TARIFFS AND THE DRUG TRAFFIC

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19973, 17 October 1927, Page 6

TARIFFS AND THE DRUG TRAFFIC

However much the League of Nations may have fallen short in accomplishment in regard to disarmament and international relations generally, it must be given credit for real usefulness in what may be called the humanitarian side of its work. At the present time, it is pursuing a campaign for the suppression of the illicit drug traffic, and the measures it is taking are expected to meet with success. At first sight, it would not appear that there was a great deal of connection between the illicit drug trade and protective tariffs, not tariffs on drugs themselves, but tariffs generally. But the League has found that this is so and that protective duties designed to protect national industries have a real bearing on the traffic in illicit drugs. Persia may be cited. Opium is very extensively produced in Persia, and hitherto the latter country’s refusal to co-operate in abolishing the opium trade has been a serious obstacle in the way of reform.

It is explained that Persia’s refusal has been due to sheer economic necessity. She has not been blind to the evils of the trade in opium and its products, such as morphia and heroin. But, as long as her general exports were handicapped by the adverse tariffs of other countries, she could not afford to sacrifice the revenue accruing to her by the trade in opium. Now Persia has notified that she is prepared to take the necessary steps to put an end to the opium industry,if the League will obtain relief for her by inducing other countries to be more merciful in their tariff impositions, and thus allow her to develop a general export trade.

It was this matter of tariffs that induced the League to convene the recent Economic Conference. The League has found that tariffs are a fruitful source of irritation between neighbouring countries and, therefore, a not inconsiderable obstacle in the way of world peace. The conference came to the same conclusion and recommended that there should be a universal movement in the direction of reduction. The League, of course, does not aim at being the deciding authority in the matter and has forwarded the recommendation to the nations themselves, leaving the latter to decide on its adoption or otherwise.