Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-02
Check on Drug Traffic Seen
In Geneva Narcotic Program

The recent session of the Interna-
tional Conference for Limitation Of Mar
cotic Drugs at Geneva has served again
to focus attention on the untold degra-
datton and suffering caused by use of
heroin, morphine, opium, cocaine and
other habit-forming drugs for other
than medicinal purposes and on the
widespread sale Of these and many other
alkaloids.
"A plan for limiting commerce in mar
cotics received IA out of 16 votes in the
Limitation Committee at Geneva, and
the plan so approved and to be en-
bodied in treaty will mark an impor-
tant step toward effective control of the
international drug traffic." says the
Worcester Evening Gazette, which is of
the opinion that 1.-THE fight for more
effective narcotic control has been so
long drawn out that even a partial ad-
vance must be profoundly welcome to
those who know what ravage the youth
Of our country has suffered from ad-
diction to narcotic poisons."
The plan adopted was the Franco
Japanese for the open market, and con-
corning it the Philadelphia Evening
Bulletin states: THE United States
ket plan as inadequate. They agreed to
1t because, in lack of anything better, it
affords prospect of some immediate con-
certed action by the nations based on
the agreement by each country to limit
its domestic manufacture" Continuing
its analysis. the Bulletin remarks !:
There is no illusion in the United
States as to the seriousness of the men
ace and Of the inadequacy of all meas
ures heretofore proposed. It also is
recognized that when legitimate manu-
facture Is controlled the bootleg menace
must be COPIED with. But this country
is ready to join in cooperating in the
best obtainable plan that promises real.
even if imperfect, results"
AS to the drug evil, the Lexington
Leader declares: 1T is one of the great
problems of the modern world. The
crime and misery which are to be traced
to the widespread use of narcotics can
not be even estimated 1t Is a menace
to civilization that smugglers and boot
leggers OF habit-forming drugs should
be able to carry on their nefarious trade.
The Government is exerting itself as
never before to stamp it out"
y X X II
Commenting upon the hold that this
trade has on even the great nations of
the world, the Columbia South Carolina
State observes: 1T is rather amazing
IIIdG 81 liItlc IldS pSGIl done Dy re1OTmerS
in this country to curb or end the traffic
in narcotics-far more insidious and
deadly than liquor. We hear and read
now and then of some slender efforts to
eradicate the drug traffic, but nothing
is really accomplished. Even the DOW
erful League of Nations approaches this
problem very gingerly, feeling out every
inch of advance" The State describes
the Leagues treatment of the problem
as resting its authority upon the public
opinions of the nations-and we know
what broken reeds these consciences
and public opinions are"
Taking the position that happily the
drug evil Is not one that affects the
United States as closely as it does some
countries" the Hartford Daily Times
still agrees that cit is a matter for pride
that America has again been in the
vanguard of a humanitarian move
ment," and the Oakland Tribune, while
somewhat disappointed in the results
of the conference, since too many ma
tionS and people are economically bound
to the production of narcotics" con-
cedes that Gin the meanwhile the edu-
cational campaign against narcotics is
making progress"
X y + 4
That "the most encouraging feature
of the Geneva conference Is the appar-