FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SHANGHAI WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION, April 1915-March 1916.

White Ribbon, Volume 22, Issue 257, 18 November 1916, Page 4

FIRST ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SHANGHAI WOMEN'S CHRISTIAN TEMPERANCE UNION, April 1915-March 1916.

The Shanghai W.CT.I., from ns beginning on April 30th, has been an especially normal, well-tempered, and harmonious organisation. It was decided early in the Spring of last year to see if there were enough ladies definitely interested in temperance to form a branch of the Worlds W.C.T.I*. About 500 Invn.ll oils were issued for a drawing-room meeting at the Chamber of Commerce rooms, and 40 women accepted. At the close of a delightfully enthusiastic meeting, a resolution was adopt! d by unanimous vote to organise the Shanghai W.C.T.U. Those willing to serve on committees then met on May 7th, and chose a committee of nine who should serve as the Executive Committee, and who should be empowered to elect officers from among their own number. The Association has doubled its membership, and enrolls to-day 97. Their first real temperance effort was a protest against hav.ng a “cocktail bar” at a garden fete, and was worded as follows: — “To the Committee ‘Carden Fete. “Ladies and Gentlemen,“We, the undersigned, b ing the Committee of the recently-formed Shanghai Branch of the World" W’.C.T.t ~ while fully sympathising with the object of the forthcoming Garden Fete in Mr Hardoon’s garden, beg you to reconsider the question of including a ‘cocktail bar’ amongst your list of attra tions. “We would remind the Organising Committee of the fact that His Majesty King George has prohibited the use of alcoholic drinks in tin* Royal household, and has issued .<n indirect appeal to the British nation to abstain during the period of the war; also that by command of the Czar, the sale of drink in Russia has been abolished, and that the French Republic has likewise taken similar action. “We bring these facts to the special notice of the Committee, inasmuch as the fete was especially organised for the relief of the nations above-mentioned, the heads of which clearly ind cate that indulge nee in alcoholic drinks will weaken the power of the Allied forces and pro-

long the war. Such being the case, funds raised by the sale of liquor are manifestly misplaced. “Yours faithfully, “THE COMMITTEE.”

The formal organisation of the Union was completed by the adoption of the Constitution at the large gard»*n party given by Mrs Canning 111 June. Since then five regular meetings of the Society have been held, with an average attendance of 35. The following most excellent addresses have hern contributed: — “Some Effects of Alcohol on the Human Body,” Dr. Margaret Polk; “Evil Effects of Narcotics,” Mrs Chauncev Goodrich; “Progress of Prohibition in America,” Mrs Frank J. Raven; “Russia and Prohibition,” Mr- Evan Morgan ; “The Work of the Foreign Women's Home and its Relation to the Drink Problem,” Mrs F.mi Iv Mitchell.

Notices and reports of the meetings have appeared from time to time in the daily papers. Suitable posters, showing the evil effects of strong drink, have been exhibited in several prominent places in Shanghai. Mrs A. Q. Adamson passed away this year. Her life was a precious testimony to the* love of Jesus Christ for a lost world, and in memory of her, and for the sake of Him Who died for us all, let go forward into the new year w ith a spirit of earnc s endeavour and unswerving loyalty t-> give of our best for “God and Home and Every Land.” GRACE B. MORROW.