"Emphasis" italics have a * mark.
[#] footnotes moved to EOParagraphs but not renumbered.German spelling of words need to checked particularly!
Scanned by Charles Keller with OmniPage Professional OCR software
An account of the critical struggle for powerand for the decisive war initiative. The campaignfostered by the great Rhine factories, andthe pressing problems which they represent.A matter of pre-eminent public interestconcerning the sincerity of disarmament, thefuture of warfare, and the stability of peace.
VICTOR LEFEBURE
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Mil.)
Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur, Officer of the Crown of Italy
Fellow of the Chemical Society, etc.
AND AN INTRODUCTION BY
FIELD-MARSHAL SIR HENRY WILSON, BART.
Chief of the Imperial General Staff
Published, 1923,
By THE CHEMICAL FOUNDATION, INC.
——
All Rights Reserved
Printed in the United States of America
My motives in writing this book are sufficiently explained inthe first chapter. The silence surrounding the true facts of thechemical campaign, the tardy realisation of the real forces behind itin Germany, and our failure to grasp the significance of the matterin the Treaty, all pointed to the need for an early statement.More recently, this need has been emphasised by inaccuratepublic utterances on the matter, and by its vital importancefor the full and fair treatment of certain legislative measuresbefore Allied countries.
A unique experience of chemical warfare in all its aspects, first with acombatant gas unit on the British front in France, then as Liaison Officerwith France and other Allies on all Chemical Warfare and allied questions,has afforded me an exceptionally complete survey of the subject.Later post-armistice experience in Paris, and the occupied territories,assisting Lord Moulton on various chemical questions in connectionwith the Treaty, and surveying the great chemical munition factoriesof the Rhine, has provided a central view of the whole matter which canhave been the privilege and opportunity of very few.
Further, my association with the dye industry, since commencing this book,leaves me with a deep conviction of the critical importance for disarmament,of a world redistribution of organic chemical production. It is inevitablethat such a step should benefit the growing organic chemical industriesof countries other than Germany, but this issue need not be shirked.The importance of the matter is so vital that it eclipses all reproachthat the disarmament argument for the maintenance of the dye industryis used on selfish grounds. Such reproach cannot, in fairness,be heard unless it destroys the case which we have established.We are faced with the following alternatives. Safety demands strongorganic chemical industries or cumbersome and burdensome chemicalwarfare establishments. The stability of future peace depends uponthe former, and the extent to which we must establish, or can abandon,the latter depends entirely on the activity and success of those whosespecial duty it is to organise against war.
A recent visit to A