Ausa (1)
Brig
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هنم را
CYPİLER TELEGRAM from the Governor of the Straits Settlements
to the Secretary of state for the Colonies.
Dated 22nd June, 1939. Received 12.47 p.m. 22nd June, 1939.
4107
No.45.
Government House. Secret and Personal.
I find myself.compelled to inform you that the
political effects on Asiatics in Malaya of our inaction in
China is bad. While the general feeling of the local
Chinese is strongly anti-Japanese and extremely loyal to
local Government there is much criticism of failure to deal
adequately with the high handed and oppressive measures
China
taken by the Japanese in ?Tangsøe River. Opinion amongst
the upper and middle classes is that British prestige has
been falling ever since the shooting of the British
Ambassador and that the insults and outrages on British
subjects and property in China are nothing new and are
only to be expected as a result of British weakness.
They will not be surprised if the British concessions in
Tientsin and Shanghai are surrendered. Opinion amongst the
lower classes is frankly that Britain is afraid and that the
British soldiers are not so brave and daring as the
Japanese.
From the enclosure to my letter of 22nd November
you will realise that as regards Siamese we are merely
playing into the hands of the Japanese.
For what it is worth my own opinion is that
Japan would not stand up to resolute action on our part and
that such action should be taken now, If we do not we run
the risk of alienating goodwill of those who are still
friendly disposed.