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CONFIDENTIAL
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Mr. Cradock is justified in claiming that a definite policy
of releasing detainees in exchange for exit visas, deportations
of British subjects and so on was ever precisely agreed and
that the Governor is now going back on it.
Fles D 848)4.
In Peking telegram No. 898 in reply to Hong Kong telegram
lag E (83) No. 2015, Mr. Cradock challenged the Governor's justification
for keeping detainees in custody on the following grounds:-
(a) Security Since the Chinese Government had abandoned
the policy of violence it was unlikely that any released
detainees would cause trouble which might lead to a further
outbreak of violence. In any case the Chinese could if
they so wished cause trouble through the agency of
communists already at liberty.
(b) Public Opinion
Reactions to releases so far have been
calm and the policy could be easily explained as a
response to the improving political situation in the Colony.
(c) Propaganda by the Communists Some face-saving victory
was essential, though in fact propaganda reaction to
releases so far have been very restrained.
(a) Releases as an instrument of political policy
It was
impossible to deny that detention was a political act;
release was therefore the same and should be used as an
instrument of "do-escalation”.
Mr. Cradock reiterated his objections with considerable force
when he learned that the Governor had in fact renewed a detention
Buy order
Flag Forder for one detainee (Hong Kong telegram No. 2034) stating
that this would be a severe set back to easing relations, that
/ the action
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CONFIDENTIAL,