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Show 'OPIUM CONVENTION jHELD ATM HAGUE Tho Haguo, Feb. 12. Tho protocol proto-col of tho nntloplum convention of 1912, which alms at tho suppression of tho opium trntnc and International traffic In cocalno and other noxious nnd habit forming drugs, was signed sign-ed nt The Hague today by Henry Van Dyke, tho American minister to tho Netherlands j Tang Tslng Fou, tho Chlncso minister and M. Loudon, tho Netherlands minister of foreign affairs. I Tho alllxlng of their signatures to tho protocol by thoso threo diplomats puts tho conentlou Into Immediate forco for tho signatory countries which comprlso approximate'' 475,-000,000 475,-000,000 Inhabitants China with an estimated population of 330,000,000 tho United States 100,000,000 and tho Netherlands and her dependencies 45.000,000. At tne conclusion of tho ceremony, Mr. Van Dyk said, hi referring to the convention: Tho torrlblo fact that this enormous enor-mous wnr Is In progress Bhould not mnko civilized nations ignoro things whl eh operate for tho wolfaro of mankind. Tho opium convention alms at putting a stop to tho vicious fndo In opium ns an intoxicant and nt Imposing tho strictest regulation on tho legitimate commerco In opium for purely medicinal purposes 1 hopo that tho threo nations which hnvo taken tho first definite step In this direction soon will bo followed by ninny others. It Is n great satisfaction sat-isfaction that China, which has suffered suf-fered most from tho opium vico has takon this step sldo by slilo with tho United States, which has been tho foromoBt nation In ndopting legislation leg-islation ngnlnst this vicious trade, nnd that Holland, with her lmmcnsa possessions in tho Enst Indies, should iuko tho eamo stand. Tho International Opium confer-onco confer-onco held a series of meotlugs nt Tho Hnguo In Juno of Inst year, somo forty-four nations being represented. repre-sented. Doforo adjournment tho conference con-ference requested Foreign Minister Loudon to obtain rutlfUatlons from tho ndhorlng powers. |