issued here explaining and defending the German use of asphyxiating asphyxiating gases The first point made Is that that- the British and French employed such gases gases- before the Germans and in addition addition ad ad- diU on to the ear earlier ier statements of the tile German official war reports conc concern concerning concerning r 1 i ing g such alleged alleged use the statement now cites the text of a communication ton don said to to have been issued by the French ministry of war describing two two sorts of projectiles designed to produce a. a a stifling gas and the mode of their usage This This communication Is said to have been d dated ted February 21 before the Germans en employed gas In their attack upon Ypres The German statement refers to alleged alleged al al- al reports published In American newspapers newspapers' that the Lusitania carried 0 pounds of f tetrachloride de of f tin consigned to the French government and Intended for the on s or of l asphyxiating gases Speaking of f h herue her r ruse use use ue of gas the statement says the proviso against the use of gas in the Hague convention adopted against I th the votes of the the American delegates I was added to the protocol of the I meeting and that it had not been proven that shells with asphyxiating i gases were an Inhuman or unnecessarily cruel method of war The German Ger German German Ger Ger- man statement finally compares the I I use of gas with the inundation of fighting areas instancing the flooding of the region of Nieuport by the Belgians Del Bel I Bel-I gians some time ago and argues that both methods are equally humane and that an enemy merely needs to withdraw withdraw with with- draw to es escape ape their eff effects |