40.
10
By close co-operation with the Marine Department the unit was able to play a useful role in limiting the spread of the scamen's strike and continues to support the Marine Department's efforts against sub- version of this vulnerable group.
Political confrontation
41.
Even the establishment of a special publicity unit does not provide government with the full armoury necessary to confront all-out communist propaganda making use of lies as freely as truth to discredit the government.
-
if onc
42.
It is probably so that truth will win out over lies adds "in the long run". In propaganda it may often be difficult to catch up with a good lie before nearly irreparable damage is done. The unit has never been tempted to trade lies with the communists and has with only a few exceptions issued material which was openly attributable to government sources. Nevertheless there are bound to be inhibitions about the issuc
by Government of even some kinds of factual information, particularly where they discredit people or organisations. To some extent therefore Govern- ment has been fighting its propaganda battle with one hand tied behind its back. Only on a few occasions has the publicity unit been free to cxploit directly and to the full telling information about prominent local communists as in the case of Mr. Fui Yi-Man and the Country Club.
42.
The obverse of this political situation is the need to increase public respect for and confidence in Government's chief supporters and senior officials. The unit has been very active in this field, endeavour... to increase the readiness of senior officials to match at least some of the expectations of the public when they speak. In the present phase this t... will certainly be a high priority for the unit, since it is their firm conviction that the confidence of the public in the men who make decision. will be the most important factor in public acceptance of these decision. more important than the understanding of the public as a whole of the often complicated arguments involved.
43.
The latter part of this paper has been on attempt to illustrati by a very few examples from many themes the approach which the 'special publicity unit has taken to various propaganda situations. The earlier part illustrates, again only by example, the method which have boun employed. Any recipient of this paper who is interested in learning more of the work of the unit or, better still, who has sugations for now. themes or methods should contact Mr. Stevenson at 235191.
5th January, 1968.