UNDERMINING MORAL

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 103, 3 May 1937, Page 10

UNDERMINING MORAL

JAPANESE TRAFFICKERS

DIFFICULT TO CHECK

Although it was impossible: to say who was controlling it, the drug traffic in China had grown to'an alarming extent through the activities of the Japanese and Korean traffickers, said Bi". T. Z. 'Koo, the well-known Chinese Christian leader, who arrived by the Awatea today to; spend a month in the' Dominion^ When asked' 'if there was any truth in.the suggestion that the traffic, was being'us"ed:by Japan to undermine^ the'- moral "of the Chinese, Dr. Koo said that no one knew' where the supplies of drugs came from, but they were certainly having a bad effect on the districts covered by the trafficker's. .-'.'■.' ';■' . . Shortly before leaving' China on his present tour,, said Dr. Koo, ,he : had visited the worst district. where the drug traffic was'going on, and .the effect of drug-taking was; plain. The area he had visited'was-mainly rural with a population of approximately 10,000,----000. The drugs supplied by the Japanese and Korean traffickers Were cocaine and heroinj the latter.being known to the Chinese as "white powder." It was put into cigarettes and smoked, .and I those who'took it soon became-addicts. The Chinese Government was gravely concerned' about the traffic, and was taking strong measures, to ' check it, but, unfortunately, if had to' work from the wrong end,: and.he did not think much could be done until the source of supply could ■be stopped. At the present time.'the drug traffickers were the only ones that could be punished, and a third offence was' met by summary shooting.:' . . ■„'■ ;: : '. .. '. ."■;

PATRIOTISM HELPS.

Fortunately,' said Dr. Kop, the younger "people were1 not' addicted to the - taking: of drugs to the same extent as their elders. ■ There was a great deal.of agitation against the taking of drugs, arid the young . people were asked to realise that it was unpatriotic to undermine their constitutions by taking drugs. The effect of the'drugs on the older people : was reflected in an increase in petty thieving, and' robbery.

as addicts resorted'to crime to secure money to purchase: more drugs. The "drugs also undermined their health, and made them more liable to contract disease. , ; ■ . ' : •; Discussing general conditions' ■in China, Dr. Koo said that many changes had taken place since he was in New Zealand in 1931. ■ When he returned to China in October, 1931, he visited Manchuria, which had just.been occupied by the Japanese. He had not been in the territory since,' but he had learned that the Japanese were working hard to. maintain their authority over the occupied territory, and had made two moves to prevent any Chinese leadership springing up.- Eighteen -months ago they had seized all Chinese who appearedto be the leaders of communities, and a 'number of- 'Chinese Christians had been included. They were not seized because they were Christians, but because, the Christians were usually in the position of leaders. Another similar raid on community leaders was made about three, months ago. It was obviously the intention of the Japanese.--. authorities. to stamp" out any possibility: of Chinese leadership, and to' strike, terror into.the hearts of the Chinese at the same time. Dr. Koo's home town, Kaiangwan, was in the midst of the area where most of the fighting took place' when the Japanese attacked, and the whole town was destroyed by shellfire. Conditions were quiet once more, he said, but instead- of being normal' the position was one of stalemate. Since last September China had taken a positive note in the exchanges between the two countries,,and had asked the Japanese to decide whether they wanted ■ the Chinese to be friends or enemies. The Japanese had not replied. ....-, Christian work in China had, made considerable progress during the past few years. Dr. Koo said in conclusion. Chinese Christians had experienced difficult times between 1927 and 19.28, but from 1929 onwards there-had'been no persecution, and ; their work had been on the up-grade.