Evening star., 1923-05-26
u. S. URGES CURB
0NDRUG EXPORTS
Statement at Geneva Also
Suggests CurtaiIing of
Poppy Cultivation.

| The text of the American statement
! on opium traffic, presented yesterday
| by the American advisory commit
| tee at the league of nations discus
sion in Geneva dealing with narcotic
! drugs was made public yesterday at
! the State Department. 1t asserts that
! the United States is of the opinion
that there should be complete accept
ance of and compliance with the
| terms and spirit of The Hague opium
| convention"
After outlining the provisions of
that convention, the American state
ment says that this course had been
| necessary lin order to demonstrate
| how far the United States has gone
in putting the convention into effect"
| Reference then is made to American
| legislative measures for control of
the traffic in narcotic drugs and pro-
| hibiting their importation except un-
/ der the regulations of the Federal
Narcotics Control Board, and then
| only through a limited number of
| ports and by manufacturers actually
| engaged in production Of necessary
| drugs.
Exports Are Limited.
1t is added that exports of mar
coticS may be made with permission
| of the control board and only to coun-
| tries which are parties to The Hague
! convention and which. maintain ac-
| tual control of narcotic imports.
! 1t also is pointed out that Americas
| citizens are forbidden by American
| law to import opium into China or
| engage in the opium traffic there the
| statement adding that this record of
/ legislation demonstrates that the
| United States has endeavored to
| carry out it's obligations" under the
| convention.
The American statement contends
| that unrestricted production of raw
| opium inevitably results in a surplus"
over medicinal and scientific require
ments and in diversions into Illicit
| traffic making impossible the execu-
| tion" of restrictive laws adopted in
| conformity with The Hague conYen-
| ton. 1t, therefore, is argued that un-
restricted production of opium should
not be permitted and the cultivation
| of the opium poppy should be limited
as should the production of coca
! leaves to make the output conform to
the proper requirements.
U. s. Urges Compliance.
THE United States has made a sim
cere effort to comply with the terms
or Ihe Hague opium convention"
the statement adds, "and is prepared
to consider seriously any further
| measures which may be suggested for
stricter control of the traffic in mar
cotic drugs. 1t feels, however, that
the adoption of the foregoing princi-
pies and their realization in legisla-
tive measures that will prevent the
international traffic continue a mini
mum of what can be considered a
compliance with the spirit of the con-
vention.
THE United States suggests, there
fore, that the committee (of the
league of nations) adopt the princi-
pies set forth and embody them in it's
report and recommendations as the
basis upon which effective interna-
tional cooperation can be expected"
Would Restrict Exports.
The text of the resolutions to this
end and proposed by Representative
Porter of Pennsylvania, one of the
American advisors in behalf of the
United States, are appended together
with a synopsis of Mr.. Porter's argu-
ment before the committee in behalf
of this plan. The concluding para
graph of the proposed resolutions
reads:
"All nations are urged to prohibit
| the expectation of narcotic drugs, in
| cluding opium in whatever forms and
| cocoa leaves and derivaties of these
| drugs to those countries which are
| not parties to the Hague opium con-
| vention and which do not have do
| mestic systems of control-including
| import and export certificates"