The Washington times., 1922-05-02
.CH|NAPROTESTS.
SMUGGLING Of
DRUGS BY JAPS
Illicit Opium and Morphia Flow
ing Into Territories of
Peking Government.
BY EDNA LEE BR00KES.
International News Service.


International News Service.
SHANGHAI. May 2.-Declaring
that the Japanese are perpetuating
the opium curse in a very wide area
of China. the Chinese press is de-
nouncing Japanese dealers in the
Illicit sale of smuggled opium and
morphia.
The Journal of Commerce, a lead
isg Chinese publication, prints tho
following expose of the methods
which the Japanese smugglers are
using to increase the sale of the
drugs in China:
"Opium being a poisonous drug, it's
suppression has been deemed a
moral obligation by all civilized peo-
Piles. All our foreign friends have
taken an active interest in the cause
OF opium suppression in this coun.
try. The worst that foreign nation
can do toward this campaign is to
withhold it's support.
But unfortunately in the case of
our eastern neighbor. Japan, we find
that sales In opium for the consump-
ton OF Chinese are indulged in on a
scale so extensive as to perpetuate
the opium curse in q very wide area
OF Chinese soil.
Not Of Recent Origin.
The history of the illicit traffic in
Smuggled opium and morphia on
the part of INSCRIPTIONS Japanese
Is not one of recent origin. But 1t
is for the first time that a confes-
sion of this crime has come from
the lips of a Japanese. We have
before us a thorough statement
made by the Secretary of the De-
partment OF Civil Administration of
Dairen.
From this statement It is possi-
BILE not only TO learn the nature Of
the abominable traffic, but of the
sinister methods employed by the
sndugglers to fiji their pockets with
filthy lucre. II the charges had
|. come from a Chinese source the
!, Japanese would at once proceed to
] whitewash their offenses. In the
!. present case whitewashing would
! not be so easy. With the Japanese
I trade In opium and morphia In
!, view. we fail to understand the
{. meaning of the claim OF Jausnese
diplomats to the effect hse1a pan
} has at heart the moral Welfare OF
the nations
Perhaps 1t will be wondered how
the Japanese come to have all the
needed facilities for indulging I'm the
: Illicit traffic OF smuggled opium and
n1orphia on so big a scale. There are
three factors at work which are re-
sponstble for this deplorable state of
things. In the first place, the Japa.
! nese smugglers take full advantage
of the right OF immunity from Chi
nese law under the shield of extra.
territor1ality. ...,
. In the second place. these heart.
less smugglers are able to outwit the
watchfulness of customs inspectors
by having the obnoxious drugs sent
to them as parcels, under the inspec-
tion-proof mantle of the Japanese
, mailbag In the third place, Darien,
: being japanese leased territory,
serves as a good and safe market
place for disposing of the illicit
opium which finds in Tsingtan of
today a second market, with equal
facilities.
Commission TO Investigate.
AT the Washington Conference n
! definite date had been appointed for
= the withdrawal of the foreign post
: offices in China. The question of
: The abolition of extra-territoriality
= Will largely hinge on the report Of
; the international commission that
Z will visit China for the purpose of
4 Investigating the judicial conditions
OF this country. Since any one ma.
tion may assert its right in agree.
Ing wholly or partially with reser-
I vations to the findings OF this
:, commission, Japan will be sure to
come forward with the argument
that the time is yet premature for
the abilition of extra-territoriality
Z in China.
In the case of Japanese leased
!. territories we find that Japan has
> been clinging like a bulldog in
8 Dairen and Port arthur, although
the restoration of Tsingtau, under
!. certain stipulated conditions had
been agreed upon.
I This survey of Japan's attitude
:. regarding the important issues
! with which the illicit traffic in
/ opium and kindred drugs are init
Z rnately associated, leads to the one
}. obvious conclusion, namely, that as
: long as the Japanese smugglers can
avail themselves of the present
p privileges which give them a free
traffic in poisonous drugs for pc
cuniary gain the campaign for the
suppression of opium in China will
. be confronted with singular diff
fsrifiaa pvhiCb Y,ilitata a oyofyat Tt.