A.—s

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assist all indigent foreign minors. The underlying principle of both these draft conventions is that the interest of the child must be the first consideration. The practical benefits which the Fifth Committee has achieved are the raising of the age of marriage and consent ; the improvement in the system of Juvenile Courts, and the work which should be allotted to these institutions. A great deal of work has been done by the Child Welfare Committee in connection with the position of illegitimate children, and the opinion w.'.s expressed that on all questions of protection and assistance the illegitimate child should be as well treated as the legitimate child, due respect being paid to the rights of the family. The next subject of investigation is the organization and working of Juvenile Courts, and the committee is now awaiting the replies to the questionnaire sent to all Governments both members and non-members of the League. The Director of the International Educational Cinematographic Institute, who is working in connection with the Fifth Committee, explained the results that had been obtained concerning the researches 011 the physical and moral effects of the cinema on the child. He has arranged to send the results of all investigations to the members of the committee. The Child Welfare Committee intends to continue the work that it has begun on the lines on which it has been working. The Fifth Committee's report on child welfare to the Assembly is contained in Document A. 55. Traffic in Women and Children. In this branch of its work there has been a great advance, because the committee is now in a position to continue its investigations in those countries where no investigations had taken place before. With the consent and co-operation of the Governments concerned, it is now possible to continue this work in many eastern countries. Taking into account the difference in habits, customs, and conditions, it is clear that the nature and extent of the inquiries to be made and the methods to be followed will have to receive special consideration. One point that came under much discussion was the means of ensuring that legislation and its application should be effective in bringing the souteneur to justice, and in order to do this it was considered desirable that severe penalties should be inflicted. The committee came to the conclusion that the age-limit (twenty-one) causes administrative difficulties in detecting cases of international traffic, and urges that the age-limit of twenty-one be omitted. The consideration of a number of questions had to be postponed, but two of them are considered to be of particular importance —namely, (1) the protection of young female artistes touring abroad in music-halls and similar places of amusement, and (2) the employment of women police. The report of the Fifth Committee to the Assembly concerning traffic in women and children is Document A. 60. Traffic in Opium and other Dangerous Drugs. This subject occupied several meetings, and all the members were very interested. The seriousness of the illicit traffic continues, and large quantities of drugs intended for this purpose have been seized. The members of the Committee were unanimously of opinion that there should be a limitation in the manufacture of drugs, but the difficulties of effecting this purpose seemed at first to be insuperable. However, the discussions concentrated upon three main points : — (1) The vital necessity of the universal ratification and strict application of the Geneva Convention ; (2) The necessity of securing an international agreement by which each of the manufacturing countries would consent to limit its manufacture to a definite quota of the world's scientific and medical requirements as regards morphine, heroin, and cocaine, and similar drugs ; (3) The future constitution of the Advisory Committee in such a manner as to allow of a more effective representation of non-manufacturing countries. The greater part of the debate in the Fifth Committee was concentrated upon the question of the limitation of manufacture, and how this could be secured. The result of the discussion disclosed the fact that for the first time in the history of the League an agreement had been come to amongst the manufacturing countries as to the desirability of the limitation of manufacture, to be secured by means of an International Conference which would determine the total amount of narcotic drugs required to meet the legitimate medical and scientific needs of the world, as well as the quota to be allocated amongst the various manufacturing countries. In order to protect the non-producing countries or centres of distribution which are regarded as victims of the illicit traffic, it was resolved that a certain proportion of representation should be given to the non-producing countries. It was also decided to consider inviting the International Criminal Police Commission to present, after consulting all the police authorities represented upon it, suggestions as to the ways in which the Commission and the authorities represented upon it can best assist the League of Nations and the States members of the League in the suppression of the illicit traffic in opium and other dangerous drugs, and for the protection of women and children. I would draw your particular attention to paragraphs 1, 2, and 3, re postal matter (page 3 of Document A. 86, 1929). A resolution proposed by the British delegation (Document A. 86, page 6) was the centre of discussion for the means to deal with this subject, and after a long discussion the British resolution, modified by suggestions from other delegations, was unanimously carried.