Reference..
Will 67
Flag "A"
which is one
of the major Communist
newspapers.
Mr. Carter
Mr. Godden
A reply is required to the letter at (67) from Mr. Loveys, M.P. The main file is in action with a draft submission to Ministers about certain action to be taken against the Communist Press ("Mosquito Broadsheets").
2. This is the second letter from Mr. Loveys (and from his constituent Mrs. Lewis) on this subject. The first was couched in more general terms, asking what we were going to do about the Communist Press and enclosing a previous number of the Ta Kung Pao. The Minister replied, immediately after the Hong Kong authorities had taken action against three lesser Communist papers, by referring to such action and without mentioning the Ta Kung Pao. But, as you know, those three newspapers were carefully selected for the purpose as being minor and independently-owned newspapers (i.e. not C.P.G. owned or back and as being less likely to provoke reaction from Peking. As it was, the suspension of the three newspapers led directly to the sacking of our Mission in Peking.
3. Mrs. Lewis has now returned to the charge (through Mr. Loveys), asking what is going to be done about the Ta Kung Pao itself Mr. Loveys is mistaken in thinking that the Ta Kung Pao was one of the three newspapers which had been suspended.
4. We are, as you know, steering clear for as long as we are able, of taking action to suspend any of the main Communist newspapers for fear of reprisals in Peking. There is, there- fore, very little that we can say in reply to Mr. Loveys.
5.
I attach a draft for consideration.
Reple, sent is at
75
PAGE.
(A.W. Gaminara)
19.9.67.
1919
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