500.C1197/755
The Secretary of State to the Secretary General of the League of Nations ( Avenol )6
The Secretary of State of the United States of America acknowledges the receipt of Circular Letter No. C. L. 120. 1934. XI., of July 16, 1934, from the Secretary General of the League of Nations,7 transmitting a draft annotated convention for the suppression of the illicit traffic in narcotic drugs,8 and requesting the views of the Government of the United States in regard to the provisions of the draft and any observations which may be suggested by the views expressed by other governments with respect to an earlier draft of the proposed convention.
The draft convention under reference appears to be substantially similar to previous drafts in regard to which the views of the Government of the United States have already been communicated to the Secretary General of the League of Nations, the last communication having been transmitted to the Secretary General, through the American Legation at Bern, under date of April 13, 1934.9
The Government of the United States is, therefore, constrained to reiterate the views expressed in previous communications to the effect that (1) it would not be practicable to give effect in the United States to the provisions of the draft convention which would require prosecution in one country for offenses committed in another country and (2) in the opinion of this Government the provisions of existing treaties for the suppression of illicit activities connected with the traffic in narcotic drugs, if given proper effect by all the interested governments, are adequate to accomplish the purpose of the treaties.
For the reasons stated, therefore, the Government of the United States would not feel disposed to participate in the proposed convention.
- Transmitted to the Minister in Switzerland in Department’s instruction No. 2963, April 20 (not printed).↩
- Not printed.↩
- O. C. 1558 (1), Geneva, May 30, 1934.↩
- Foreign Relations, 1934, vol. i, p. 743.↩