The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-06-18
j. s. WON DRUGS
FIGHT, BISHOP
BRENT SAYS
American Delegation Got
Everything It Wanted, Ayers
Returning Representative.

NEW YORK, June 1S.-The
American delegation to the opium
commission of the League of Ma
tions really obtained everything II
wanted, despite the impression in
some quarters that its program had
been so Initiated by amendments
and reservations offered by other
countries as to be nearly futile,
declared Bishop Charles III. Brent,
one of the American representatives
! at the drug conference, who ar
rived here yesterday on the Maure'
tania.
The position Of the United States,
the Bishop explained, was, first.
that it must be recognized that the
use of opium products for other
than medicinal and scientific pur-
poses is an abuse and not legiti-
mate, and second, that in order to
prevent the abuse OF these pro-
ducts it is necessary to control
the production of raw opium so
that there will be no surplus avail
able for non-medical and non
scientific uses.
The chief point of contention
Bishop Brent said, was the desire
of midas representative to write
into the text OF the resolution
adopted the statement that the
American proposals would not In
any way restrict the "semi-medicinal
use of raw opium in India, which
was recognized as not illegitimate'
by the terms of the Hague Opium
Convention of 1912, and the con-
|GeQuent agreement to the state
- NH h.
sequently signed the resolution.
United States Opposed Amendment.
This the American delegation OPP
posed, on the ground that it would
give international sanction to a
usage that was both undesirable
and the idiosyncrasy Of a single
nation, for whose support no
scientific reason could be adduced.
For some time, Bishop Brent said
it seemed that the Indian. rather
than the American position, would
be adopted by the other nations
At the very last, however, senti.
ment on this point reversed itself
and the resolution was drawn up as
the Americans wished it, with the
Objectionable clause removed and
signed by all the members OF the
committee. The Indian delegate
also signed, though he added his
rejectedl amendment regarding the
use of opium in India as a reserva'
ton to his signature, being alone,
however, in this STEP.
The committee, after adopting the
American proposals as the proper
principles on which to act, recon-
mended that the council of the
league of nations call conference
as soon as possible to discuss the
curtailment of the amounts of NOR
pline, heroin and cocaine to be
manufactured, the limitation of the
amounts of raw opium and coca
leaf to be exported and imported
to the amounts necessary for medi-
cinal and scientific purposes, the
reduction under the convention to
be imported to countries where
opium is smoked. and the measures
to be taken by the Chinese govern
ment to suppress illegal opium pro-
duction in China.
Drug Control Further Advanced.
Bishop Brent asserted that the
victory of the American program
brought the control of narcotics
nearer than it had even been be-
fore.
Commenting on the league of ma
lions as he had seen 1t in action,
Bishop Brent said that 1t impressed
him as being the greatest school
of experience for. future statesmen
the world has ever seen, and de-
clared that in the short time it has
functioned it has already accom-
plished much in matters Of world
health and hygiene.