10
C
11
Extract H.
(4) Turning for a moment to the resolu tions adopted by the International Commis- sion, it will be readily appreciated that, quite apart from their condemnation of the opium vice,
*" (Page 69).
*
*
*
(b) The International Commission having manimously agreed that the opium vice must
(Page 69).
cease,
*
#
*J
*
(e) "Our Government *
* raised the problem from a national to an internat→ ional plane. On the latter the opium problem has been studied, discussed and roundly condemned.” (Pages 74-75).
Extract I
"The American delegation had introduced a strict resolution in regard to unrestricted manufacture, sale, and distribution of mor- phine. The British delegation introduced one not quite so strict; but on their accepting certain modifications at the suggestion of the American delegation the American_mor- phine resolution was withdrawn in favour of the British." (Page 71).
"He would, therefore, conclude by sub- mitting to the commission the following amendment to the resolution, and in the event of its adoption he would, at the proper time, ask that it might be included among the formal resolutions which would be ultim- ately drawn up by the commission :-
"That, having regard to the constitution of this commission, which has not among its members a sufficient number to form a committee for the investigation from the scientific point of view of anti-opíum remedies and of the properties and effects of opium and its products, the commission desires that each delegation shall recommend these branches of the subject to its own Government for such action as that Govern- ment think necessary,
may
This amendment was carried by 7 to 6 and on being resubmitted as one of the commis- sioners' final resolutions according to Sir Ceeil Clementi Smith's undertaking it became, with slight verbal changes, the resolution 6, to which Dr. Wright's remarks refer.
The following was the American resolution referred to (1. O. C., Vol. 1, page 47). It was the fifth of the American series -
"That, whereas the reports submitted to the International Opium Commission by tho delegations present indicate that the use of morphia, its salts and derivatives, is indissolubly bound up with the abuse of opium itself, and that their use accompanies, or sooner or later supervenes, on the use of opium itself:
Be resolved, therefore, that in the judg- ment of the International Opium Commis- sion, strict international agreements are needed to control the trade in, and the present or possible future abuse of, morphia and its salts and derivatives, by the people of the Governments represented in the International Opium Commission.”
The following extract (page 52, ibid) slates the terms of the British resolution and the course of the discussion upon it :-
"Dr. HAMILTON WRIGHT moved the adopt- ion of the hith American resolution.
Extract J.
"The British delegates presented data showing that their Government, supported by powerful public opinion and parliamentary declarations, was making a sincere effort to reduce the production of opium in India. and its exportation." (Page 67).
"Sir
"The Chair drew the attention of the House to the fact that a similar resolution had been drawn up by the British delegation. CROLL CLEMENTI SMITH - A father generally approves of his own children, and perhaps I may be pardoned for saying that though we quite follow the points referred to in the resolution under discussion, we should prefer, and it would be more in order if I moved it as an amendment, the wording of our own resolution, with the words to China" and "other" omitted. It would then read as follows:--
That the commission finds that the unrestricted manufacture, sale and distribut- ion of morphine already constitute a grave danger [to China], and that the morphine habit is already known, and shows signs of spreading, among [other] peoples in the Fast and elsewhere: the commission therefore desires to urge strongly on all Governments that it is highly important that drastic measures should be taken by each Govern- ment in its own territories and possessions to control the manufacture, sale and distribut- ion of this drug, and also of such other derivatives of opium as may appear on scient- ific enquiry to be liable to similar abuse and productive of like ill effects.
DR. HAMILTON WRIGHT-We are quite willing to accept the resolution that has just been read in place of our own,
"MONSIEUE RATABD asked whether the words "the manufacture were absolutely Decessary.
"Sir CECIL CLEMENTI SMITH thought that the words should be retained.
"H. E. MONSIEUR MIYAOKA suggested that the words "among people in the East and elsewhere" should be omitted.
"This was agreed to, and the resolution as amended was adopted unanimously by the House when put to the vote.'
What the British delegates did state was as below (1.0. C., Fot. 11, page 174) :----
"A reduction of area was ordered in 1906 in view of the probable agreement with China, and this has been followed by large pro- gressive reductions in succeeding years. This will be seen by comparing, as below, the area producing opinn in 1905-06 and the corresponding figures for the two fol- lowing years. It must be noted that the Bengal cultivation, besides supplying China, also provides the opium exported to other countries and the great. bulk of that consumed in British India itself :-
Area yielding opium.
1905-06 1906-07
1907-09
(Acres.)
618,998
564,585
488,548
It is believed on the information so far
obtainable that the actual area sown in 1908-09 will be about 456,000 acres. '
587