Peking, Dec. 30.
The following information is circulated by the International Anti-Opium Association, Peking.
From information recently received by this Association there seems to be but little change in the opium and morphia conditions in Shantung. The Maritime Customs Returns for the September quarter of 1921 show an import into Kiaochou of 36 piculs of Persian opium and 1.20 of Taiwan opium, or approximately 5,000 lb. This is the largest since 1918 when the amount was 55 piculs. In 1919 only 7§ piculs were imported and in 1920 none whatever entered. It is significant that this relatively large importation should synchronize with tie enormous importation into Tairen in the March quarter of this year, both occuring at a time when a great decrease was expected owing to the surrender of the Japanese Government monopoly. The importation of opium, however, is by no means the greatest evil, for smuggling is being carried on now on an even larger scale than formerly. There is conclusive evidence that a powerful smuggling gang exists at Tsingtao.
By no means doeg all the morphia ecruing into Honan and_ Shansi come through Tientsin. Probably the bulk*of it goes through Tsing-tac or Tsinan. The problem which up to the present finds no solution is, how does this morphia leave Japan? No laws could_ be more stringent than those of Japan with regard to the export of morphia anc heroin, for these cannot be exported with a permit from the Governor of the Prefecture where manufactured, or from the Minister of the Interior. Yet eight-tenths of this morphia bears the labels of the Osaka manufactory.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.