A.—s

The study of the cinema in relation to child welfare, and the inquiry, in conjunction with the International Labour Office, of the effects of family allowances on the welfare of children, still occupy the attention of the Welfare Committee. With regard to some of the other questions, notably the mental and physical recreation of children, the Child Welfare Committee, doubtless in deference to the view expressed by the Assembly last year, is limiting its inquiries to a collection of information by the members of the committee in their respective countries. The Fifth Committee's report to the Assembly is Document A. 62, and the Assembly passed the following resolution on the 20th September " The Assembly notes the report submitted by the Child Welfare Committee, expresses its appreciation of the work it is doing, and requests it to continue on the lines indicated in the report on its third session." Protection of Women and Children in the Near Bast. A reference to last year's report will show that for this work of rescue of women and children who had escaped from countries to which they had been deported no money was voted by the League for 1927. It was, however, stated in committee last year that the work would be carried on for another year with the aid of private subscriptions. The Fifth Committee of the Assembly had before it this year the final report on the work carried out at Aleppo (Document A. 29). This report contains a review of the work done since the establishment of the local Commission in 1922. Miss Jeppe, a Danish lady, to whose courage tribute has been paid on many occasions, has severed her official connection with the League, but she will continue to direct the work, which will be carried out with the aid of private financial support. The Rapporteur's report (Document A. 61) came before the Assembly on the 20th September, when the following resolution was passed : — " The Assembly approved Miss Jeppe's report, and expresses its thanks and appreciation for the unselfish and admirable work which she has done for the protection of women and children in the Near East. The Assembly hopes that the generous financial support given to Miss Jeppe by voluntary organizations in the past will continue, in order that she may be enabled to restore to a normal life those who have been rescued." Measures in favour of Armenian and Russian Refugees. The question involved is the difficult one of finding work in various parts of the world for Russians and Armenians who are refugees from their own countries. Fortunately, this year, consideration of the position was not complicated by the introduction of irrelevant matter such as the ill-timed motion introduced last year, which, if passed, would have given the International Labour Office a mandate to deal generally with unemployment. The task of finding employment is now in the hands of the High Commissioner for Refugees (Dr. Nansen, the eminent explorer) and the International Labour Office. In the course of the Fifth Committee's debate it was stated that although 38,000 Russian and Armenian refugees had been placed in the last two years, many thousands still remained to be dealt with. A revolving fund of £100,000 was aimed at in the first instance. A charge on self-supporting refugees of 5 Swiss francs for the renewal of identity certificates has produced only 150,000 francs, and, although money has been received from Governmental and other sources, the need for more funds is exceedingly great, and is now hampering the acceptance of an offer of five South American States to take some thirty thousand refugees. A meeting of Government representatives to consider proposals for the settlement of refugees in overseas countries was held in Geneva in June last, and a report on the Conference will be found in Document A. 30. A clear account of the present position will be found in the Rapporteur's report to the Assembly (Document A. 90), which passed the resolution with which it concludes on the 26th September. Shortly before the report came before the Assembly Dr. Nansen mounted the platform and delivered a speech regarding the scheme for the transfer of Armenian refugees to the Republic of Erivan, which he claimed was an Armenian Republic of nearly one million persons. He said that owing to want of success he had felt inclined to recommend that the League should sever its connection with the scheme, but that the Council had again made an appeal for money, and under the circumstances he was content to continue the work. He ended his speech with an earnest appeal for help. The Opium Convention. Reference has already been made to this question in the section of this report dealing with the Fourth Committee. Expenses of the Permanent Central Board. Article 19 of the Opium Convention of 1925 provides that the Council of the League of Nations shall appoint, within three months of the coming into force of the convention, a permanent Central Board, consisting of eight persons, who, by their technical competence, impartiality, and disinterestedness, will command general confidence. The convention is not yet in force, owing to lack

H —A. 5.

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