511.4 A 2/90a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in Perú (Poindexter)81
41. There will be an international conference in Geneva in November, 1924, to consider measures for the further restriction of the traffic in opium and other dangerous drugs. It is the hope of this Government that the participation in the work of this conference be very general, and particularly that those countries which produce the raw product from which morphine and cocaine are made will be adequately represented. The Department understands that the Government of Perú has been invited to attend the Conference, and trusts that it will be represented there.
One of the vital questions for consideration is the problem of controlling the production of coca leaves. This Government believes that it is only by reducing the quantity of the raw material produced that effective control can be obtained. Accordingly the Government of the United States hopes that the Government of Perú will find it possible to prevent the cultivation of the coca leaf plant in quantities larger than are required for medicinal or scientific purposes Unrestricted production means uncontrollable consumption, especially when the product enters into international channels.
You should invite the attention of the Government of Perú to this question, and ask for a frank statement of its views, and an exposition of any difficulties which are anticipated in putting a program of this character into effect. The complete acceptance of the Hague Convention by the Government of Perú leads this Government to believe that Perú will be willing to cooperate further in the suppression of the traffic in dangerous drugs.
Repeat mutatis mutandis to La Paz as No. 19.
- See last paragraph for instructions to repeat to Bolivia.↩