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HONG KONG TELNO 785 TO FCO
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6. PRESENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT THIS YEAR'S DOUBLE TENTH CELEBRAT-
IONS WILL BE ON A SIMILAR SCALE TO LAST YEAR. NO ORGANISED TROUBLE
IS ENVISAGED THOUGH, AS ALWAYS, SPONTANEOUS INCIDENTS REMAIN A
POSSIBILITY.
7. THE REFUSAL OF 8 OF 23 VISAS APPLIED FOR BY EASTERN EUROPEAN
DELEGATES WAS EXPLOITED FOR MAXIMUM PUBLICITY BY THE EASTERN
EUROPEANS BUT DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE INCONVENIENCED THE CONFERENCE
OR ATTRACTED SUPPORT (TELEGRAM 748).
COMMENT.
S. THE DESIRE OF THE COMMUNIST HIERARCHY TO AVOID ANY FORM OF
TROUBLE DURING THE 1ST OCTOBER CELEBRATORY PERIOD WAS
OBVIOUS. THE DAY WAS, IN SOME WAYS, SOMETHING OF AN ANTICLIMAX AND
LOCAL COMMUNIST LEADERS MUST BE DISAPPOINTED THAT, DESPITE THEIR
EFFORTS IN RECENT MONTHS AND THE LARGER NUMBER OF FUNCTIONS
ARRANGED TO MARK THE OCCASION, ATTENDANCE FIGURES WERE BELOW
THOSE ANTICIPATED. THERE WILL NOW, UNDOUBTEDLY, BE A REVIVAL AND
INTENSIFICATION OF COMMUNIST UNITED FRONT ACTIVITY WHICH WILL
CONCENTRATE ON ASSISTANCE TO THOSE SECTORS OF THE PUBLIC WHICH
CONSIDER THEMSELVES AGGRIEVED BY GOVERNMENT ACTION. IN THIS
CONNECTION PUBLIC LIGHT BUS OPERATORS OFFER A NATURAL TARGET AND
COMMUNIST ACTIVITIES IN THIS FIELD MUST BE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN
THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE. COMMUNIST PRESS ATTACKS ON GOVERNMENT, WHICH
IN THE RECENT PAST HAVE LARGELY BEEN REPLACED BY REPORTS ON 1ST
OCTOBER CELEBRATIONS WILL, ALMOST CERTAINLY, RESUME AND LONG TERM
EFFORTS BY COMMUNIST EDUCATIONAL CIRCLES TO EXTEND THEIR INFLUENCE
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/AMONGST