Evening star., 1925-01-21
VITAL THEMES
The Poppy's Long Criminal
Record.
BY
BISHOP CHARLES Fl. BRENT

The real significance OF the work accom-
pllshet BY the Geneva Opium Conferences Is
outlined by the distinguished American dele-
gate who has become Worlu euthorlts on
the narcotic problem
The narcotic problem is grave and
intricate. The innocent looking pop
py has a long criminal record. Nor
is the coca shrub as harmless as the
privet hedge which 1t resembles. Both
have left behind them a trail of
misery, contention and trouble that
is worldwide, and they Will prove
an increasing menace to human we'll
being unless severely curbed and
regulated.
AS long ago as 1906 it was recog
nized that nothing short of interna-
tional action could cope with the
situation. In 1912 a treaty aiming
to restrict the use of the narcotic
content of the poppy and OF coca
leaves within the ascertained needs
of science and medicine was signed
at The Hague. The League of Ma
tions, after the war, with diligence
and thoroughness, undertook the un-
grateful task of devising means for
putting the treaty into effect. The
two international opium conferences
which met at Geneva this Fall were
called through the agency of the
league and have enjoyed the hospi
tally and extraordinary facilities of
| the secretariat, without, of course
being responsible in any wise to the
league in their negotiations or find
ings.
The first conference, composed of
eight nations having possessions in
the Orient, was charged with the
trust (Which it betrayed Of devising
means Of gradually and effectively
! suppressing opium smoking. The
second conference, of 40 nations, in
which the eight We're included were
committed to all other aspects of the
problem. All nations concerned, ex-
cept India, have withheld their sig
natures from the agreement reached
by the first conference. This throws
the subject-matter of the first con
ference into the second.
The second conference reConvenes
the middle of January after a recess
of a month. There has been a. change
Of personnel in some of the delega-
tions. Viscount Cecil. returning from
his American trip, replaces Sir NAL
| colin Delavingue for Great Britain
Mr.. LOudin, Hollands foremost states
man, is added to the delegation Of
the Netherlands: NJ Meyer replaces
NJ. Bourgeois for France. The out
| look is good for a satisfactory agree
meut
Two things should be noted. In the
| first place, we, in common with other
nations, owe 10 the league a debt Of
/ gratitude for undert sking to handle
I this thorny question in behalf of man
! kind. The fact that America is not
! only represented at the conference,
( but has assumed leadership in its
deliberations, is indicative Of the
! power our country would have in
| other important questions of inter-
! national character were we to take
! our place fearlessly as an associate
or full member of the league.
/ Second, The Hague convention is 4
! representative international treaty
! which imposes equal responsibilities
( upon, and affords mutual protector
| to, all nations which have ratified it.
( 1t is the international treaty, such as
I the covenant of the league, the pro-
! tocol of the permanent court, the
protocol of international disarma-
ment and security, The Hague opium
convention, which affords the most
| powerful agency we have for world
peace and order. Indeed, there is
| no other.
| Copyright, 1921