Evening star., 1925-01-25
ACCORD IS REACHED
AT OPIUM SESSION
Joint Commission Named
From Two Conferences
to Study Smoking.
BY the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
GENEVA. January 24.-The wave of
distruSt and despair which engulfed
Geneva for the past few days over the
opium controversy has been succeeded
by tide Of e!ation and optimism
equally as extreme as the previous ap-
prehension, This violent reaction.
which caused all the delegates to eat
their dinners happily tonight. was the
outcome of harmony reached at the
forenoon session Of the international
opium conference concerning the pro-
sram for attacking the great problem
which nearly caused the collapse of the
conference that of the suppression of
opium smoking i'll the Far East.
Representative Stephen @. Porter,
head of the American delegation, and
the European bloc under the leader
ship of Great Britain have agreed upon
the creation of a joint commission
from the two opium conferences to
study the American and all other
measures which have been put for
ward to settle this veXed problem.
No Attempt Mt Shelving.
Mr.. Porter accepted this procedure
after he had received definite assur-
anCc that this joint commission would
not develop into an organ for side
tracking the discussion of the project
which the Americans considered SO
vital but that it would be empow-
cred to report to the second and more
general conference. whose Compe-
tency TO handle the question had
been in dispute, and that. further
more, this conference was entitled to
take official action on the commits
sion's report.
At subsequent plenary meetings of
both conferences this commission
comprising representatives of 16
countries was duly designated, but DR..
Iahle, president of the second con-
ference. took occasion tonight before
adjourning the session to issue a
tactful hint that the delegates should
not overdo their sentiments of op-
timism.
Or. Zahle went back To the reign
Of King Louis Philippe of France and
cited the famous remark of the dis
tinguished statesman and once MN
lister of the interior, Francois >Gui-
zot-"The crisis is not ended. But !
am one of those who believe that
nothing in this world is ever ended.
We have to proceed and work for OBJ
iects often doubtful and incomplete.
That is our task, which l accept with
out illusion, but also without discour-
a6ement.'
Appeals for Good Feeling.
To this citation. solemnly delivered,
DR.. Iahle added a stirring appeal
that the joint commission begin its
labors with confidence and with the
good feeling which today's concord
had put into motion. The eight dele
gates representing the first confer
ence include all the powers attending
that conference. which was restricted
10 states Of the Far East and coun-
tries having Far Eastern territories
They are England, France Holland.
Japan, Portugal, China. Siam and
India.
The second conference, open to all
countries which has been endeavor-
ing to prepare Il satisfactory anti
narcotic convention, later elected by
secret ballot the eight countries
which will represent it on the joint
commission. The list favored by Mr.
Porter won; It consists of the United
States, Brazil, Cuba, Egypt, Finland,
Italy, Persia and Poland.
The commission will meet Monday
morning. and it is possible that the
sessions will be public. Dr. Zahle's
warning to the conference against
exaggerated optimism was due to
the realization that there still re
mains. Notwithstanding the apparent
harmony, the grave difficulty of reach
ing an accord. Mr.. Porter said to-
night: Il shall keep hammering away.
hoping and believing that favorable
results can be attained"