101A
CONTROL OF CHINESE
PRESS
NANKING'S DISCIPLINARY
METHODS
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
HONGKONG, JAN. 29
The letter of Mr. Hollington Tong, director of the Government Information Office in Nanking, criticizing the com- ments in The Times on the Shameen out- rage by arguments about censorship (which were not mentioned in the summary of The Times article received here) is re- garded in official circles here as mistaken. A censorship under that name may not exist, but Chinese newspapers which do not conform with Kuomintang views or directives are either deprived of newsprint or suppressed.
During the student agitation of May last' year the Daily Tribune of Canton, the only independent newspaper which deprecated anti- foreignism, was closed down and its editor and entire staff were arrested, imprisoned for month (allegedly as Communists) and then released without trial. The pretence that the Chinese Government is unable to cope with Press agitation is rebutted by the suspension in Shanghai a fortnight ago of a local journal which insulted the Muslims.
The local South China Morning Post ques- tions whether readers of The Times will be deceived by Mr. Tong's pleas, adding that while technically there may be no censorship, the Press is nevertheless under the discipline and official inspiration of the Government or the Kuomintang Party.
The Canton Daily Sun reports that Hong- kong Chinese papers are no longer to be carried to Canton by aircraft, because they compete with local journals, and adds:
66
All Hongkong papers will maintain contact with the high authorities here so that the proper angle will not be lost sight of in the news-rooms during important breaks. The Hongkong papers will also give due regard to the official viewpoint here through their i columns of Canton news."
į It is reliably learned that Nanking is demanding that Great Britain should agree to compensate the injured Kowloon squatters before taking up the question of indemnity for the damage at Shameen. If the principle were once established that Chinese injured while resisting the police are to be compen- sated, it would be much more difficult to main- tain law and order in the colony.
R53,
3.
MR. Wallace 1/535
MR Magile. 17/534
Dr. Radford
537
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