Show OPIUM CONFERENCE H FAILS IN F fAR EAST DELEGATES OF JAPAN CHARGE DISCRIMINATION AND BOLT FROM S SESSION Clash ClaM Occurs Over Great Britain's Britain Position On Import Certificate Bates cate Outcome Watched Geneva international conference conference confer confer- The Geneva The ence for the suppression of the opium smoking in the far east virtually virtually vir vir- vir collapsed when the Japanese delegation announced that it could not sign the proposed pro agreement because because be be- cause of the discrimination against Japan in connection with Japanese importation of ot opium Not since the Corfu dispute between between between be be- tween Italy and Greece has the palace of the league of nations been the of ot such tense tens incidents as marked the session of the opium conference the object of which was to arrange not alone for the suppression suppression sion lion of opium smoking in the far east but for the curbing of excessive excer- excer save live opium production in China In consequence of charges by the British delegate and the apparent Impossibility impossibility impossibility im Im- im- im possibility to obtain satisfaction conc concerning concerning con con- c Japans Japan's freedom to purchase opium abroad the Japanese delegation delegation delegation tion virtually bolted the conference The session adjourned with all the delegates admitting that the conference conference con con- ference had virtually collapsed since it had achieved nothing on its pro pro- gram Nevertheless on the earnest appeal of the presiding officer M. M Van of Rolland Holland the delegates delegates dele gates agreed to reassemble in the afternoon and take up points in the the- program which were less leS'S contentious in nature than the questions which had produced the rupture This clash was caused by Japans Japan's allegation that she w was being discriminated discriminated discriminated dis dis- criminated against by other powers chiefly Great GNat Britain in connection with the shipment of opium and further further further fur fur- ther that when the Japanese government government govern govern- ment issued import certificates they were not always recognized by the theother theother theother other powers The break was Immediately immediately immediately im Im- im- im mediately due ue however to Japanese resentment over the statement made by Malcolm the British delegate that Great Britain could not habitually recognize import certificates because of scandals over them them which involved high officials in one far eastern country whom he preferred not to name The British position was that despite despite de de- de spite regularly issued import papers opium as well wen as other narcotic drugs drugS' often otten 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 sarcastically sar sar- that India seemed clearly under the dominion of England The Japanese introduced a resolution providing pro viding that the importation exportation exportation exportation tation and tran transshipment of opium should be authorized when accompanied panted by a certificate issued by competent competent com com- authorities It declared that the authorities of all aU ports porta sh should uld strictly abstain from any unfair discrimination discrimination dis die crimination on the ground of nationality nationality nationality na na- of a vessel or the origin of the goods |