Evening star., 1924-12-08


Monroe street northwest. James
N. Nader, "a, who resides at 1918
Eighteenth street. will marry Miss
Wadia Aed, 49,
stern sense of duty, to fall back on
the American reservations and raise
the question of what the second con-
ference should do in the circum-
stances"
Opposes u. s. Signing.
"To keep silence and acquiesce in
the agreement the bishops state
ment continues, would make us de-
linquents in our responsibilities as
signatories to The Hague convention,
which charges us, equally, with the
nations represented at the first con-
ference with taking progressive and
effective measures for suppression OF
the use of prepared opium.
"If possible, we hope at this eleventh
hour to save both ourselves and the
signatories of the first conference
agreement from the just reproach
which is sure to be measured out
with unsparing hand to all who have
made or may make themselves re-
sponsible for its provisions"
Reviewing the work of the first con-
ference the bishop says Americans
took 1t for granted that it's results
would be submitted to second con-
ference in which Americans were
participating, instead of the results
merely being reported to the league
council. as was decided on Saturday.
Real Problem Untouched.
The bishop then takes up the first
conferences agreement article by
rt H1 n6 nr0n0Sal b.
lish a government monopoly to regu-
late opium selling proposes a new
administrative measure, leaving the
substance of the problem untouched"
1T Is not compulsory, and at best
it is a hesitating STEP" the state
ment says. I'm my judgment a gov
ernment monopoly can never be other
than a hazardous experiment. except
as temporary expedient for a speci-
fed purpose and for a limited period"
The bishop particularly condemns
the first conferences articles of
agreement relative to the prohibition
of the sale of opium to minors. saying:
presumably the protection of chill
dren and limitation of shops and
'divans' was the earliest step taken
a decade ago toward suppression of
the opium abuse. At the last mo-
ment an effort was made to en-
large article IL by considering the
welfare of adults as well as minors.
It was defeated. although the ar
ticle was heightened to read, The
sale of opium to minors shall be
prohibited: all possible steps shall
be taken by the contracting powers
to prevent the spread of the habit
OF opium smoking among minors
\ bystander suggested the further
addition of the words Unless they al
ready have learned in the kinder
garten.
Objects to Word .Divan.'
The only reason for refusing a
pledge to prevent the spread of the
self to the ordinary man. the Bishop
continues. is that the parties con-
cerned do not wish such a restric-
tion. He then notes that the word
"divan" was substituted for the word
den" as used in The Hague con-
vention. and says:
II cannot see that anything has
been done to opium dens or dives
emitting them to the honorific or
euphonious title of divans."
Referring to charges that he had
been ungenerous in his allusions to
vested interests during the second
conferences deliberations, Bishop
Brent says: Such -protestations are
empty, so long as the fact abides
that revenues large or small are
received and not Immediately ex-
pended on prevention treatments of
adicts or other such measures"
While commencing the article in
the agreement which says 1.-The con-
tracing powers shall use their ut
most efforts by suitable instruction
in schools, the dissemination of lit
erature and otherwise to discourage
the use of prepared opium within
their respective territories" the state
ment says:
Raps Hedging on Article.
"It would take a sophist, or even
a Mephistopheles, to explain why so
simple and honest a plan should have
been marred and defeated by having
tackled upon 1t the words except
when the government considers such
measures undesirable under the con-
ditions existing in its territory" the
bishop declares. THE article begins
with Utmost efforts and closes with
as fine piece of hedging as any
gambler ever employed in a horse
race. 1t is the trifing principle of
playing with language in solemn
covenant. If it were children of our
own body and homes we would not
tolerate it.
why then should we tolerate 1t
for the children of the Orient?
Recalling that legislative machin-
cry had been brought into being for
the creation of the first comference's
report and the result of 1t, the bishop
remarks that it was like building
steam hammer and then using it
to crack a walnut.
The document" says the bishop,
''is a bundle of compromises. reduc-
ing the whole great enterprise to
the lowest common denominator
The best l can hope is that it will
not be ratified as it stands"
Bishop Brent concludes with an
appeal to the second conference to
waive all matters of competence I'm
less something is DONE" he declares.
color will be given the charge that
Western nations having Eastern
possessions are callous as regards
the vital interests of the very people
upon whom the welfare of such pos
sessions depends and to the further
charge that we, of the West, have
law of protection for ourselves
and a law of exploitation for those
who are our friends when not our
wards"
BATHING BEACH CREATED
FOR COLORED RESIDENTS