Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, With the Annual Message of the President Transmitted to Congress December 6, 1910

File No. 774/766.

Ambassador Kerens to the Secretary of State.

American Embassy,
Vienna, July 6, 1910.

No. 50.]

Sir: Referring to my dispatch No. 36, of the 17th ultimo,¹ relative to participation of the Austro-Hungarian Government in the Second International Opium Conference to be held at The Hague, I have now the honor to transmit herewith a copy and a translation of a personal note to me from Count Aehrenthal, minister for foreign affairs, dated the 4th instant, from which it appears that the Austro-Hungarian Government has decided finally not to participate in the said conference. I also transmit a copy and a translation of the memorandum accompanying the minister’s aforesaid note, giving the reasons for the nonparticipation of his Government, but stating that it would follow with much interest the deliberations of the conference.

I have, etc.,

R. C. Kerens.

[Inclosure 1—Translation.]

The Minister for Foreign Affairs to Ambassador Kerens.

Ministry of the Exterior,
Vienna, July 4, 1910.

Your excellency had the kindness a few days ago to again refer to the matter of the Imperial and Royal Austrian and the Royal Hungarian Government accepting the invitation to attend the Second International Opium Conference.

I have not failed to inform myself, according to the wish expressed by your excellency, why both Governments refused to participate in this conference, and I have the honor to transmit to your excellency the inclosed memorandum in the matter.

Your excellency will accept, etc.,

Aehrenthal.

[Inclosure 2—Translation.]

memorandum.

Imperial and Royal Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
Vienna, June, 30, 1910.

The Imperial and Royal Austrian and the Royal Hungarian Government participated in the opium conference at Shanghai last year, as they wished to be presem at the first conference, where the regulation of the opium traffic would be a subject of discussion and to inform themselves of the feelings of foreign States on this subject.

The monarchy had no practical interest in the questions discussed at the conference, both as the amount imported in the monarchy is very small (1,500 to 2,000 kilos of opium and about 1,000 kilos of derivatives therefrom) and as such importation is only for medicinal purposes and takes place directly between the dealers abroad and the home medicinal institutions.

As opium can only be procured by means of a physician’s prescription, there is no possibility of opium being trafficked in the monarchy.

Neither of the Governments, therefore, will be present at the second opium conference, but will follow its deliberations with much interest.

1. Not printed.