:
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and of coca, are definitively fixed. On the other hand, it is desirous of making a careful preliminary study of the efficaciousness of the measures which the Chinese Government proposes to take to suppress the cultivation of the poppy in her territory and to prevent contraband trade in opium on the French Indo- Chinese frontier.
The Government of the Republic: being anxious, however, to accord all possible support to the task of combatting opium, undertaken in common and upon the initiative of the United States, is ready to ratify the Convention of January 23, 1912, as regards Continental France.
Mr. Max-Müller: His Majesty's Government regret that they do not con- sider the present moment quite ripe for ratification, but they wish it to be dis- tinctly understood that this does not imply in any way that they are not anxious to ratify at the earliest moment possible. May I be allowed to explain some of the reasons which have led His Majesty's Government to this conclusion?
It has been felt by the advisors of His Majesty's Government that the non- adherence to the Convention of certain European countries specially interested in the question and I may mention Austria-Hungary, Switzerland and Norway - would tend to render nugatory the entire system of proposals for checking the export of morphine and cocaine to the East, while, as regards cocaine, the absten- tion of Peru would of itself counteract any efforts the European Powers, even if themselves united, might take to put an end to the illicit trade in that drug. Existing chemical manufacturers in adhering countries might be prepared to establish works in countries which had not adhered; the latter countries would, under the Convention as negotiated, be open to the unrestricted importation of morphine and cocaine from countries which were parties to the Convention. It would thus be especially easy for manufacturers in adhering countries to use adjacent non-adhering countries as countries of transit through which their manu- factures could be conveyed to the Eastern consumer. As regards the effect of the non-adherence of Peru, it has been pointed out to His Majesty's Government that the bulk of the raw material used in the manufacture of cocaine is derived from that country, and it is understood that already, without the employment of any specially elaborate pharmaceutical methods, a large quantity of coca-leaf has been submitted to a process of extraction in Peru, and that the extract con- tains seven-tenths of the amount of the active principle that is contained in the salt of cocaine ordinarily in use. It would be easy for a firm of druggists to establish a small factory in Peru which could supply the whole world with the entire quantity of cocaine salts which it was likely to be able to consume. Any attempt to suppress the illicit trade in morphine and cocaine will thus be seriously impeded unless all countries which manufacture or are likely to manufacture these drugs can be induced to agree to proposals on the lines of those laid down in the Opium Convention. His Majesty's Government feel that the present Conference will enable the Signatory States not only to review the position in regard to ratification created by the additional signatures affixed to the Convention since the last Conference, but also to concert measures to secure the signatures of those countries which have either refused to sign or have for the present abstained from doing so. The replies of certain countries to the invitation of the Netherlands Government appear to reveal the existence of misunderstandings as to the provisions and purport of the Convention which can in certain cases probably be overcome. His Majesty's Government feel that the time has arrived when the action already taken by the Netherlands Government might usefully be supplemented by action taken jointly by the Signatory Powers, and they feel that any action decided on would come with greater weight if it were the result of the joint deliberations of the Powers here assembled. would again repeat, then, that His Majesty's Government, for the reasons above given, feel that the moment is not ripe for the ratification of the Convention. I am, however, to make it clear that this does not imply a
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refusal on the part of His Majesty's Government to ratify, but only a post- ponement, and we hope to secure the adoption by the Conference of such measures as are in the opinion of the Delegates likely to induce those countries which have, for one reason or another, hitherto failed to adhere, to alter their attitude and sign the Convention without further delay, thus hastening the moment when the Governments of the Signatory Powers will be in a position to proceed to the deposit of their ratifications and the execution of the provisions of the Convention.
(Applause).
Mr. Stenio Vincent declared that according to constitutional procedure in Hafti, the Conventions must be approved by the Legislature before proclamation. The Government of Halti is ready to deposit the ratification as soon as the Legislative approval shall have been obtained.
Marquis Compans de Brichanteau declared that the Italian Government is ready to deposit the ratification of the Internatonal Opium Convention, which ratification applies also to the Italian Colonies: i. e. Erythrea, Somaliland, Tripoli and Cyrene.
Mr. Jumpei Shinobu declared that the Japanese Government has no objec tion in principle to depositing the ratification.
His Exc. Baron Fallon declared that the Government of Luxemburg is disposed to ratify the Convention.
His Exc. Federico Gamboa declared that the Mexican Government is disposed to ratify the Convention after obtaining Legislative approval.
Dr. van Deventer declared that the Government of Her Majesty the Queen of the Netherlands is ready to ratify the Convention, subject to the approval of the States-General.
His Exe. Mr. Ferreira said that he had not yet received instructions from his Government, but he did not believe that it was disposed to ratify the Convention. He was of the opinion that it would be better to await the adhesion of the other Governments. This view he advanced at the first Conference. The Powers who have ratified the Convention have pledged themselves to take steps whereby they sacrifice their national economic interests to humanitarian ends, but it is not necessary that this should be to the profit of other nations who remain free to continue and even to develop commerce in opium and in analogous drugs to the detriment of other nations.
His Exc. Mr. Swétchine declared that the Russian Government was ready to sign the Convention with the understanding that the refusal of certain Powers shall not impair its efficacy. Russia desires to reserve its final decision until this question shall have been made clear by the Conference. He agreed with the view advanced by Mr. MAX-MÜLLER on behalf of his Government.
Mr. Archer said that the Siamese Government is ready to deposit its rati- fication.
The President said that some nations felt a difficulty about ratifying at the present moment or taking measures toward that end, because other nations, some of them having great influence, had not signed the Convention. Others were willing to ratify notwithstanding that fact. In his own opinion it was not necessary for those nations which were willing to deposit their ratifications to wait before doing so until others had decided. If they deposited forthwith it would save them from being asked a second time by the Netherlands Govern- ment whether they were willing to ratify and from coming here again to make the same statement.
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