Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-06-01
BY CONSTANCE pKExEL.

WASHINGTON. June 1-'Unless
n America will take mere active part
n the present international campaign
against drugs the world viii soon face
q most serious situation"
1t was Mrs Hamilton Wright speak
Ing on her return from Geneva and the
Genoa conference. Mrs. Wright is a
member CT the opium advisory com
mittee of the League Of Nations and is
carrying on the work of her late hus-
band, who was internationally recog-
nized as the leader Of this mos<nent
from the time of his appointment by
President Roosevelt ia 1868 until his
death five years ago. To Hamilton
Wright is due most Of the credit for
the splendid progress of this movement
until the outbreak Of the war.
Unless the opium producing countries
of the world can be prevailed upon to
reduce their cultivation TO the medical
need China will not Indefinitely forfeit
a huge potential revenue that other ma
tons should take advantage Of her alb
stinence. The whole world viii then
be menaced by a sccurge more deadly
than the plaques Of the middle ages. IL
China once starts the cultivation Of the
poppy in earnest she VIII outGistanee
product but as to morphine, which up
to the present she hes RETAINED from
manufacturing, International action can
alone prevent this catastrophe.
To America was due the original al
-ections and success Of the movement,
The war called an abrupt halt ard for
the last eight years America has but
most indirectly interested herself
Under the Versailles treaty he juris-
diction OF the opium question was put
under the hands OF the League of Ma
TONS This provided the international
Amachinery without which nothing can
be ompIished il question SO widely
rarnided and touching directly and iudi-
rectIy every nation II The earth.
Mrs Wright feels that although the
committee at Geneva IS doing good work
without the cooperation Of the United
States, nothing definite can lie accom-
pl:shed II America. through principle,
feels she can not work with a commit :
tee Of the League OF Nations. she should
lose no time in suggesting 4 substitute
II very yerlous situation is to be
avoided.
The commission. which has inst fin
ished it's sittings met or April 70 aHd
adjourned after TWO weeks discussion.
At Geneva eight nations were represented,
namely: Great Britain, France, TIE
Net herlands. Portugal, Chiaa. Japan.
Siam and India. To the committee were
added three experts or advisers. appointed
because of their knowledge of Il. sub
ject: Sir John Jordan, former British
minister to China and a member of the
British delegation to the Washington
arms conference; " Heart BreHir Of
France, aud Mrs. Hamilton Wright,
American Germany. although hot
member ~ the League OF Nations. was
asked to send representative or OBJ
server
The committee in its report recon-
mended 10 the council it should continue
&c urge all members Of the league to
become parties 10 The Hague Opium con-
geutiaa. Stress vas laid on the i'm
Portance Of the fun adherence OF Persia
and Turkey as TWO az the most important
opium producing countries in the world.
Regret was expressed that Switzerland
had not yet ratified the convention, since
her central position made the uneon-
trolIed export of druge source Of diff
sculty 10 other countries.
:. The system Of import certificates was
pproyed. This provides every APP
'plication for permission TO export danger
Gus drugs shall be accompanied by an
4i4ipOEtdtt"i tsFtiAit4tt EE'cHtetl from the
Government ~ the importing country,
stating the drag in question is to be
for legitimate purposes This Is similar
TO the clause in the Miller bill which has
recently passed Congress and viii un-
foubtedly ne Of great value In checking
the Illicit traffic in drugs
A further inquiry IS also to be made
as To the approximate requirements Of
medicinal opium morphine cocaine etc
for legitimate purposes in the various
countries
Answers TO the questionable were ex-
aInine,l and were az great value in getting
a relative point of view The question