Extract from the
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST
2nd
dated
July, 1941.
28
(1)
EVACUATION NEED
GOVERNOR EXPLAINS WAR CABINET DECISION OF LAST YEAR
NO CHANCE OF RETURNING YET
to
Declaring that he hoped the time would never come Hongkong when the decision of the British War Cabinet to evacuate British European women who were not required for essential service, and their children, would be justified by stark facts, His Excellency the Governor last night closed a careful and sympathetic study of the evacuation question. The Governor's talk was broadcast through ZBW.
His Excellency emphasised that the decision regarding evacuation was taken by the War Cabinet after careful con- sideration of all the circumstances and the threat to the Colony that existed, and still may be said to exist. The hardships that would be entailed were fully realised. The retention of some women, and gradual return of a few others, was part of the defence scheme: a number of women were required for Essential service, which His Excellency detailed. He drew a word picture of conditions which, in case of the worst happening here, could face the man called up for service, with his wife or family in peril.
The Governor stated clearly that there could not yet be any lifting of the evacuation order as a whole: but pledged Govern- ment's constant watchfulness for the least sign that the order could be relaxed.
His Excellency said: No one will deny that my subject this evening! is a thorny one, to say the least of it, so I will try to clear the ground a bit before I begin. In the first place, I am going to be as frank as I can, but it goes without saying that there are some points on which I cannot be altogether explicit. Secondly, I am not going to try to use "soft sawder", nor am I going to make rash promises; Thirdly, I hold no brief for those women whose duty it was to go last year and who failed in that duty. Lastly, I am not going to argue that no mistakes have been made by Government in the course of and since the evacuation; but on that point I do ask my hearers to realize how stupendously difficult was the job which the authorities had to carry out last year in the greatest haste.
Before I go further I want to make one thing clear. In the course of this short talk I am speaking only of the British European community, because that was the only section of the
population affected by the evacuation order. Admittedly that point raises another and a very large issue but I cannot deal with it to- night.
Several Schools of Thought There are clearly several schools of thought among the critics of the evacuation. There are some-not many, I believe-who think that the whole thing was unnecessary. Then there is a much larger body of opinion which holds that it might have been very strongly urged on the public, but not made compulsory. Then again there are those who
argue that if compulsion was neces- sary it should have been made universal and that no British women should have been allowed to remain. Another school is not disposed to discuss the past so much as the pre- sent and future and to plead that those women who now wish to re- turn should be allowed to do so. Lastly there are the critics of the way in which the policy of compul- sory evacuation was put into prac- tice in and after June last year.
Under these different views there!
that
often appear to run two under- currents, some people feeling His Majesty's Government acted too hastily in issuing the evacuation order last year, while others believe that the Hongkong Government mis- interpreted that order. It seems to me essential that those issues should be cleared up first, and I will deal with them as fully as considerations of high policy allow.
evacuate
and His June,
It is
Definite Instructions The instructions to British European women children, which came from
last Majesty's Government were quite clear and definite. within my personal knowledge that they were sent only after the matter had been considered on more than
one occasion in all its aspects by the War Cabinet. There is no ground for thinking that the drastic nature of the step was not fully realised by the War Cabinet or that it was given less than full weight. The conclusion to which they were driven was that the situation was so grave: that there was no alternative but to take that
the step. Furthermore, Home Authorities were aware that]
the local evacuation scheme neces- sarily provided for the exemption of a considerable number of women: that is a point to which I will return in a few minutes. I hope that that brief statement will clear away any misconception of those two points.
I do not think it worth while to discuss whether His Majesty's Government was right or not in that decision. I freely admit that every- one has a right to his own opinion, but that is not to say that all opinions are equally good; and when it comes to weighing the fully con- sidered judgment of the British War Cabinet on so important a matter, a judgment deliberately reached in the light of all the facts, against the opinions of individuals out here, who have to found their views on what they can gather from the newspapers and the wireless, there surely is no room for doubt which has the right of it. At any rate no amount of talking would reduce disagreement on a point like this; so I will pass on. Hongkong Position
I come next to the larger number of people who argue, more reason- ably, that whatever was the case then, things are so much better to- day that the necessity for still keep- ing women away who want to re- turn is no longer justified by the facts of the case. They urge in short, that the evacuation should now be put on a voluntary basis. Well! Admittedly things look some- what brighter at Home on July 1 this year than they did twelve months ago-quite a bit brighter: but that is not the real point, so far as we here are concerned. The question whether Hongkong should remain as it is for the time being, that is to say with the majority of its women folk disallowed from coming back, turns on the point whether Hongkong is still to be regarded as a likely object of heavy attack. On that I can only say that I know of nothing that would lead me to think that His Majesty's Government has been able to change its review regarding the necessity for maintaining evacuation on a compulsory basis for the time being. And
in case anyone may think that I am trying to make His Majesty's Government "hold the baby" I may add that my own con- sidered view, knowing what I know, is identical with that taken at home.
Another section of this "Voluntary Evacuation" school is, I gather, in- clined to say "even if the Colony is going to be attacked, we would rather have our women and children with us; they can take it, if neces- sary". I have no doubt that they could and would take it, but I con- fess that I cannot understand how any husband or father who looks deeply and without prejudice into - the real possibilities of the case could continue to hold that view.
A Scene to Visualise
I would like anyone who feels that way to picture to himself the follow- ing scene: it is just what might have happened had things turned out 'differently here, or for that matter, what may happen yet. I want him to see himself on duty at his post, whether in a battery at Mount! Davis, a trench above Repulse Bay, in the Hongkong Electric Company's power station or elsewhere, not only