The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-05-04
AMERICA To TAKE
ACTIVE HAND n
WAR UPON DRUGS
Hughes Discusses Question In
Statement Read Before
Narcotic Conference

WASHINGTON, May 3.-The United
States Will take the position at the
meeting this month of the opium ad-
visory committee of the League
of Nations at Geneva, Secretary
Hughes declared in a statement read
tonight before the National Anti
Narcotic conference, assembled here
by Rexford Holmes, a Washing ton
church worker, that the use of mar
cotic drugs for other than medici-
nal and scientific purposes Is ille-
ultimate.
Curtailment of the production of
opium and coca leaves, in line with
the resolution adopted by Congress
at its last session calling upon the
President to urge such restrictions
upon foreign governments. Mr.
Hughes added, also will be advo-
Gated by the American delegation
which has been appointed to repre-
sent the United States governmen t
at the Geneva meeting in "consulta
tive capacity
Policy UnmistakabIe.
THE policy of the United States
in regard to traffic in narcotic drugs
is unmistakable." Mr.. Hughes de
clared 1T Is to restrict the manu-
facture and domestic distribution tc
medicinal and scientific uses. The
laws on this subject are admins
tered by the treasury department
The department of state is concerned
with the traffic in so far as it Is
affected by our relations with for
eign powers. In this respect, too
our policy Is well defined"
Mr.. Hughes then referred to The
Hague opium convention of 1912, tc
which the United States is party
and which was entered into with
several countries to control the in
ternational traffic in opium, cocaine
and their derivatives.
1T has been the consistent policy
of the United States" he continued
Ito adhere to the letter and spirit
of this treaty and to urge upon other
nations the advisability of adherine
to 1t and of enacting legislation
which will carry out its provisions.
O O O
Approve Hague Plan.
only last year Congress enacted
law which provides, among other
things, that no narcotic drugs may
be exported to countries which are
not parties to this convention. and
which do not have effective systems
of control over domestic distribution
The Pan American conference at
Santiago has just adopted a resolu-
ton, submitted by the delegation of
the United States, declaring its APP
prevail of the Hague convention and
urging those American states which
have not already done So to ratify it,
to enact legislation to put it into
effect.
1T is quito true that there exists
United States is not only bound by
existing international treaty oblisa-
lions to cooperate with other ma
tons in the suppression of the Illicit
traffic in narcotic drugs, but has
made this cooperation sine qua
non on the part of any nation desir-
ing to obtain narcotic drugs in this
country.
1T is quite true thta there exists
a large Illicit traffic In narcotic
drugs. The origin of most of these
drugs. I am convinced Is found to be
either in those countries which have
not ratified The Hague opium con-
vention and make 1t effective by do
nestle legislation or in countries
which, having ratified the conven-
ton, do not effectively control tn