Riddle of the Rhine | Page 5

CHAPTER IX

-GERMAN CHEMICAL POLICY Origin of German Chemical
Monopolies-German Chemical Commercial Policy-Evidence of the U.
S. A. Alien Property Custodian-Pre-war American Situation--German
Price Cutting--Salicylic Acid-- Full Line Forcing--Bribery and
Corruption--German Patent Policy--Propaganda and
Information--Espionage-Activities of the Dye Agencies-Manoeuvring
Raw Materials-Chemical Exchange Association -Doctor Albert's
Letter-Dye Agency Information System-Dr. Albert on Chemical
Warfare-The Moral Aspect-Report of the New York World-German
Policy Regarding Dye Supplies to the U. S. A.--Professor Stieglitz's
Evidence Ehrlich's Discovery--Drugs and Medicinal Products-The
German Monopoly-National Health Insurance Commission-The Royal
Society--Novocain--Beta-Eucaine--Photographic Chemicals-War
Activities of the I.G.-The Rhine Factories and the Armistice-War
Mentality of the I.G.-German Attitude towards Inspection-The Rhine
and Chaulny Contrast-German Revolution and the Industrial
Leaders-The German Peace Delegation -Recent Signs of Government
Interest-Nitrogen Fixation-The German Nitrogen Syndicate-Haber
Process Prominent-The New German Dye Combine -Aggressive
Nationalist Policy. 186
CHAPTER X
-LINES OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT The Element of
Speculation-Chemical Tactics and Strategy-New War
Chemicals--"Camouflage" Chemicals-Functions Hitherto
Immune-Chemical Constitution and Physiological Action-Unsolved
Prob-
Contents PAGE lems of Mustard Gas-A New Type of Obstacle-- The
"Persistent Lethal" Substance-The Critical Range-The New
No-Man's-Land-The "Alert Gas Zone"--Gas and Aircraft-Protective
Development -Individual Protection-Collective Protection-Conclusion.
215
CHAPTER XI

-HUMANE OR INHUMANE? Nature of Gas Casualties-Sargent's
Picture-Need for Safeguards. 238
CHAPTER XII
-CHEMICAL WARFARE AND DISARMAMENT The Treaty of
Versailles-German Information-Limitation of Armament-Report of the
Hartley Mission -New Conceptions in Chemical
Disarmament-Limitation Mechanical and Chemical-Tank Disarmament
-Chemical Limitation-Research-Production-Mechanical and Chemical
Preparations for War-Recent Disarmament Proposals-The Covenant of
the League Need for Guarantees-Viscount Grey, "Germany must
disarm first'~-- Suggested Methods--"Vested Interests"--"Handing
Over" Inventions-Neglect of Chemical Disarmament in the Treaty. 242
CONCLUSION-THE TREATY OF THE FUTURE. 264

ILLUSTRATIONS
THE LIVENS PROJECTOR-I. Frontispiece
A completed battery of projectors in the foreground, with a battery on
the left rear, half dug in. Suitably camouflaged with brush, the batteries
are not observable by aircraft, and, being in "No-Man's-Land," neither
party can detect them by day.
FACING PAGE TYPICAL GAS SHELL BURSTING. 30
THE LIVENS PROJECTOR-II 61
A working party fitting electric leads and adjusting bombs prior to
discharge. This work occurs at night.
THE LIVENS PROJECTOR-III. 133 Explosion of Livens bombs on
the objective.
SMOKE BARRAGE. 181

Note the sharp curtain which is formed, behind which the infantry
advance.

INTRODUCTION
No one who has the welfare of the country at heart can fail to share
Major Lefebure's anxiety that a clear, accurate, and unbiased account of
chemical warfare should be presented to the public, so that the many
erroneous ideas now prevalent in regard to poison gas and its uses may
be dispelled.
The whole subject of chemical warfare is at present sub judice, and
there is great danger that the future safety of this country may be
jeopardised by the almost universal ignorance of the peculiarities and
potentialities of this class of warfare. Recent publications in the Press
have shown a tendency to deal with the subject on purely sentimental
grounds, and attempts have been made to declare this form of warfare
illegitimate without full and careful consideration of all the facts and
their significance for the future.
Major Lefebure has therefore attempted in his book to make it quite
clear that no convention, guarantee, or disarmament safeguard will
prevent an unscrupulous enemy from employing poison gas, especially
if that enemy has discovered some new powerful agent, or possesses, as
Germany does in her well-organised and strong chemical industry, a
ready means for producing such chemicals in bulk at practically a
moment's notice; further, that the safety of this country makes it
imperative that the study and investigation of the subject should be
continued and that our chemical and dye industry should be developed,
so that when an emergency arises we may have the necessary facilities
for supply ready to hand.
It is not for me to express any opinion here either as to the desirability
of using gas as a weapon or as to the possibility of preventing an enemy
from using it. But I am convinced that a decision come to without full
knowledge of the facts may involve grave danger and heavy

preventable loss of life. I am further convinced that Major Lefebure, by
his special knowledge and long experience as chemical liaison officer
during the war, is well qualified to speak, and that his opinion is
entitled to full consideration. For these reasons I think that his book
will do a much needed public service. I wish it every success, and the
greatest possible number of readers. HENRY WILSON, F.M.
CHAPTER 1
EXPLANATORY
The Riddle of the Rhine.--The Great War challenged our very existence.
But with the tension released, and the Allies victorious, the check to the
German menace appears crushing and complete. Few realise that one
formidable challenge has not been answered. Silently menacing, the
chemical threat remains unrecognised. How, asks the reader, can this be?
Are we not aware of the poison gas campaign? Indeed,