The Washington times., 1923-02-11
CONGRESS TO SLASH
ROOTS OF DRUG EVIL

is entirely practicable through the
exercise Of sovereign powers of
these governments.
There is no difficulty about de-
termining the quantity of mar
cotics needed for medicine and
science. Existing laws in most of
the larger nations already require
careful. records to be kept of all
such drugs dispensed. This data
is easy Of compilation. In the
event OF any doubt and to insure
an adequate quantity for medicine,
it would be simple matter to set
UP in each country q governmental
body to store an emergency sup
ply for use only in the event that
private stocks are exhausted in
legitimate uses.
Long and exhaustive study OF
this problem has convinced leaders
in the fight against this evil that
the only hope Of graduating it is
by striking a death blow at its very
root-production.
Efforts to curb the menace by
control OF transportation and sale
nave proved their futility in mis-
cradle failure, however we'll en-
forced such laws may be.
GROWTH UNCHECKED.
AS a result of the meeting of the
international Opium Commission in
Shanghai, China, in 1909, and the
Hague conference in 1912, an in
ternat1onal treaty was drawn in
the hope of suppressing the Illicit
traffic in dope Ten years have
passed. Laws have been enacted in
most of the countries to carry out
the terms of the treaty. The
growth and spread of the menace
has gone unchecked.
The inherent difficulty in under
taking to control this traffic by
regulating transportation and sale
hes IN the smallness in bulk of the
drugs and the great profits to be
made from their sale to addicts.
These factors have induced and en-.
coufaged the INSCRIPTIONS to divert
enormous quantities into channels
OF Illicit international traffic, in
practical effect, multiplying the treaty
ana laws adopted in pursuance of
the treaty.
Action through international con-
ference, therefore, becomes hope
less. The League, Of Nations un-
dertook to restrict cultivation of
the poppy and the production Of
opium therefrom to Strictly me-
dlcinal and scientific" purposes.
But Mr.. Sastri, delegate from In
dia, which derives large revenues
from the opium traffic, had the
word Legitimate" substituted for
the words Strictly medicinal and
scientific" when the resolution
reached the assembly.
This change permits the continu-
ance of the sale of enormous guam
titles of opium and it's derivatives
In many sections of the Orient by
the opium producers of India, Tur-
key and Persia, where it is 'Ie-
ultimate to sell and transport these
drugs, without restriction on their
use, results in the diversion of
large quantities into the channels
of illegal international traffic,
which illicitly brings into the United
States, and here sells for unlawful
purposes large quantities of prepa-
rations made therefrom, such asI
morphia, cocaine and heroin.
The bare facts conclusively demon
strate the result of a compromise
verdict on the drug evil. Inter
national conferences require unan-
imous agreement and usually re.
suits in compromises. There can
be no compromise with dope.
The United States long ago has
demonstrated its sympathy and CO.
operation with any other govern
ment attempting to deal with a |
problem of this character. 1t |
helped the Philippines wipe out |
the dope" traffic and aided China |
in her heroic efforts to cast off
The opium yoke.