CO129-491 - Public Offices - 1925 — Page 111

(T)

by the stroulation of the basest falsehoo

hoods,

some of then so

improbable to an educati person as to appear not worthy of

son siders tion, but the ignorant sasses in China who read

vernacular pese are not able to distinguish the false fron

the

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peers to be most important to undertake count propaganda, or at least to stop or reduce the extent of Anti-

British propaganda and such work can only be carried out by

persons having such familiarity with the Chinese language and

habite of thought as to be able to spread the truth in the

way most likely to be effective. Buch persons should get into

touch with the editors and others connected with the vernacular

prese, and do their best to secure the public tion of truthful

statements as to British actions and sympathies. This kind of

work coult, it is thought, be best undert-ken by such an agent

aa has been suggested above in conjunction with his other

motivities.

sum up, I wish to impress upon His Majesty'

Government the fact that no settlement arrived at in Peking can

be successful in protecting British interests in china unless

it is acceptable in Canten also.

And I wish to suggest that the Government should open

informal and secret negotiations with those in power at dantom

with a view to arriving at the basis of a settlement that will

be acceptable both so the North and the South or, if that be

impossible at present, with a view to a restoration of friendly