CO129-580-2 Sino-Japanese War- British policy and reactions in Hong Kong and Malaya 27-7-1939 - 3-2-1940 — Page 3

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The original of No.4 is on the file below.

As you wil see, copies were sent to interested

Departments, but no other specific action has

been taken on it.

I ought to add, however, that I recently

discussed with Mr. Speight, Foreign Office (on the

Secretary of State's instructions) possible arrange-

ments for the co-ordination of publicity work in

peace between the newly formed Foreign Publicity

Department of the Foreign Office and us here.

In particular, I asked him whether the Foreign Office were producing any material to counter the

Japanese propaganda in the Far East which would be

of value to the Governors in Malaya and Hong Kong.

Mr. Speight said that the Foreign Office had as

yet not formulated any definite plans dealing

with the Far East. They are, however, having a

meeting very soon (at which Sir John Pratt, among

others, is to be present) in order to discuss what

steps should be taken with the object of furthering

British publicity in the Far East. Thus a series

of special news telegrams to Shanghai, Indo-China

and Siam had been suggested; and it appeared,

prima facie likely that that material might be of

value to the Governors in Malaya and Hong Kong.

Mr. Speight has promised to keep me in full touch

with any developments; I do not think that in the

interim there is any action that we here can use-

fully take.

༡༡/

Lee

5th August, $939.

(2) is addressed to the

A

s/s

(3)

to the Prime Minister. The latter has made several statements in the H/C recently

on

Cons