611.4 A 2/178
The Department of State to the British Embassy
Memorandum
The Department of State has received the British Embassy’s memorandum of December 3, 1924, concerning certain proposals which are to be advanced by the British delegate to the International Narcotics Conference, now sitting at Geneva, on the subject of the domestic consumption of prepared opium in India.
In view of the conditions set forth in the Preamble of the House Joint Resolution approved May 15, 1924, a copy of which is enclosed herewith for the British Embassy’s information,91 authorizing an appropriation for the participation of the United States in the International Narcotics Conference, the Government of the United States finds itself unable to acquiesce in the suggestions communicated by the British Government in the memorandum under acknowledgment. [Page 119] It would seem also that, since there are a large number of governments participating in the Geneva Conference, presumably with a divergence of views on the question at issue, it would perhaps be advisable to leave the matter entirely to the determination of the Conference itself.
The Chairman of the American Delegation to the Geneva Conference has been informed that the Department of State entertains the hope that no issues will arise at Geneva which will jeopardize the success of the Conference, and, with that in mind, the Department of State ventures to assure the British Embassy that the Chairman of the American Delegation will accord the utmost consideration to any proposals which may be made by the British delegates at the Conference.
- Not printed.↩