NARCOTIC EVIL

Northern Advocate, 10 February 1925, Page 5

NARCOTIC EVIL

TRADE IN OPIUM. GENEVA DELIBERATIONS. TWO POWERS WITHDRAW. GENEVA, February 8. The American delegation has withdrawn from the Opium Conference. Its withdrawal is a sequel to the difference in views which recently arose between the British and American delegates. The Americans proposed a scheme by which they contended the opium traffic would be ended in 10 years. The British delegates pointed out that the American plan would not prevent the smuggling of opium. They held that the crux of the whole matter was China's failure to prevent the increase in opium growing, and proposed th-it the traffic in the drug should be ended within a period of 15 years,' dating from the time when China should begin to effectively carry out i* e Hagm opium convention. Attempts to reconcile the British and American viewpoints have been unsuccessful. The Chinese delegates were absent. The president read a letter from the Chinese delegation announcing its withdrawal on the ground that, as no undertaking had been given to suppress opium smoking in Far Eastern territories, the delegation considered no good purpose would be served by its further participation in the conference. Dr. Teivola, of Finland, submitting the report of the committee on the American proposals and the AngloFrench statements in regard to the gradual suppression of opium smoking within a stipulated time, said the failure to reach an agreement was more apparent than real. The speeches of the British, French and Dutch delegates clearly showed that their Governments were ready to suppress the use of opium. They agreed that the League of Nations should fix a date from which a period of 15 years should run. If the producing countries adopted a similar attitude the opium problem could bo solved very soon. Dr. Sze, in a letter notifying the withdrawal of China, gave the assurance that the Government of China, would exert all its power to enforce the policy prohibiting the production of opium for other than medicinal and scientific purposes.—A. and N.Z.