been taken to Los Angeles from Shanghai in the baggage of a young Chinese nurse well known in local social spheres. The vale America of such a cargo is about U.S.$50,000 and it is estimated that the cost of procuring so -much heroin in Shanghai is roughly US. $5,000, thus allowing a gross profit $45,000, or 900 per cent. in the event of successful smuggling. "It may be assumed that a shipment of that size was not the first sent by the secret organization responsible; rather, small consignments started the thing, to be gradually increased as fear of detection lessened. The ultimate fiasco of the venture, with attendant exposures on both' sides of the Pacific, gives an idea of the fools' paradise in which the principal were living, and in which others, now in Shanghai, are apparently still living. The mediate results in this one case 30 far are: the 48 Ib, of heroin con~
Ascated; one Chinese girl in custody: one European dead by his. own hand rather than face a court; and another European found poisoned while the Police were searching for him. But these give only a very incomplete idea of the general scope of the investigations which have been carried on.
The item in the history of the! international drug traMe which is now being closed would make fascinating reading it all the facts could be revealed. For good reasons, however, part of them must remain dark for the present, and only a few investigators who have been close to the case for the last few years can see the whole picture. It is a picture which embraces nearly every country in the world. The excellent work carried out at one of the nerve centres of the traffic by Russell Pasha and his colleagues is well known and so much has been done to disorganize that Levantine distribution amice that the profits of the trafic in Europe have been seriously Jeopardized. So far as the United States is concerned, the determination of the department under the control of the Treasury in stamping, out the traffic to America has had such good effects that those in close touch with the most recent developments can make fairly safe predict tions for the future. At the moment, as a result of the charges: against Maria Wendt (Wen) which have received so much publicity in America, and the dramatic deaths!
Brandstatter and Stey in circumstances which connect them with the smuggling ring said to be involved, the eyes of the United States are on China. Indignation is running high in a market which was once one of the most profitable for the drug-runners who. make their home in this country, and the US. Treasury can rely Upon the support of all good American: citizens in its fight against this most insidious evil. It is part of a world campaign, and its success recent cases can be credited to the department operating under Mr, Henry Morgenthau, jr., who some two years ago assumed personal charge of the share in the suppress sion being undertaken by the United States. In that share come China, Japan, and the Latin America: all "have been under searching scrutiny with such effec tive results that the culprits in this traffic have received a severe setback. The profits are so immense, however, that a return to the attack by the smugglers can only be a matter of time and the authorities must preserve constant vigil Tance to ensure that the ugly traffic is not revived. If they succeed in keeping the upper hand, their efforts will be applauded by the whole of the civilized world, The role of the League of Nations in the war against illicit narcotics, of course, is of tremendous significance. The eyes of Geneva have Jong been turned on the Far East and revelations which must have been embarrassing to certain authorities have been repeatedly made. Only on Sunday did the Council of the League adopt a report on the opium traMe, expressing deep concern over the situation in China.
Here, again, the part of indicated. "There the report says, "of a continuance, both north and south of the Great Wall, of opium production on an enormous scale as well as clandestine manufacture and an extensive gramme in nareotle drugs carried on by foreigners." Re-Herring to Japan, the report asserts that there are conclusive proofs of the existence of an organized trafic in drugs, particularly in cocaine of Japanese origin, to North America, India, and Far Eastern territories, 'The League recently received an illuminating' report on opium production in China and Manchoukuo (let it be remembered that morphine is derived from opium, and heroin from morphine), based on a nation wide survey conducted independently without the ce-operation of diplomatic or consular offers, The total production amounted to 12,261 metric tons, or over 90 per cent, of the world production, 'The largest producers (1935) were Yunnan and Szechuen, both with more than 4,000 metric tons. Manchuria and Jehol accounted for 1,825 mettle tons. In the' latter two areas the production is estimated to be increasing annually by about 6 per cent. and no real efforts are being made to suppress cultivation any= where, the report to the League states. In twelve provinces of China there was no production worth mentioning in 1935. They are Kwangsi, Kwangtung, Fukien, Chekiang, Kiangsi, Hupeh, Anhwei, Kiangsu, Honan, Shansi, Hopei, and Shantung. In all the other provinces, except Kweichow, Hunan and Ninghsia, production increased. last year. The authorities in this country should not take this report to mean that their efforts in suppressing the drug-gramme are not Appreciated. The absence of opium in so many provinces which are under the direct control of the making and successful at= Government is a sign that China is
tempt to master the production of noxious drugs within her own borders, and this mastery will be the ultimate solution of the problem facing the United States prevention bureau, since if the source dries up the stream will cease to flow.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.