CO129-580-2 Sino-Japanese War- British policy and reactions in Hong Kong and Malaya 27-7-1939 - 3-2-1940 — Page 65

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12 September, 1959.

My dear Northcote,

As you know, active arrangements are in hand for setting up a full organisation for British publicity in the Far East, and I am showing to the Ministry of Information here your letter to me of the 14th of August about the rendition of the four Tientsin men. Although

no doubt there may be difficulties in the way of giving advance information of such ecisions, unpalatable to the Chinese, as may have to be taken in the future,

nevertheless, I am sure that it will be appreciated here that everything possible shou'd be done to present them to public opinion in such a form that dissatisfaction may be minimised. Particularly in present circumstances this must obviously be a principal function of any publicity organisation, and personally I feel sure that the very close touch which the Director General of the Far astern B reau will be maintaining with you will go far to meet

your needs.

SIR OROFFRY NORTHCOTE,E.C

Yours sincerely,

(Signed) 0. E. J. GENT.

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P.S.