Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-08-22

WASHINGTON, D. c., Aug. 10
Whether, as some claim there mas
been a recent marked increase in the
Illicit consumption of opium and
other habit-forming drugs, the tact
remains hat not since the middle
SOS has there been so much ag ia
ton against the contrabrand trdtjic
in narcotics az there is at present.
The American newspapers are con-
tinually printing stories dealing with
the evil in this country. The Jp-
poEentS of prohibition aver that the
alarming growth in the number OF
drug fiends Is but the inevitable re-
suit OF the dry amendment and the
Volstead Law. But the commotion
is by nc means confined to The
United States. The League of Ma
tons has undertaken a worldwide
crusade against the drug traffic; and
it is said hal the recent note Of
tthe league, which the State Depart
ment felt it polite not 20 answer,
asked for the statistics of drug con-
sumption in this country.
In the work of suppression the
United States nevertheless is dong
its share; and this share consists
principally in making it difficult to
bring narcotics into the United
States except for their legitimate
uses. The customs service at the
ports and along the borders is only
the final battlement which the dope
smuggler has to scale. Many and
devious are his methods of escaping
the vigilance of the customs officers
Not long ago a high official of the
government, returning from the Cri-
ent. was the innocent accomplice
of an opium runner The officials
baggage was by courtesy exempt
from customs inspection. His trust
ed ervant was aware of this fact
and loaded the immune baggage
with opium. Not until this man be-
gan to peddle the dope was ne
caught and his clever scheme DIS
covered.
Yet long before the opium run
ner reaches the edge of the United
States, he has had to run another
gauntlet and one which often en-
traps him. This barrier is that laid
by the American consuls in those
parth of the earth where opium and
other drugs are produced. The con-
sui Is Uncle Sans man of all work
in foreign lands, He is not so deco
rative as an ambassador or minister;
but taking him $50 days in the
year, he Is much more useful. He
visas the passports Of aliens seek
lis ~ SlltS1 IL ohAICu oldl0Sy hCSPo
his eyes open for opportunities FOR
American trade. looks after Amsri-
car shipping. and every now and
then digs down into his pocket Tor
thu relief of some stranded Ameri-
car tourist.
Feats Of Consul Adams
Besides these, one of the chief
duties of our consuls in China is
to aid in the prevention OF the O n
Itrabrand drug traffic across the
Pacific. Since 1t has been a CRIME
to smuggle opium either into China
or into the United States; and since
1887. but never more so than al
present, the opium runner has been
a cross for every American con-
sui along the Chinese coast to bear,
Recently the attention of the con-
sular service has been directed to
the success of Vice Consul Walter
A Adams in China in breaking ur
two wholesale attempts to traffic In
opium on a large scale.
Consul Adams attention was first
directed to the fact hat in one
lChinese section of Changsa, where
he was stationed, there was a native
hotel displaying a sign In Chinese
that 1t was an American institution
and under the protection of the
l<tIltCIlCdh lidSs IA ~ PSNaAAaA -
that by treaty with that country al
lAmerican-owned or American oc'
cupied property therein. no matter
where located, is subject not to thu
jurisdiction of the government o
China, but to that of the Unite6
States. Our government maintains
a federal court in Shanghai which
has jurisdiction over all American
and their property in China. Con
s%eouently, any establishment which
the Chinese authorities had reason
to think was owned by American
would not be molested by them.
II was news to Consul Adams
however, that any hotel in Changs;
was owned by Americans. He mad
a surprise visit to the place and Dor
!. away the sign, together with evi
dence hat opium was being sold oil
/ the premises under the alleged pro
lection of the American flag. Then
in cooperation with the native pc
lice, he broke up several simila
establishments, all of them claiming
| American ownership. One of IN
: raided places was an opium den Il
I which the drug was being smoke,
by addicts. This place actually fey
1.-THE American flag on it's Flagstaff.