The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-05-01
THa sun SUNDAY. MAY 1. 1910.

last wear NIr HAMILTON WRIGHT. one Of
the representatives Of the United states,
SAID
me tra'c n opium ~ other yhan NECESSARY
Use ought not nuch llnTrs n roniinu-. Or thsry
will loom gp hCtgern me Fas, and West prob
-H mat IN IT. magnitude sad po'-nuartlrs Tor
strife vii out,irp me ragnild. sud iorcrs Of ne
org sincr hAppuv ~tu'd slavery question
What China can insist upon after the
conclusion Of her treaties with other
nations relating to opium j. that not
another pound nj i shall be imported,
Hitherto she has no, been in a position
10 resist the pressure IT sorIlid interests
barkei by the armSments NJ powerful
Governments, which in more than ono
case derived revenue from the traffic.
but the clo,k has struck FOR an lndc-
pendent China.
England winch bln'~hed slavery from
her dominion, NJ Immense cost 20 her.
self before the american civil war. has
Jagged far beh,nd this country in the
cause ~ cmancipA'lnC tho human race
from the curse 81 opium. lpon taking
possession ~ the Philippines the nitcd
States deals with the opium problem
promptly and with vigor lndlneTen, 70
the revenue that could have been de-
rived from the industry. And it was tho
lu'ted States that proposed the inter-
national opium commission, a. n has
since proposed a conference a. Tho
Hague Ia formulate terms " interna-
tional regulation.
II is minated thar England j. reluc-
tant 10 become a party 10 a league Of
nations to regulate commerce in opium.
The reluctance - official England
pleads hat she has n grave opium prob
lem in India, and that reg lat.on of n
gives her a great deal " trouble and NAV
vet have ugly consequences. Her difi-
culties. she asserts. are not only finan-
cial but administrative She urges in
her behalf that she IS discouraging the
Use OF opium in her Eastern possessions
and absolutely torhidding il when prac-
tiCable No other Western nation has
such an opium problem as hers. she sub
mits, and at the Shanghai conference
"a much was admitted. But England
exposes herself to suspicion and dis
trust when she doubts Officially the
sincerity Of the crusade IN China. and
intimates that 80 long as The Chinese
produce most Of the opium they con.
sumo, and even eXpOrt opium, British
India ought not TO be exported to com
plicate it, own problem by stopping ex-
ports TO China. especially as the inde-
pendent States can do as they please
But the heart Of the English peC,l9 Is
sound on this question
The House OF Commons IN Man G.
lsOs. adopted unanimously a resolution
that the lndo-Chinese opium tr,de is
indefenslble. Money collected from he
traffic Is dirty money. even II Il mas
Querldes under The name Of revenue.
such Is the view Of Lord MINro. the
viceroy, who said in discussing the
Indian budget in 1917 We cannot with
any self-rpspeCi refuse 10 assist China
on the grounds Of loss Of revenue to
lndia Lord MINro proclaims his be-
lief IN the good faith Of China There
can BE- no reasonable doubt Of IL. but
there remains the capacity Of the Chi
nese Government 10 cope with the ma
tional disease. a. there remains the aid
and cooperation Of England and Japan.
both Of whom permit their subject, to
eXpor' opium 70 China Notwithstand-
lng administrative difficulties IN India
England, W. believe. will ultimately
stop her supply Of opium to china the
exports have already been reduced but
il may b, long time befor, the great
~~t moral struggle IN history j. fought
OUT IN a conclusion and before II vases
20 be- a ,exed international problem n
well A. a dangerous domestic affection