The sun., 1916-01-23
War Sorrozvs in London
Drfve Women TO Opiu7,
Many Society Folk Reported Addicted to the Pipe and
Other Drug Habits-Rng, Whose Operations
Are Worldwide, Unchecked by Law.
USE FILM TINS TO SMUGGLE INTO U. s.

, menus. from crooks to actors and act.
resses' this man never was at a loss
70 ,eii wnethfr they were living or dead,
We" OF III, poor or prosperous. In the
present state Of affairs this queer
chafActer looms large In securing opium
for the ring.
But the clientele In the older DAYS
was small Vow II Is large. 1t began
10 grow when the Rosenthal murder
caused many New York Runmen ana
o,her criminals to emigrate to London.
ihese undesirables brought with them
their usual theories about earring a
hNehhood. Save that they found that
gun play was dangerous in London, and
,nat knifing was much safer. the major
ny OF them found London simpler than
| N'w YORK. The women upon whom
/. w Pre!"u were rot as cunning as
! 'neir american sisters and were ant
! pupils In the art Of robbery under the
innuence OF drugs. so the expatriited
crook simply gave himself up to a life OF
ease. w'th very little necessity to resort
10 violence except in an occasional fight
with those of his own kind.
the drug habit spread rapidly among
the women. From opium smoking they
quickly passed TO cocaine s uffing and
| .ther drinking. until now II is rarity
IN that class to find anybody not adj
di ted to some drug.
hut with the war came Anew de-
Nelopment OF the tsSfric. China, India
ana Egypt where the authorities had
ocen suppressing the opium and hashsh
haoit, onered an illmitabl- field Of
/ operations. The Aim tin idea was hi,
/ upon and the ring got to work in shori
order. The results were amazing in
their success
Women Taught 60 smoke Opium.
The restriction Of night clubs in L,o.,
don. where for two years women OF the
better class had been following the craa.
or ragtime. raised a demand for some
other sort OF palliative for the depres-
sion OF war, So the ring came into
J play again Houses In Soho and fats
in inconspicuous parts OF the West End
were taken and fitted up in luxurious
style. and the sare methods OF tout.
inG which were so successful when the
'chemin de fer craze was In vogue III
London were again employed.
Parties were made up to see AZ
opium joint. The mere suggestion OF
the Orient was enough to appeal tc
women suffering from abnormal depres
sion after the excitement OF gambling
and nsht clubs. They went to see The
furnishings OF the places with their at.
ltractive divans and suave attendants
were attractions In themselves. The op-
eration Of Transforming the pssty opium
to puffy chocolate and then rolling
Il into a little pellet ready for smoking
was In itself process Of interest.
! Just try one Whit After niur:
murinss and objections and the usua'
! tigamsrole about II being harmful
answered by the stock phrase why
have been smoking II for years and II
has never hurt me-" the victim usual,
tried.
After the first plunge the rest wa,
easy. Any NJ OF depression was seized
as an excuse to try the pipe.
Since the preceding correspondence
was written cable dispatches to THE
Sun have brought the news Of the arrest
in London of two men who are believed
TO he the principals In the opium ring
Il Is said that the arrests may break up
the Illegal traffic.