CO129-479 - Governor Sir Stubbs - 1923 [1-3] — Page 134

The Diam observed

Red Cross.

Opium and Alcohol.

An Interesting Discussion.

Yesterday's session of the Oriental Red Cross Conference was devoted to the consideration of the various resolu. tions submitted by the sub-committees. Sir Claude Hill presided.

Fursday December 7th 1922,

The most interesting report, and the only one that led to any real discussion, was that dealing with the question of oplum. The draft resolution, as sub. mitted, read :—

The Oriental Red Cross Conference, in accordance with the request of the League of Nations, bas considered what segietance Red Cross Societies can give in the matter of diminishing the abuse of opium in their respective countries and urges that simple instruction re- garding the dangers attendant upon the above of opium and other noxiou habit forming drugs including alcohol should be given a prominent place t any programme of Public Health In struction which may be undertaken by any National Red Cross Society. This Instruction should be given especially to the school children in countries where the abuse of habit forming droga is prevalent.

The Conference considers that this work most, if success is to attend it,, have the full support, material and moral, of the governmental authorities in the countries in which it is under+/ lakon and recommends to the Secreta- rint of the League of Red Cross Societies that it request the League of Nations to aid in securing auch support from

te gjate members.

Mr. Lo Obang moved the adoption, of the resolution, and in supporting, Paya Chinda, of the Siamese deleger tion, said I beg to support the draft"

I consider the resolution the most suitable and practical one under the present circumstances. It could be put into practice in this country and The Siamese Red Cross is ready to | assist in the matter through the Public Health Section, with Dr. Barnes in it, and through the Junior Red Cross Sec- tion, which will soon be inaugurated with the aid of Phya Baisal, who be sides being a member of the Council of the Red Cross Society, is also Under Secretary of State in the Ministry of Education, from whom we expect a co- operation which will secure the success of our Junior Red Cross scheme.

Major Norman White objected to the words "including alcohol". The Ooofer- ende was acting on a reference from the League of Nations and he thought that it should confine itself to that reference. If it was considered advisable to pass a resolution on the question of alcohol, then it should be a separate resolution and not tacked on to the opium resolu- tion. The question of alcohol had not been discussed. It had been introduced

by Mr. McElderry, who had quoted from single report, and on that they were asked to vote.

Mr. McElderry stated that it was true that be bad quoted only from one report on the question of the abuse of alcohol, but be knew of a great many instances, as any one did who lived in the Treaty Ports or ports like Singapore and Penang. He considered that it was quite appropriate that alcohol should be linked in the same resolution with opium, as both had a very close associa- tion, and he would suggest that the resolution remain as it stood.

Sir Claude Hill remarked that they were overlooking the fact that the opiam question was referred to them by the League of Nations in very de- finite terms, and he considered that they should adhere to those terms. He suggested that the resolution should be referred back to the sub-committee ! for reconsideration, and as affording a guide to the memberɛ, it might be ad. Fleable to take a vote of one member of each delegation.

This was done, when four votes wera recorded in favour of the retention of the words "including alcohol" in the

resolution of the Opium Sub-Com-lution and four against. The pre-

mittee, moved by Mr. Lo Chang, for the following reasons :—

1. I am glad to find alcohol added | to the resolution because excessive in- dulgence in alcohol, as much as, if not more than the abuse of opium, pro- duces bad and injurious results on the health of the people. In this, I agree with the views expressed by

Mr. McElderry. But apart from these, considerations of health, the causes of certain crimes may be traced to al-, enholic excesses, which not only in, toxicate a man but sometimes makes him different from his normal seif,

2. The resolution has the merit of aiming at an indirect method of dim!-i nishing the abuse of noxions draga.| As I have already shown in my speech | of the 2nd inst., the obstacles in the way are so great and so homerous that' it is not possible for the Riamese Bed Cross at the present time to recurs the direct and total suppression of the abuse, but we shall do our best to help to further the good cause, which has akk-nar nympathy and suppoti............

aldant declined to give his casting vote."

The resolution was referred

to the Sub-Committee.

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