Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1923-02-08
Search Of all Ships
Touching u. S.
Urged
CURB PRODUCTION


o. search, a-i-t-i-, NH" N---'i-''-'
tin of druge found ilicgk -rly
On shipboard In The same Mariner
that intcrraticna! law sanctions
seizure and confscation OF coa-
traband Of war is recommended
by +. p. Eljriaee, Chez Far
Eastern Division. Derayuo@n. o.
Commerce. as the only rrGc.ic-
able means to s.rike an elective
blow at Che international dug
menace.
In q statomcrt isaceI yesterday
Dir. Eldridce SAID shat since pr2c-
tically ali I,ic;s drugs finding
their way into American conslG;p-
ton are Sm0egIcd into thc copn-
try, the only effective way 70
handle the situation IS through
drastic control Of The transit of
drugs in international commerce.
Before this is attempted CERTAIN
foreign manufacturing countries
must perfect their control over
the manufacture and distribution
of drugs. Control &C the produC-
ton OF crude drugs seems OUT o.
the question at present he add
CT.
Certain outstanding fGcts re
pardinr the international traffic
in drugs seems to be overlooked
in popular discussion Of the drug
evil" said 25r. Eldgidge.
I'm 1912 most Of the nations on
the world signed 4 convention at
The Hague whereby thoy under
took to pass such laws applicable
II their own borders as wouja
limit the trade in drugs to le-
Ultimate medical use. a great
MANY Of these nations have no@
passed such laws and have notli-
cd The Hague Of their full! adner-
cnce to The Hague Convention.
The most prominent exceptions
are certain European and ASi2uc
Countries arj one or two couH-
tries of South America. Tn
United States in DC Harrison Act
has established strict control over
the use Of drugs for medical use,
The important point in the pres
ent. drug situation, therefore, Is
the fact that practically all Of the
illicit use OF drugs in this com-
try is OF sm1ggled origin.
"Most CT the opium used IN
this country originates IN Asia
Minor. This is also believed 90
be The souccc Of much Of the Il
licit traiGc. Certain European
countries a.c the Intermediates
through which these Illicit drugs
reach this country. In the case
OF these countries Tire local al
ministratioa Of any Laws 30 gov
ern the drag traffic Is emb2r-
raised BY iaE governmental au-
thcr;ty. Some are Handicapped Ill
administering national laws Tor
the control Of The drug traffic by
their pcculiar system o. Gov
crEment which it is proposed 70
remedy by constitutional amends
ments. The fac, ,h&t most OF t;o
opium used in this country orlgl-
mates from Asia Minor, however,
makes any atsempt 20 regulate
the international drug cratic by
control 2f production almost IN
possible. IN Certain middle east
ern countries, where much opium
IS grown, il is handled as govern
ment monopoly b. The govern
ment. Iutle, if any. or Sucn
drugs IS believed 10 reoch the
United States. Much opium is a.
SO grown in pavts OF the Tar
East. but lis growth is in some
countries Illegal and it is only
couptenanccd ana encouraged by
local military governors rs 4
ready source &C revenue. The
traffic in such opium is almost
entirely coafncd to these coCN-
tries. rs there gre re- m2aufae-
turers Of TIE GrUg and its hand'-
inc in crude STATE b. s-auEs',ers
is most djGiculs. Other Oriental
countries are apparently ta6ine
STRINGENT measures 60 enforce adj
ministratior Of local drug re-
striction laws, Gs evidenced by
the recent outcries OF certain OF
their DRUG manufacturers, nart'e-
uarlp growers and manufacturers
of cocaine.
s:'The above situations an have
a direct hearing on the growth
of the Illicit drug traffic in TINS
country. for the relatively high
value Of small quantity Of
manufactured opium, CT cocaine
makes the smuggling not eA'y
extremely difficult to detect bu'
extremely profitable as we'll. Il
IS well to remember, therefore