The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-03-18
NATHDNSASK :.
j. s. FOR PLAN
TOCURB DOPE
America Invited to Suggest
Way for International Con-
troll of Narcotic Menace
LOOK HERE FOR PROGRAM
National Conference on Drug
Evil Called to Meet in the
Capital on May 3 and 4
By Universal Service.

by Universal Service.
The United States will be asked
by the nations Of the world to
suggest the way for. international
drug control.
This information was conveyed
to the State Department yester-
day by DR.. Rupert Blue, Amer
ica's representative at the Hague
narcotic commission, after con-
ference with the spokesman for
the member countries.
SEEK GUIDANCE HERE.
DIR. Blue said that every nation
pledged itself to program of con.
troll of narcotics, particularly such
q plan as would keep the drugs
from being dumped into America.
Unfortunately, he said, while they
are anxious to stamp out the evil
they have not given the matter
thought and will have to look here
for guidance.
This situation, State Department
officials point out, gives this coun-
try the opportunity to have the
elaborate plan already worked out
for America adopted as a world
wide program.
A nationwide movement, to stamp
out the narcotic drug menace will
be launched at a national confer
ence called yesterday to meet in
Washington on May and 1.
NOTABLES SIGN CALL.
Among the signers Of the call
were Secretary Of the Interior
Work. Surgeon General ireland. of
the United States army: Mrs. Will
lam A. Fitzgerald. president Of the
California Federation of Women S
Clubs: DIR. George M. Kober. dean
OF Georgetown University Medical
School; former Chief Justice Stan
ton J. Peelle, Of the United States
Court Of Claims; Rear Admiral
Stitt, navy surgeon general Rev.
w. s. Abernethy. pastor of Presi.
dent Harding's church, and Wayne
B. Wheeler, general counsel of the
Anti-Saloon League.
Invitations to participate in the
conference were forwarded to State
governors. mayors OF cities and
towns, foreign embassies. and lega-
tons, medical, civic and welfare
organizations. fraternal orders,
clubs. and other organized societies. |
Secretary OF State Hughesp has
been invited to deliver one of the
principal addresses. He is chairman
OF the Federal Narcotics Control
Board, created by the Jones-M Miller
act to have full charge of importa-
lions and manufacture of narcotic
drugs in the United States.
The Secretary OF State also has
the duty of carrying into effect
the Porter resolution, recently
adopted by Congress and signed by
President Harding, asking that dip.
tomato representations be made to
foreign governments to restrict the
growth and manufacture of dope"
TO minimum medicinal and scien-
ttffc needs.
ARMY TAKES NOTICE.
The gravity of the dope" danger
has been greatly impressed upon the
authorities in Washington since the
War Department began an investfga-
ton of reports that surplus army
narcotic drugs left over from the war
were finding their way into the
hands of peddIers.
n preliminary report was made
yesterday to Surgeon General Ire
land by investigators who had been
looking into the charge of officials
OF the Edwards Trading Company, a
Washington concern without H.
cense to sell narcotics, that the
dope" found in it's stock by raiders
had been purchased from the army |
Col. L. G. Mutt, chief Of the mar
cotic unit Of the prohibition bureau,
also said he expected a report from
his Investigators at army stations
some time next week. He declared:
II am confident that the War De- |
partment is not itself responsible for
whatever leakage there may have
been. II DR.. Rhees, the head Of the |
Baltimore narcotic offices, in charge
OF this inquiry, finds that army drugs
got out illegally, believe the blame
will be traced to individuals acting
without authorization"
The narcotic coatrol board will fix
the quantity Of crude drug required
for legitimate medicinal purposes at
a conference with manufacturers in
Washington on March 27.