June 10.
Interesting recommendations garding opium-suppression at thined in a petition of the Anti-Opium Association to the Central authorities 'The petition begins by pointing out that opium suppression was not only' advocated by the late Party leader (Dr, Sun Yat-sen) but is also part of the Party programme. Unless th opium evil" is first eradicated, the task of resistance. against foreign aggression" and strengthening the country cannot be achieved.
The Japanese as well as colonial] authorities in the South Seas, their desire to subjugate the Chinese race, have resorted to various means to sid and abet the spread of the opium evil among the Chinese, the, message states, But conditions in Chis country itself are not encouraring. Though the remark of the American delegate to. the Opium Advisory, Conference recently held at Geneva that the production of opium in China is seven times greater than the total production of opium in the rest of the world may be exaggerated, yet the fact that opium is being planted in this country cannot be. denied.
While the Government is strongly determined to stamp out the opium evil in the country, the militarists in the various provinces are taking advantage of present conditions to me their purses. Opium, monopolies
the purpose of suppressing the evil. are being advocated ostensibly for to be feared that if these were permitted, the income accruing from this source would be limited while the harm to the country would be inestimable.
"The petition expresses gratification with the recent order of General Chiang Kai-shek, President of the Military Affairs" Commission,—pr hibiting the existence of opium der in Wuchang and Hankow, and the subsequent order for the suppression fof the sale of narcotics
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.