DS
(PR 1437/16/913)
9603011 (15) 4.
Top Secret
FOREIGN OFFICE, S.W.1.
30th May, 1949
CONFIDENTIAL
Dear Norjan,
INFORMATION
1 JUN 1949 REGISTRY
Our Far Eastern Department sent across to the Colonial Office a copy of a letter (F 6553/1015/10) from our Embassy in Paris dated the 3rd May, about the views of the French representative from Hong Kong on the position in that colony in China.
Monsieur Jobez said that the one source of danger which he foresaw was labour agitation. Labour in the colony was divided between the supporters of the Communists and the supporters of the Kuomintang, and when the Kuomintang completely collapsed, their supporters would tend to find some means of joining up with the others.
We do not know how far this is true; and in any case we assume that our people on the spot have the labour situation under careful observation, and that they will take what action they can when the time comes. Nevertheless, it occurs to us that there may be some evidence which we could produce, from places like Czechoslovakia, etc., of the sort of thing that happens to trades union movements and the interests of labour generally when the Communists gain control. Recent events in Berlin are not the only example of the systematic Communist policy of breaking strikes.
If you think that any material of this kind would be useful, please let us know what sort of stuff you would like and in what form (ready-written articles, basic papers, reference material, etc.); and we will then do our best to let you have what you think might be useful.
This is, incidentally, the sort of liaison work in which we hope Mrs. Stahl will be able to help us both.
jours ever
W. S. Morgan, Esq.,
Colonial Office
avidelson)
(J.H. Watson)
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