Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-01-18

1clSucQ hospitality Oh Willard SCralgQC HAL,
found peace of mind which words cannot
express. I experienced at the time sense Of
gratitude to Cornell that made me wish it pos
sible to adopt her as my alma mater and that
remains with me today as peculiar solicitude
for her good fortune.
I am convinced that very potent way by
which university can endear itself to a perfect
stranger is through the hospitality of its guest
house and the cordially OF Its welcome to the
unknown guest
Were financially situated as was Mr.. Hull,
I myself would do as he has done by Cornell
r. G. SUMNER.
L. S. Attitude to Opium Trade
To the Editor Of The STAR
The Soviet Government has announced that
the United States Is encouraging the use of
opium In Iran as q means to enslave that
country. This preposterous statement is made
either through ignorance of the facts or as
further attempt to defame the good name
OF the United States
It should be recalled that it was the United
States that dislodged the centuries-old opium
evil from its deeply entrenched place in Asia
and placed it on the interna tional stage for
solution. In taking over the Philippine Islands
from Spain America discovered that she had
also inherited the opium monopoly system.
When this was brought to the attention of
Theodore Roosevelt at that time President of
the United States, he at once had it abolished
on the grounds that America refused to obtain
revenue based on the decentralization OF an
Eastern people under her protection. He later
invited the governments associated with the
opium trade in the Far East to meet at a COM
mission in Shanghai to discuss measures where
ey this dangerous drug could be controlled.
This meeting was followed later by three inter-
national opium conferences held at The Hague
also called by the United States. At the
first Hague Conference in 1911 and under the
leadership of the American delegation an
opium convention was signed and later ratified.
This was the first international agreement ever
drafted to control opium.
At the close Of the First World War the
Hague Opium Convention was incorporated in
the Versailles Treaty and shortly afterwards
the opium problem was taken from The
Hague and placed in the hands Of the League
Of Nations for its solution. While not a member
Of the League Of Nations but acutely concerned
in the control Of opium the United States not
only co-operated with the Leagues Opium Ad-
visory Committee in Geneva but later attended
an international opium conference called by
the League for the purpose, 50 the invitation
to some so odd nations read, to consider the
American proposals or program. It had long
been the opinion of the United States that the
first place to attack an evil was at its source,
and it strongly advocated that steps be taken
to restrict the production Of opium to its
medicinal need.
On the meeting Of the conference, the
American delegation proposed that non
political commission of experts be sent to the
opium producing countries for the purpose OF
making q thorough investigation OF the stua-
uion on the spot, and Of determining what
other crops could take the place Of opium,
over and above its medicinal need, without
undue disturbance to national budgets. While
the Conference had been called ostensibly for
the purpose Of giving consideration to the
American so-called principles" 1t became
apparent that it was reluctant to allow full
discussion of the American program, but pre-
ferred giving its attention to secondary con-
siderations. After many weeks attendance and
repeated efforts to present its full program to
the conference it became obvious that hear
ing was not to be granted and Washington
finally withdrew it's delegation from Geneva.
Commission to Producing Countries.
The conference continued for brief period
after the withdrawal of the American dele
CATION. At one OF the later meetings the
Iranian delegate brought to the attention Of
the conference the American proposal that
commission of experts be sert to the opium
producing countries. Such commission, the
Iranian delegate affirmed, would be welcomed
by his government. While at first reluctant
to consider the proposition, the League OF
Nations finally concurred in the sending Of
commission Of inquiry to Iran, appointing as
chairman Of the commission Frederick Delano,
uncle of President Franklin Roosevelt. John
d. Rockefeller evinced his interest in the
solution Of the opium evil by contributing
more than half OF the expenses Of this Corn-
mission.
In 1927, Mr.. Delano with q group Of compe-
tent experts proceeded to Iran. After several
months careful survey with the aid and ap-
prevail of the Iranian government, report
was compiled covering the situation in detail
with constructive recommendations. The COM
mission then returned to Europe and sub
mitted its report to the League for its con-
sideration and action. Unfortunately. the le-
port was not given the attention it deserved
nor were its recommendations put into effect.
With the collapse of the League Of Nations,
Jurisdiction over the opium problem once
more was transferred and now rests in the
hands of q special opium committee of the
United Nations.
This brief review Of the opium story should
make very clear the dominant part played
by the United States in an effort to control
valuable but highly dangerous drug and
definitely bellies the statement Of the Soviet
government that the United States is using
opium as q means of enslaving a friendly
nation MRS HAMILTON WRIGHT,
Member of the American Delegation to the
International Opium Conference OF the
League of Nations.
Wants Federal Buildings Scattered
To the Editor Of The Star.
Senator Wiley, you report Is concerned
about the vulnerability Of Washington to at
tack by air and, Of course, that means atom
attack. The buildings in the downtown Federal