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Minutes.
There seem to be four separate points involved in the present telegrams (Berne telegrams Nos. 1274, 1329 and 1353).
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These are
(1) whether British subjects in occupied China should work for Japanese employment;
(ii) whether we should announce that it is our policy that certain British nationals in occupied China should remain at their posts;
(iii) how many British subjects it will be possible for us to evacuate;
(iv) what arrangements we can make for assistance to British subjects who must remain.
As Mr. Scott mentions, point (i) has been decided in the ruling that "H.M. Govern- ment expect patriotic British subjects to refrain from assisting the enemy war effort but that they should not regard as unpatriotic the participation of British subjects in such maintenance of essential services as is for the benefit of the civil population of the occupied territory".
Point (ii) to a great extent hangs on point (1), but at the same time it goes further, since, if we are to tell certain individuals that it is our policy that they should stay on, we thereby assume responsibili- ty for giving them assistance. We cannot therefore make such a recommendation unless we are willing and in a position (as the result of agreement with the Japanese) to send assistance.
Point (iii) comes in in this connexion. It seems all too likely that once we have evacuated the party of non-officials at the time of the diplomatic and consular exchange," it will be very difficult for us to get any more out, though obviously we shall do our best.
Point (iv) brings in the Ministry of Economic Warfare and the Treasury.
I agree with Mr. Scott that we ought to consult the China Association. Possibly a meeting would be the best solution. But before this meeting is, arranged it seems essential that we should have made up our own minds on the questions of policy which arise. I would suggest that the line should be that we tell the China Association that we hope to evacuate so many British subjects from Shanghai that we will continue to try to get more out later on but are pessimistic as to the pros- pects of early success, that in the meantime we appreciate that it would be best if British nationals who have to remain behind were to continue to see to the interests of their firms, so far as it may be possible and subject to
the /
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