Evening star., 1961-03-26

/ IlOI1 d1J6T IWclVc years Oh COus
sideration year after year by
the United Nations Commission
on Narcotics Drugs.
There was no indication
from the Holy See delegates
when the basic document was
submitted to them that they
would oppose it. They sat fol
nine weeks and never uttered
a word until this came up. We
could have rallied support but
we didn't know we needed it.
The actual vote on the reso.
luton was repeatedly seven del.
egations in favor, 10 against the
resolution. Twenty-Five coun.
tries abstained from voting.
Vatican Statement
This is the text of the state.
ment given by a Holy See dele.
gate, Msgr. Timothy j. Flynn
an official Of the Archdiocese
of New York, just before the
voting:
"Our delegation indorsei
every human and effective
means of treatment for mar
cotics addiction. We realize
that treatment in a hospita
institution is a worthwhile anC
indeed one of the more ef'
fective methods Of treatment
However. we recognize that
there is no general agreement
on how drug addiction ShoulC
be treated. There comes tt
mind in the case of this resolu
tion a question whether civi
commitment-in the case Of ar
addict without a criminal rec
ord, where there is no crimina
Recommendation there Is no
involved here q possible viola
tion Of human rights.
There is a Fundamental
principal Of human rights tt
be protected here and 1t should
be a matter Of interest to u
to know what limitations are
placed on the method Of civil
commitment.
1--WE have some grave doubts
about the resolution and feel
that a method Of treatment in
volving civil commitment in q
hospital institution is open to
potential abuses.
Therefore our delegation is
Of a mind to oppose the reSo-
luton. Moreover, we are speak
ing here Of q resolution to be
associated with a convention
which will have, we hope, world
wide applicability. not one
which will be applicable Just
in the United States"
Infringement Possible
Reached by The Star and
informed Of Mr.. Anslinger's
protest. Msgr. Flynn said it was
conceivable and true that in
certain countries where there
Is a well-established rule Of
law, civil commitment laws
could be administered in such
a way as not to infringe on
human rights.
But" he added, 1--WE don't
think this belongs in any
international treaty. Certain
countries incarcerate any one
they please in any event. We
see no reason to give them, in an
international convention, some
specious basis Of legality to de-
prive a person Of his human
rights"
Asked If he referred to the
Iron Curtain countries, he said
he included them and some
areas not behind the Iron Cur
tain.
In a prepared statement
later, Msgr. Flynn said that
I'VE neither affirm nor deny
the value Of civil commitment
for narcotic addicts as legis-
lated in individual States OF
the United States nor as it may
be legislated in any specific
countries"
| In stating the Holy Sees OBJ
lection to the American reso-
lution," Msgr. Flynn said: 1--WE
declare that this does not be-
long as a resolution associated
with an international treaty
since we see in it the possibility
Of the violation Of human
rights"
Mr.. Anslinger said the United
Nations Commission on Mar
coticS Drugs, on which he heads
the United States delegation,
had decided to recommend
compulsory disqualification of
drugs addictS in a closed in
stitution but at the U. N. con-
ference 1t was decided to water
it down simply to recommend
civil commitment where nations
could provide it. And that was
defeated.
"If the resolution had been
adopted" Mr.. Anslinger said,
IT am positive that many
countries would have followed
it. It would have been one of
the greatest strides taken
throughout the world in the
field of narcotics addiction"
In addition to the District
and such States as New York,
Illinois, Minnesota and Texas,
he said, civil commitment laws
are on the books Of Singapore,
Iran, France. Germany, Spain,
Portugal, Brazil, Argentina,
United Arab Republic and
some of the Iron Curtain
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