L
CONFIDENTIAL
20
like to make several points on this:-
(a)
(b)
A comparison between Mr. Grey and
the eleven communist newsworkers is
misleading:
(1) Unlike Mr. Grey who has done
nothing wrong, the eleven news
workers were sentenced for
specific crimes committed
during the communist-inspired
disturbances in Hong Kong in
1967.
(ii) Unlike Mr. Grey, not all the
communist news workers are
bona fide journalists,
We are responsible for the security
of Hong Kong. The security of the
Colony depends upon proper respect
for the law. It could have grave
consequences for the future main-
tenance of order if the Hong Kong
Government were seen, as a result of
Chinese pressure, to be ready to
bend the law when the Chinese
demanded it. This is what the pre-
mature release of the eleven news
workers in Hong Kong might mean.
If
we were to yield to Chinese pressure
tactica of this kind, it would grave-
ly impair the future value of prison
sentences as a deterrent. Communist
wrong-doers would not take them
seriously, since they would hope thai
we would again yield to pressure