ALIT extraordinary - and sinister accident happened hi — • Hamburg last
Sunday. The top of one of the phosgene gas tanks at the Stolzenberg chemical work's blew off, and the deadly invisible fumes drifted southwards over the city. Some people who • came -in contact with the fumes fell dead, others became insensible or were other- wise seriously affected. Some who experienced no evil sensations at the moment became ill later. Altogether eleven deaths have been recorded, and about 250 persons are in hospital. The question arises whether the Hamburg -factory had been illegally. manufacturing this gas. Ger- many is explicitly pledged to the Allies not to produce poison gas for military use, and there is also a clause against such gas in the Versailles Treaty. On the other hand, Germany is legally entitled to produce phosgene up to the amount required for the dyeing industry. It is said that Hamburg, besides manufacturing phosgene for home use, exports a good deal to the United States. At-One time the Stolzenberg firm was alleged to be manu- facturing -poison gas in Russian factories, but the firm is now m liquidation, and in any case-the Soviet Govern- ment have signed the Protocol against poison gas. This Protocol has not yet been ratified by Germany. The Gerinan Government will no doubt inquire carefully into the Hamburg accident.
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