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Flag.
Para 3
Pata/3.
Mark 4.
98
taking compirchensive
7. There are certain arguments in favour of adopting Lowers against the press.
Course (a) Even if action were confined to the road sheets
(Course (b)), this could well necessitate consequential
action against the premises and means of their production.
This, in turn, could involve raids on premises belonging to
C.P.G. owned newspapers although without direct action
against such newspapers themselves. The three newspapers
which have been suspended were minor independently owned
organs of the Communist press (i.e. they did not include any
of the main C.P.G. owned or backed newspapers). They were
for this reason deliberately selected as the subject of legal
action in an attempt to minimise the danger of reaction in
Peking. That legal action has had little effect on the
attitude of the rest of the Communist press (although there
have very recently been indications that the latter has
slightly modified its tone), and the Governor has stated that
unless there is some early and fairly striking change in the
Communist attitude, it is going to be very difficult to avoid
eventual action against the main Communist newspapers
themselves.
Hồng Mong
but it
This could, perhaps, be taken under the existing
law (as was done in the case of the three papers already
suspended) instead of using emergency regulations;
could be argued that it might in the long run pay to take now
comprehensive emergency powers to deal with all sections of
the Communist press in case the need for such action should
arise in the future.
8. But the taking of comprehensive emergency powers against
the Communist press generally would in itself, undoubtedly,
be regarded in Peking as extreme provocation. The enactment
of ouch-comprehensive regulations would not be justified
unless the intention was to apply them forthwith and this in
effect would mean the closure of all remaining Communist
newspapers. It could hardly be expected that the C.P.G.
would refrain from reprisals in the face of such action.
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19.