CO129-396 - Public Offices - 1912 — Page 273

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difficulties of a situation in which the representatives of only a few Powers were endeavouring to deal with matters some of which were of universal concern, We also observed that the French Delegation would, for the reasons stated in paragraph 65, propose to place administrative ordinances on the same footing as laws with reference to conditions (5) to (7), and that we must admit the justice of this proposal.

77. The committee accepted our amendments (with the small change of two months into three in regard to clause 4 above) and also that of the French Delegation; and at the nineteenth session (15th January) the chairman of the Drafting Committee put the scheme before the con'erence as the best method of reconciling the differences of view indicated in his speech at the eighteenth session. The scheme was received with general favour, although at this stage several of the delegations, our own included, could not definitely commit themselves to its acceptance pending instructions from their Governments. The delegations which had reserved their acceptance of the scheme when first put forward, in due course received the assent of their Governments to its adoption, and the scheme has formed the basis, with some verbal modifications, of articles 22-24 of the convention.

78. At the nineteenth session the final protocol as revised by the Drafting Committee, was also accepted on first reading.

79. At the twentieth session (16th January) the German delegation brought forward the amendments to the morphine and cocaine articles of which preliminary mention has been made in paragraph 70 above. We had had a meeting with the German delegates on the subject on the 9th January, at which they had explained to us, as they now proceeded to do to the full conference, that on returning to Berlin for the Christmas recess and discussing matters with their Government, it had been found that the categorical form in which the original articles were drawn up was not suited to, the constitution and conditions of the Empire, for while the convention would have to be ratified by the Reichstag, so becoming a part of the German law, the matters with which these articles dealt were, for the most part, within the sphere not of the Imperial Government or legislature, but of the individual States. The Bundesrat was accordingly not likely to put before the Reichstag, or was the latter likely to ratify, articles which would thus encroach upon State autonomy. The German delegates further explained to us that in a number of the individual States the method of controlling chemical or dangerous industries was not by licensing, but simply by requiring notification to the authorities, who could then intervene if their intervention seemed called for. It was to suit this method that amendments in the wording of the old articles 10 and 11 were now proposed to be introduced.

80. Having taken note of these considerations, we proceeded to discuss the amendments on their merits, and pointed out that we could not accept them as they stood, since they whittled down the original articles far too much.

In the original Gerinan draft of the amended articles the categorical terms "limiteront," "exigeront," &c., had been replaced by such formula as "auront soin, dans la mesure du possible, de faire contrôler, exiger," &c. Further, whereas the original article 10 laid down that the manufacture of morphine, cocaine, &c., should only take place in premises specially set apart for the purpose, the German amendment merely provided that the authorities should take note of such premises. Again, whereas the original article 11 required producers of, and dealers in, the drugs ia question to obtain a licence, the German amendment allowed them, as an alternative, merely to apprise the authorities that they were embarking on these operations, and this alternative was placed first as if to show that it would be the more visual course.

81. After considerable discussion it was provisionally agreed that :---

(1.) Instead of such expressions as auront soin, dans la mesure du possible, the word employed should be the equivalent of the English will use their best endeavours, or of the German nach Möglichkeit darauf Bedacht nehmen.

We proposed s'efforceront as the proper French equivalent, and our German colleagues, though at first reluctant to accept this rendering, on the ground that it seemed to imply an undesirable amount of coercion, ultimately, after several meetings, agreed to it.

(2.) As regards original article 10, the former provisions should stand, provided that, as an alternative, Governments which so desired might simply keep themselves informed of the premises in which manufacture was carried on, and maintain a register of them.

(3.) As regards original article 11 again, the licensing method should come first, with an official notification to the authorities as an alternative.

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82. The final result of our conferences with the German delegates will be seen from the text of the German amendments as actually presented to the conference which is given below. It represents the substance of what we provisionally agreed to on the 9th January, with some verbal modifications subsequently arrived at :----

(Old Article 13.)

ARTICLE 10.

"Les Puissances contractantes s'efforceront de faire contrôler tous ceux qui fabriquent, importent, vendent, distribuent et exportent la morphine, la cocaïne et leurs sels respectifs, ainsi que les bâtiments où ces fabricants et commerçants exercent cette industrie

ou ce commerce.

"A cet effet, les Puissances contractantes s'efforceront de prendre les mesures suivantes :--

(Old Article 10.)

"(a.) Limiter aux seuls établissements et locaux qui auront été désignés à cet effet la fabrication de la morphine, de la cocaïne et de leurs sels respectifs, ou s'informer dans quels établissements et locaux la morphine, la cocaïne et leurs sels respectifs sont fabriqués, et d'en tenir un registre.

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(Old Article 11.)

(b.) Exiger que tous ceux qui fabriquent, importent, vendent, distribuent et exportent la morphine, la cocaïne et leurs respectifs se muniront d'un permis pour se livrer à ces opérations, ou aviseront officiellement les autorités.

(Old Article 12.)

(c) Exiger de ces fabricants et coinmerçants la consignation sur leurs livres des quantités fabriquées, des importations, des ventes, de toute autre cession et des exportations de la morphine, de la cocaïne et de leurs sels respectifs. Cette règle ne s'appliquera pas forcément aux prescriptions et aux ventes faites par des pharmaciens

dûment autorisés.

ARTICLE 11 (Old Article 14).

"Les Puissances contractantes prohiberont dans leur commerce intérieur toute cession de morphine, de cocaïne et de leurs sels respectifs à toutes personnes non autorisées.

ARTICLE 12 (Old Article 15).

"Les Puissances contractantes, en tenant compte des différences de leurs conditions, s'efforceront de restreindre l'importation de la morphine, de la cocaïne et de leurs sels respectifs aux personnes autorisées.

ARTICLE 13 (Old Article 16).

"Les Puissances contractantes s'efforceront de prendre des mesures pour que l'exportation de la morphine, de la cocaïne et de leurs sels respectifs de leurs pays, et colonies et territoires à bail vers les pays, colonies et territoires à bail des autres Puissances contractances n'ait lieu que dans le cas où le destinataire aura reçu un permis accordé conformément aux lois du pays importateur l'autorisant à importer ces drogues.

"A cet effet tout Gouvernement pourra donner de temps en temps aux Gouvernements des pays exportateurs des renseignements relatifs aux personnes auxquelles des permis d'importation de morphine, de cocaïne et de leurs sels respectifs

auront été accordés."

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(Old Article 18.)

(Translation.)

ARTICLE 10.

The contracting Powers shall use their best endeavours to cause to be controlled all persons manufacturing, importing, selling, distributing, and exporting morphine, cocaine, and their respective salts, as well as the buildings in which these manufacturers and traders carry on such industry or trade.