511.4 A 2a/7: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland ( Wilson )
89. Your 89, September 7, 11 a.m. You are instructed to transmit in the usual informal manner the following communication to the Secretary General of the League of Nations in acknowledgment of his communication of September 5, 1928:
“The Secretary of State of the United States of America has the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the note of the Secretary General of the League of Nations dated September 5, 1928, stating that, in conformity with Article 19 of the Geneva Opium Convention of February 19, 1925, the Council of the League of Nations had decided to invite the United States of America to nominate a person to participate in the appointment of the Permanent Central Board, and stating further that it was the desire of the Council that the Government of the United States of America if it so wishes should take [Page 449] full part in the settlement of the procedure for appointing the Permanent Central Board.
The Secretary of State of the United States of America desires to express his appreciation of this invitation, but regrets that the Government of the United States does not find it possible to participate in the selection of the Permanent Central Board set up by the Geneva Convention of February 19, 1925.
Although in the matter of manufactured drugs and the control of transportation the Geneva Convention may be regarded as an improvement over the Hague Convention of 1912, yet in the opinion of this Government the Geneva Convention is unsatisfactory in certain respects of sufficient importance to preclude this Government from adhering to the Convention and from participating in the selection of the Board provided for by the Convention. Among the matters which this Government regards as not adequately dealt with in the Geneva Convention are the limitation of the production of raw opium and coca leaves to the medicinal and scientific needs of the world and the control of the production and distribution of all opium and coca leaf derivatives. Furthermore, the Geneva Convention tends to destroy the unity of purpose and joint responsibility of the Powers accomplished by the Hague Convention and which this Government regards as essential to an effective control of the traffic in narcotic drugs. The American Government believes that, until there can be devised some substitute for the Hague Convention more satisfactory than the Geneva Convention, the eradication of the abuse of narcotic drugs would be more likely to be achieved by strict observance of the provisions of the Hague Convention.
However, the United States recognizes that the traffic in narcotic drugs can be controlled only by international cooperation and, in continuation of its efforts toward that end, will, in addition to observing its obligations under the Hague Convention, endeavor to furnish such information as the Permanent Central Board may request.[”]