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Show OPIUM CONFERENCE FAILS INFUB EftST DELEGATES OF JAPAN CHARGE DISCRIMINATION AND BOLT FROM SESSION Clash Occurs Over Great Britain's Position On Import Certificates; Certifi-cates; Outcome Watched Geneva, The international conference confer-ence for the suppression of the opium smoking in the far east virtually vir-tually collapsed when the Japanese delegation announced that it could not sign the proposed agreement because be-cause of the discrimination against Japan in connection with Japanese importation of opium. Not since the Corfu dispute between be-tween Italy and Greece has the palace of the league of nations been the scene of such tense incidents as marked the session of the opium conference, the object of which was to arrange, not alone for the suppression suppres-sion of opium smoking in the far east, but for the curbing of excessive exces-sive opium production in China. In consequence of charges by the British delegate and the apparent impossibility im-possibility to obtain satisfaction concerning con-cerning Japan's freedom to purchase opium abroad, the Japanese delegation delega-tion virtually bolted the conference. The session adjourned with all the delegates admitting that the conference con-ference had virtually collapsed, since it had achieved nothing on its program. pro-gram. Nevertheless, on the earnest appeal of the presiding officer, M. Van Wettum of Holland, the delegates dele-gates agreed to reassemble in the afternoon and take up points in the irogram which were less contentious in nature than the questions which had produced the ruptuiK. This clash was caused by Japan's allegation that she was being discriminated dis-criminated against by other powers, chiefly Great Britain, in connection with the shipment of opium, and further, fur-ther, that when the Japanese government govern-ment issued import certificates they were not always recognized by the other powers. The break was immediately im-mediately due, however, to Japanese resentment over the statement made by Malcolm Dolevingne, the British delegate, that Great Britain could not habitually recognize import certificates cer-tificates because of scandals over them, which involved high officials in one far eastern country "whom he preferred not to name." The British position was that, despite de-spite regularly issued import papers, opium, as well as other narcotic drugs, often were diverted on the way to the country of purchase and rerouted to other destinations,, where they were used for illicit purposes and illicit gain, thus bringing a stain on the name of Great Britain, which permitted the export. John Campbell, representing India, took a similar stand, which caused the Japanese delegate to remark sarcastically sar-castically that India seemed clearly under the dominion of England. The Japanese introduced a resolution providing pro-viding that the importation, exportation expor-tation and transshipment of opium should be authorized when accompanied accom-panied by a certificate issued by competent com-petent authorities. It declared that the authorities of all ports should strictly abstain from any unfair discrimination dis-crimination on the ground of nationality na-tionality of a vessel or the origin of the goods. |