28.
Nevertheless the decision to concentrate on
"winning over the population" by friendly gestures and
by concentrating on exploiting grievances, whether real
or imagined, is bound to attract additional support
for the communists, even if only on a very gradual basis.
In Hong Kong as elsewhere there are always people who
have a grievance against Government
<<
or against society
generally. If they feel there is no other organisation
to champion their cause such people may be only too
willing to follow the communists.
29.
A comparison between the tactics used by the
communist newspapers during the period 1956-58 and those
followed today is of particular interest; attacks on
Government, in support of a widespread united front
campaign to win over the population into the communist
camp, is once again a prime function of the communist
propaganda machine. Then, as now, despite these
attacks there was a marked absence of militant communist
activity on the ground. There is little doubt that
the communists achieved some degree of success between
1956 and 1958 and it is not unlikely that the current
campaign will also show some results.
30.
-
Public memory tends to be short, and constant
allegations of acts of persecution and petty tyranny by
Government may, in course of time, come to be believed
by an increasing sector of the public particularly
if the communists use a more sophisticated approach in
their propaganda. Consequently, although only making a
slow recovery in its circulation, the communist press
has considerable potential. It is currently being
subjected to tighter overall control and co-ordination.
and this could, in the long term, result in it becoming
an increasing threat to the Hong Kong Government.
CONFIDENTIAL