[Enclosure]
The Secretary General of the League of
Nations (Drummond) to the American
Minister in Switzerland (Wilson)
Geneva, October 16,
1928.
12/7768/6245
Sir: I have the honour to inform you that
the Ninth Assembly of the League of Nations, at a meeting held on
September 24th, 1928, passed the following resolution:
“That the Assembly recommend the Council to appoint a
Commission of three persons to enquire into and report upon
the situation in the Far-Eastern territories of the
Governments which agree to such an enquiry as regards the
use of opium prepared for smoking; the measures taken by the
Governments concerned to give effect to the obligations
undertaken in Chapter II of the Hague Opium Convention of
1912 and in the Geneva Opium Agreement of February 1925; the
nature and extent of the illicit traffic in opium in the Far
East and the difficulties which it causes to the fulfilment
of those obligations; and to suggest what action should in
the circumstances be taken by the Governments concerned and
by the League of Nations.
“That the Assembly also expresses the hope that the
Government of the United States will permit the Commission
to visit the Philippines and inform itself of the experience
of the system of prohibition in operation there.”
In accordance with the resolution of the Assembly, I have the honour
to bring to the attention of your Government the hope expressed by
the Assembly that your Government will permit the Commission to
visit the Philippines and inform itself of the experience of the
system of prohibition in operation there.
In taking this action, I venture to place before you, for the
information of your Government, certain facts which are set out in
the Report of the Fifth Committee to the Assembly (A.82.1928.XI) and
which explain the origin and purpose of the proposed Commission:
The proposal originated in a memorandum on the control of
opium-smoking in the Far East communicated by the British
Government in a letter, dated August 1st, 1928, to the
Secretary-General for transmission to the Council of the
League. This proposal was examined by the Council at its
meeting on August 31st, and referred to the Assembly for its
consideration.
As the report of the Fifth Committee to the Assembly
indicates, the proposal had arisen out of the difficulties
with which the British Government finds itself confronted in
the attempt to carry out the undertaking into which it has
entered in the Hague Convention “to take measures for the
gradual and effective suppression of the use of prepared
opium with due regard to the varying circumstances of each
country concerned”. The British memorandum explains in
detail the nature of these difficulties which arise from the
existence of a large illicit traffic in opium in the Far
East, and hamper or even nullify the efforts of the
Governments concerned to control and restrict the
consumption.
[Page 451]
These
difficulties existed already in 1924–25, when the First
Geneva Conference was held. Since that Conference they have
not diminished, but have actually increased. The memorandum
refers specially to the difficulties experienced in
Hong-Kong, where the Government of the Colony estimates the
consumption of illicit opium to be many times that of the
Government monopoly opium. But the difficulties are
considerable also in Malaya, and it would appear from the
proceedings of the Opium Advisory Committee of the League
that other Governments have experienced similar
difficulties.
The British Government states further that it has proceeded
with the measures agreed upon by the Conference of 1924–25,
but the present situation appears to it to be such as to
call for a fresh examination and review on the spot,
especially in view of the fact that under the terms of the
Agreement of the First Geneva Conference a further
Conference is due to be held not later than next year. The
memorandum suggests that it is most desirable that an
unbiassed statement of the actual position made by a
completely independent Commission appointed by the League,
to which is entrusted by the Covenant the supervision of the
traffic, should be laid before the world. Such a Commission
might further be able, as a result of its enquiries, to make
valuable suggestions as to the measures to be adopted in the
present circumstances. The enquiry would thus provide the
material on which the next Conference would be able to base
its work.
I should be grateful if the Government of the United States found it
possible to inform me of its reply to the request set out in this
letter not later than December 10th, on which date the Council will
meet for its 53rd session, and will take a final decision as to the
sending of the Commission and its composition. As regards the latter
point, it is understood that the three members of the Commission
will be chosen from nations which are not directly concerned in the
problems to be investigated.
I have the honour to send you, for the information of your
Government, the relevant documents dealing with this matter.80 These
are:
- 1)
- The letter and memorandum respecting the control of
opium-smoking in the Far East, with appendix, communicated
by the British Government, together with an extract from the
Minutes of the Council, August 31st, 1928.
(A.40.1928.XI.)
- 2)
- Provisional minutes of the Fifth Committee of the Ninth
Ordinary Session of the Assembly (containing the discussions
on the proposed Enquiry). (A.V./P.V.7, 8, 9, 11.)
- 3)
- Report of the Fifth Committee to the Assembly on the
proposal by the Government of Great Britain for a Commission
of Enquiry into the control of opium-smoking in the Far
East. (A.82.1928.XI.)
- 4)
- Verbatim Record, Ninth Ordinary Session of the Assembly,
September 24th, 1928. (See Pages 16–19).
I have [etc.]
