5
Sir C. Parkinson.
I am conscious that my judgment
may be affected by my extreme distaste for
Roman Catholic dictation in any form, but I
must say that Mr. Vernon's argument seems to
me unanswerable. If the Canton Government
object to anything that is going on in Hong
Kong, it is for them (and not for Lord Fitzalan's
anonymous correspondent) to raise the question
with H.M.G.
The enclosure in Lord Fitzalan's
letter is a typical piece of propaganda. Note
that one complaint is that a "rationalist"
has been appointed to a police post previously
held by an "exemplary Catholic"!
I would reply, politely of course, that
the matter is not one in which the S. of S.
could intervene.
JES.
2/7/37
Secretary of State.
I entirely sympathise with Sir John
Shuckburgh's view, but I find a difficulty in
suggesting that you should reply that the
matter is not one in which you could properly
intervene.
There are really two points in
Lord Fitz Alan's letter. So far as concerns
the activities of Mr. R.A.D. Forrest in a
private capacity, there is certainly no reason
why