CO129-362 - Public Offices - 1909 — Page 679

States modified its original attitude. Therefore, in the

677

latter part of 1906, the Government of the United States'

approached several of the Powers more particularly interest-

ed in the question for an international commission of in-

quiry to study the scientific, economic, moral, and legisla-

tive aspects of the opium problem.

It was finally agreed by the Governments concerned that

a commission should meet at Shanghai on the 1st of January,

1909. The Commission met on February lat, having been post-

poned out of respect to the late Emperor and Dowager impress

of China, and adjourned on February 26th, 1909. After a

thorough and searching study of the opium question in all

its bearings, the Commission adopted the following resolu-

tions:

Be it resolved:

1. That the International Opium Commission recognizes the unswerving sincerity of the Government of China inytheir), efforts to eradicate the production and consumption of opium throughout the Empire; the increasing body of public opin- ion among their om subjects by which these\efforts are being supported; and the real though unequal progress al ready made in a task which is one of the greatest magnituo 2. That in view of the action taken by the Government of China in suppressing the practice of opium smoking, and by other Governments to the same end, the International Opium Commission recommends that each delegation concerned

move its own Government to take measures for the gradual suppression

;