Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-15
LEAGUE CONSIDERS
\ TRAFFIC IN OPIUM
Proposal That Body Assume
/. Duties Now Entrusted to
~ Holland Discussed
MANDATES QUESTION NEXT
BY the Associated Press

Geneva. Dec. 15.--Proposal that the
League of Nations assume the duties
which heretofore have developed uron
Holland under the international Opium
eonvention, regulating traffic in the
drug, was taken up by the assembly at
this mornings session.
The committee which had been in
. vestiRating the subject recommended
that the secretariat of the league col
lect information from the interested
! countries. and that the subject be fur
\ ther investigated by an advisory COM
nittce, including representatives from
the countries especially concerned
Holland, Great Britain. France, India,
Japan, China, Siam and Portugal.
IUnder the International opium con
yention, signed in 1912. the United
states being among the signatorics,
various duties devolved upon the
Netherlands government. Among tho
provisos was one that the contracting
powers should communicate with one
nected with the subject through the
Netherlands minister of foreign affairs.
The ratification machinery also was
placed In The hands of the Netherlands
foreign office.
The committee report cited the diff
Guilty resulting from the absence of the
United States and Germany from the
league, and suggested that if these gov
ernments could not forward their in
FORMATION to the league. they might
continue to communicate with Holland
on the subject
During the discussion. Or. Yelling
ton Koo, of the Chinese delegation, re-
viewed the efforts made by China during
more than century to suppress the
opium habit. He recognized. he said.
the great debt Of gratitude China owed
the United States for Americas aid in
tnis work. He was particularly
pleased, he said, that the committee
had decided the United States should be
especially invited to send a representa-
tive to meet with the advisory commit
tee.
White Slave Traffic Discussed
The committees suggestions were
adopted by the assembly and the sub
yect OF the white slave" traffic was
taken up.
The propositions regarding this traf. .
nc are that the countries which adj
nered to the international convention of
ISo4 be invited to send delegates TO
another international conference to be
held before the next assembly also that
ehe council appoint a committee to in.
vestignte the deportation of women and
children in Asia Minor.
The discussion of this question
brought to the platform for the first time
one OF the women substitute delega tes,
Mile. Henni Forthammer. of Denmark
VINO made strong appeal for PROMPT
action on behalf of the women who had
been deported during the war and since
ats conclusion. She urged the Assem- :
oiy to send investigators to Asia Minor
and appealed TO the delegates individ-
ually to prevail upon their several gov =
ernments to strengthen their legislation
to suppress the traffic in women and
children
Mile. Forthammer. speaking in excel
lent English, was enthusiastically an.
Platded. especially when she pleaded for
the 1000 Armenian women still in
captivity.
When the white slave" resolutions
came. 10 vote they were unanimously
adopted by the assembly.
Mandates Question Up
Discussion of the question of man.
dates on the floor of the Assembly Of the
League of Nations seemed today to he
probable, and il was expected there
would be an animated debate before
the subject was disposed Of.
A subcommittee which has been con L.
sidering the question Of mandates held
stormy sessions yesterday, some of the
members. including G. J. Doherty, OF
Canada, and Or. Nansen. of Norway,
pushing for action, while others ap-
peared indifferent. 1t appears the
council of the league has encountered
difficulties in securing satisfactory re
plies from tho Supreme Allied Council
and from the mandatory powers con =
corning the terms of mandates aud the
boundaries of territories placed under
the supervision Of various nations. In
addition, one country of the league is
said to have delayed the giving Of in =
formation requested in relation TO other
matters.
More Information Needed
There is n strong current Of opinion
in the assembly that the mandates I'm
der which the powers fix q cir own
terms are not properly mandates and
there are Indications the question may
be thrown back uOon the supreme Al .
lied Council il sufficient information has
not been secured before Thursday night
The committe" in charge of the matter
holds that II must have this informa
tion before il can make an intelligent
report.
II appeared that Austria would T. -Ob
ably be admitted 10 the 'caguo without
opposition, and that Bulgaria would
also be accorded membership. In heI
case, however, France. il was said
would probably refuse to vote. II
seemed probable that Brazil would again
be given a place On tho council, and
that a similar honor would be given
Spain. China had many supporters
as successor 10 Greece and it ap.
peared Norway would replace Belgium
There are many delegates, however
who are expected 10 support Belgium
when the election takes place
PRoGRESSIVES SEE HARDING