Grave consideration, should be given to the proposals whic. are, being made to extend to the International Settlement in Shanghai the Government's new scheme for the progressive, reduction of the opium traffic within a period of six years. The scheme itself is sound and has the blessing of Geneva, in that it follows experience elsewhere by virtually legalizing the cultivation of poppy with the view el! suppressing it by gradual stages. This is considered to be far more practical than the -former system which under the cover of a uni-
{versal prohibition actually stimulated the evil traffic owing to the enormous prices obtainable for opium manufactured under such conditions. On principle the Settlement authorities are obviously bound to give sympathetic consideration to whatever measures the , Governmént may be disposed to commend for coping with the traffic within the limits of their jurisdiction. At present the Council's officers take steps to prevent the sale of opium in the Settlement; they apply Chinese law to the arrest of addicts where found in conditions justifying such action. They also maintain a narcotic police section which, so far as is practicable, seizes illicit stocks of opium, raid opium dens and_ generally assists in.stamping out the traffic: Admittedly their activities fall far short of perfection, owing to the peculiar circumstances of local administration and to the limited resources at their disposal.
Apparently it is now proposed that the Council should adopt certain measures for ce-operating in the six-year plan by establishing a special suppression organization which will work on the basis of legalizing the sale of opium on the monopoly principle. Under this scheme addicts will be registered and licensed by ce-operation with the Chinese authorities and certain appointments will be made by the Government with the Council's acquiescence for the supervision and direction of the progressive reduction programme. On the face of it this scheme is admirable, especial-{iy as it has been approved by the League of Nations Advisory Committee in its general application to China. On that point the views of the Anti-Opium Informatior Bureau recorded on June 1, 1937 are relevant:
The situation in China proves the wisdom of the Chinese Government in re-legalizing opium and _its sincerity in its efforts to reduce the cultivation of opium. The Six-year Opium Suppression Pian of General Chiang Kai-shek promises to prove effective,.if the situation created by the flooding of China with clandestinely manufactured narcotic drugs does not prevent the.
sion plan according to the time Government enforcing its suppress schedule established by General Chiang Kai-shek. Credit is due to the Chinese Government for the progress achieved. There remains, however, much to be done before the Government can overcome certain vested interests behind the illicit traffic in China.
The Shanghai Municipal Council has carefully to take its knowledge of local conditions into account with special reference to the last sentence of that statement.
This journal has no hesitation in asserting that local influences of most sinister significance would immediately develop their baleful activities if what amounts to a legalized monopoly were established in the Settlement under cover of a six-year suppression plan. Already
ments to the suppression organiza-discussion of the proposed appointtion has evoked the mention of names' which arouse the gravest apprehensions. The Council is in a most difficult position. If it refuses to ce-operate in the scheme it will®be open to criticism.as obstructing a beneficent reform. If it unreservedly offers its cooperation it will be exposing the Settlement to the menace of gangster traffic far exceeding anything hitherto known here in }dimensions and potentiality for evil. No-one questions the Government's good faith, but the Council, as the representative body of an_ international (community whose Governments are all pledged to relentless war on the drug traffic, cannot afford to risk its good name by allowing dubious machinery to be installed within its jurisdiction.
Sean cee ence eS ce eS ce Se cee cee pulous impudence of certain local interests it should be-able to insist that the monopoly set up-to effect suppression should be putin. hands which are beyond question. independent of any local pressure, end command unhesitating confidence from respectable citizens. The Government has such men at its disposal—men who can be trusted to act fearlessly and, if need be, ruthlessly against traftickers and gangsters, however highly placed, however powerfully protected, Its local officials, admire able though they may be, should not be exposed to the danger of pressure from the local kings of the underworld, whose sinister power has all too long been condoned. Fortunately this issue now raises the question of the immunity which these "kings" have enjoyed to their own enrichment and to the wholesale exploitation of the community. The Municipal. Council has to decide whether it will give the weight of its authority to extension of this wicked and illicit regime or whether it will strengthen the forces of good order and decent government by making its ce-operation in the Six-year Opium Suppression Plan conditional upon he adoption of measures expressly. designed to stamp out the opium traffic and with it the nauseating gangsterdom which sullies the civic reputation of Shanghai. The decision is too grave for the Council to make solely on its own, responsibility. There is ample ground for suggesting that it should be made after full and frank consultation with the Consular Body on whom, with the acquiescence of the Government at. Nanking, sponsibility for the administration of the Settlement ultimately rests.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.