The Mena weekly star., 1913-07-03
ID RENEW WAR ON
 OPIUM AND COCAINE
All Nations Except Turkey and Peru Have Entered Into Movement to
 Stop the Trafllc-May Unite on Plans.

Washington, June 30.-With the nnrnose of taking the last step necessary to crush out the interna- tional traffic in smoking opium, CO., ,ains and other noxious and habit farming drugs, representatives of nearly all the nations of the world miII eather at The Hague Tuesday to continue the international con- forence which adjourned in that rapital January 2, 1912.
 The purpose of the present gath oring is to ascertain whether a suf- dcient number of powers will join in ratifying the international con- vention looking to the suppression Inf the opium traffic, drafted by that conference, to insure it's successful operation.
 Opium long has been a cause of serious international conflict, China and England having begun in iS46 thp opium war, whose final devel- onment was the cession of Hong kong 10 Great Britain. The recent movement for the suppression of fhe trade in habit-forming drugs is American in origin. Beginning in 1906 a systematic effort to obtain tbis result by international action, the state department succeeded in the creation of the international commission, which met in Shanghai in 1909 and paved the way for the more official gathering of dele gates at The Hague in 1911.
 Useless With Only Three.
 This conference, after two weeks nf work. agreed on the form of general convention. which, broadly speaking. was calculated to put an end to the international dealing in harmful drugs.
 There were l2 powers party to thi, agreement-America, China, France. Germany, Great Britain, Italy. Japan, the Netherlands, Por- meal. Russia. Siam and Persia.
 IL was pointed out ;hat it would he useless for these countries, the largest producers and users, to agree to radical measures for the international control of habit drugs ,o long as it was open to the citl- zenS of states not represented at the conference to continue. or take up, thc production in the traffic. Be- fore Congress adjourned January 23. 1919. with the understanding that the 3i governments of Europe and America which had not participated should be invited tO join in the rati- ncaton of the convention.
 If this could not be done by De- cemher 3i. 1912, another conference was to follow at The Hague to pro vide for he ratification of the con Neutiou. This date was subsequent ly postponed until July 1, 1913.
 Only Two "HOldouts."
 In the meantime the government ol the Netherlands and the United States government have been ear nesly addressing themselves 10 the task of securing the adherence of the outside powers with such suc- cess that only two, Turkey and Pe- I'll, HOW are IlolulIE Oul. AS l LII N lsh opium is of the highest grade and used altogether for medicinal purposes, it is practically certain that Turkey will adhere to the con yention when it can be shown that this industry would not be injured ny inc treaty. Peru has been reluc- tan to join because of the great loss that would result from the de- struction of it's present profitable trade in cocoa, from which cocaine k extracted.
 Last week the House passed a bill introduced by Representative Harrison of New York to impose a prohibitive internal revenue tax on the manufacture in this country of smoking opium, a measure made necessary by the threatened deVel- opment on the Pacific coast, where poppies grow luxuriantly. The state department hopes to see the mea- sure passed by the Senate and be- come a law immediately. for the moral effect of the action upon The Hague conference.