The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-26
HARRISON BILL
MAY PASS TODAY
House Is Expected to Put
Through Anti-narcotic
Measure.
SALE TO BE CONTROLLED
International Gathering At The
Hague July to Ratify Opium
Treaty.

By agreement of leaders in both Houses
Of Congress. brought about by Repre-
sentative Francis Burton Harrison of
New York, the United States, by July 1,
undoubtedly will have Joined with the
other nations of the world in putting
upon the statute books effective legis-
lation controlling the manufacture, sale,
and distribution of opium, cocaine, and
other narcotics. On that date repre-
sentatives from every civilized nation
will meet at The Hague TO ratify an in
ternational opium treaty which is ex-
pected to put an end to the opium traf-
nc of the world.
BY agreement reached Tuesday in the
House of Representatives, the House
today will take up Representative Harri-
sons last anti-narcotic bill, which was
introduced June %, and it is expected
that the measure will pass without de-
lay. The Senate also has arranged to
take up the bill almost soon as II is
sent over from the House. and as Presi-
dent Wilson recently sent special mes
sage to Congress urging enactment OF
such a law. 1t is safe to predict that
the measure will be passed and signed
by the time the international gathering
convenes at The Hague.
Result ~ Conferences.
The bill. which is now practically GER
tain of enactment, is the result OF nu-
merous conferences between its author.
DR.. Hamilton Wright. the State Depart
ment representative at The Hague, and
all of the interests to be affected. includ-
ing chemists druggists. manufacturers,
wholesalers, and physicians.
REPRESENTATIVE Harrison had made
close study of the problems of traffic in
habit forming drugs, and after several
Il
cred he introduced bill in the last Con-
sress. the immediate result of which was
a series of hearings in which strenuous
objection 10 the measure was voiced by
the representatives of the American Medi-
cal Association TO the effect that physi-
clans in the practice of their profession
should be exempt from the law. 1t was
developed in the hearings, however, that
over 90 per cent of the cases Of addiction
to drugs were directly traceable to the
prescription of these drugs by physicians.
The last bill included a stipulation that
physicians should be held just as strictly
accountable as are any other persons in
the use of narcotics.
Representative Harrison regards his
new bill, which is now so closely APP
preaching enactment. as being a practical
and workable measure. because many OF
the flaws in the earlier bills have been
removed. The present bh specifies that
every person who produces, imports,
manufactures, compounds, deals in. dis
penses, sells. distributes. or gives away
opium or coca leaves, or any compound.
manufacture. salt, or derivative thereof,
shall register with the collector Of in
ternal revenue his name or style. place
of business, and place or places where
such business is to be carried on"
1t provides further that every such per-
son shall pay a special tax to the col
lector of internal revenue of 81 per ar
rum, and that any order or prescription
upon which a person is to secure any