Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-12-04

during the month OF last June. Al
this meeting 16 American Republics
were represented including the United
States, and comprehensive plans for
the future work Of the commission
were adopted At the next meeting
fixed for June, 1914, committees al
ready appointed are instructed to re-
port regarding topics assigned to
them
Opium Observation-Disclosures Fail.
ure of Our Government to Enact
Recommended Legislation.
In my message on foreign relations
communicated to the two Houses OF
Congress December Z, 1911, l called
especial attention to the assembling
Of the Opium Conference at The
Hague, to the fact that that confer
ence was to review all pertinent mum
lclpal laws relating TO the opium and
allied evils, and 10 the fact that 1t
seemed to me most essential that the
Congress should take immediate ac-
tlon on the antinarcotlc legislation
before the Congress, to which / had
previously called attention by a spe-
cial message.
The international convention adopt
ed by the conference conforms almost
entirely to the principles contained
in the proposed antinarcotlc legisa-
tion which has been before the last
two Congresses. II was most un-
fortunate that this Government, hay
ing taken the initiative in the inter-
national action which eventuated in
the important international opium
convention, failed to do its share in
the great work by neglecting to pass
the necessary legislation to correct
the deplorable narcotic evil in the
United States as well as to redeem
international pledges upon which 1t
entered by virtue OF the above-ben-
toned convention. The Congress at
its present session should enact those
bills now before It which have been
so carefully drawn up in collabora-
tion between the Department Of State
and the other executive departments,
and which have behind them not only
the moral sentiment of the country,
but the practical support Of all the
Legitimate trade interests likely to
be affected Since the international
convention was signed, adherence to
it has been made by several European
States not represented at the confer
ence at The Hague and also by sew
enteen Latln-Amerlcan Republics.
Europe and the Near East.
The war between Italy and Turkey
came to a close October last by the
signature Of a treaty Of peace, sub
sequently to which the Ottoman En-
lpire renounced sovereignty over Cy-
renalca and Tripolitania in favor of
Italy During the past year the Near
East has unfortunately been the thea
tire Of constant hostilities. Almost
simultaneously with the conclusion of
peace between Italy and Turkey and
their arrival at an adjustment Of the
complex questions at issue between
Them war broke out between Turkey
on the one hand and Bulgaria, Greece,
Montenegro, and Servia on the other.
The United States has happily been
involved neither directly nor Indirect
| ly with the causes or questions in
cldent to any Of these hostilitles and
has maintained in regard to them an
attitude Of absolute neutrality and
Of complete political disinterestedness
In the second war In which the Otto
man Empire has been engaged the
loss Of life and the consequent dis
tress on both sides have been appall-
ing, and the United States has found
occasion in the interest Of humanity,
to carry out the charitable desires Of
the American people to extend a
measure of relief TO the sufferers on
elthersside through the impartial me-
dlum Of the Red Cross Beyond this
the chief care Of the Government Of
the United States has been to make
due provision for the protection Of
It's nationals resident in belligerent
territory In the exercise of my duty
IN this matter | have dispatched to
Turkish waters a special service
squadron, consisting Of two armored
cruisers in order that this Govern
ment may II need be bear It's part in
such measures as It may be neces-
saW for the interested nations to
adopt for the safeguarding Of foreign
lives and property in the Ottoman
Empire In the event that dangerous
situation should develop. In the
meantime the several interested Eu-
ropean powers have promised to ex-
tend to American citizens the benefit
of such precautionary or protective
measures as they might adopt. in the
same manner in which It has been
the practice Of this Government to
extend its protection to all foreign
ers resident In those countries of the
Western Hemisphere in which It has
from time to time been the task ~