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became evident that Government intended standing firm and there was
nothing to be gained by protesting further. This is not to say, of course,
that any of these matters will not be raised again as and when the communists
consider it timely so to do.
4.
The offer in February by the Kwangtung Support Committee of
material aid to the local communists in the form of a large consignment of
rice, concurrent with the offer by the Chinese Red Cross of a quantity of
winter clothing for "confrontation" prisoners, provided a much needed boost
to the morale of local communists at a stage when some at least, were
experiencing a sense of frustration and bewilderment following the adoption
of instructions from China of a policy of non-violent struggle. A full
scale propaganda drive was mounted by the communists in an attempt to force
Government to allow the import of the rice outside of the regular channels.
However, despite warnings by local communists that the rice would be brought
in, with or without Government permission, the communists allowed the issue to
fade away on the rather lame note that Government's refusal demonstrated its
"lack of concern for the masses".
5.
February saw also the beginning of a long drawn out campaign by the
local communist labour leaders to secure the reinstatement of those union
members who had been dismissed when they walked out of their jobs last year.
To all intents and purposes this represented the end of what the communists
termed their "general strike". While the story circulated to the "strikers"
was that reinstatement was necessary in order that they could propagate the
Thoughts of MAO to their former workmates, it was apparent that China was
bringing pressure to bear on the local communist movement to reduce the
financial drain which the strike allowances represented. The reinstatement
campaign resulted in a series of delegations and processions by the "strikers"
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/to their
....