A.—3

A warning note was sounded in the Committee as to the necessity for continuous and close co-operation between Governments, even in connection with the legitimate traffic, since any relaxing might entail a transfer of drugs to illegitimate channels. In connection with the framing of estimates, which Governments parties to the 1931 Convention are required to supply, one speaker made a special appeal that these estimates should be in the hands of the supervisory body by the Ist August each year. He said that a satisfactory application of the principles of the Convention was dependent upon proper examination of the estimates by the supervisory body, and that examination could only be undertaken satisfactorily if the world's estimates were known to that body by the beginning of August. The Rapporteur, M. Frangois, representative of a country (The Netherlands) which has always taken a prominent part in this important activity of the League, submitted on behalf of the Fifth Committee a most interesting report. To this document (A. 56) I refer you. It came before the Assembly on the 27th September, when the following resolution was passed : — " The Assembly takes note of the report submitted by the Fifth Committee and adopts the conclusions of the report." Child Welfare. Questions affecting the welfare of the child come within the sphere of one of the Standing Committees of the League. The body responsible, known as the Advisory Commission for the Protection and Welfare of Children and Young People, is composed of Government delegates and assessors, the latter representing well-known international organizations. The report on the work of the Eleventh Session of the Commission, held in April and May, 1935 (Document C. 187, M. 104), was presented to the Fifth Committee of the Assembly. The Commission has in recent years dealt with a number of matters having an international bearing, such as the influence of the'cinematograph on the young and the effects of the economic depression and of unemployment upon children. Even if it has sometimes concerned itself with questions which are national rather than international, the result of its deliberations has, undoubtedly, been of use in making known the various methods in use. It is gratifying to be able to record that advantage is being taken of the establishment of an Information Centre ; and an appeal was made to Governments by the French delegate on the Committee to assist the Information Centre by furnishing it with all available reports and material on child welfare. The Fifth Committee's report to the Assembly treats of various questions which have been under consideration since the Assembly of 1934, and to this report (Document A. 54) I refer you. It was submitted to the Assembly on the 27th September, when the resolution with which it concludes (dealing with the imprisonment of children, the unemployment of young persons, and other matters) was passed. Traffic in Women and Children. Questions coming under the heading of " Traffic in Women and Children. " are within the competence of yet another Standing Committee of the League—the Traffic in Women and Children Committee. The recent work of this Standing Committee was under review by the Fifth Committee of the Assembly, whose report (Document A. 57) gives in brief all essential information. On one question, the position of women of Russian origin in the Far East, there was a long discussion. It was felt that it would be useless to ask the Fourth Committee to provide funds, so the efforts of the Fifth Committee were directed to ascertaining the best means of aiding these unfortunate women, many of whom had fallen into the hands of traffickers. There is a considerable amount of local effort to ameliorate the lot of these women, but it was thought that co-ordination was necessary. In the course of the debate the Belgian representative submitted a motion to authorize the SecretaryGeneral of the League to endeavour to secure the services of a competent person (preferably a woman) resident in the Far East who was in a position to visit areas in which this social problem was evident, on the understanding that no expense to the League was involved. This motion was accepted in principle, and it will be observed that the long resolution with which the Fifth Committee's report concludes has a section devoted to the Belgian delegate's suggestion. Another question which has occupied much time in recent years is that of the suppression of the activities of souteneurs. For the present it seems that the problem of the souteneur must be dealt with nationally rather than internationally, since those countries which permit licensed houses can hardly enforce legislation specially directed against the souteneur. Unfortunately, more than one country which had closed licensed houses has felt compelled to return to the old system. But the whole problem bristles with difficulties, not the least being the rehabilitation of former inmates of licensed houses. The Fifth Committee's report was accepted by the Assembly at its meeting on the 27th September (see also Document A. 12). SIXTH COMMITTEE. Mandates. This item was, as usual, inscribed on the agenda at the instance of the Norwegian delegation. The discussion, which was opened by a member of that delegation, did not long-occupy the time of the Committee. The work of the Permanent Mandates Commission during its two preceding sessions came under review, and the more important points dealt with by that Commission- were referred to in the Committee's discussion. Increasing co-operation between two adjoining territories, the one - belonging to

3—A. 5.

17