TNAG-0052-FCO40-88-Communist-activities-in-schools-1968 — Page 98

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BUILDING AND DEREGISTRATION OF THE SCHOOL, AND ASSUME THAT THE

SCHOOL HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR GOOD. WHILE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO

SAY CATEGORICALLY THAT FAILURE TO DE-REGISTER OR ANY OTHER

SIMILAR SINGLE CONCESSION WOULD HAVE A REALLY SUBSTANTIAL

EFFECT ON PUBLIC MORALE IN PRESENT CIRCUMSTANCES, EVERY CONCESSION

IS NOTED AND IT IS THE ACCUMULATION OF SUCH CONCESSIONS THAT IN

THE END DAMAGES CONFIDENCE.

4. AS TO GESTURES TOWARDS ENCOURAGING A RETURN TO NORMALITY, WE

TOO OF COURSE HAVE OUR HAWKS AND DOVES AMONGST THE PUBLIC. THE

DOVES ARE MOSTLY AMONG THE COMPARATIVE NEWLY ARRIVED EXPATRIATES

AND A QUITE SMALL SECTION OF LOCAL OPINION. THEIR VIEWS ARE OF

MINOR CONSEQUENCE. THE MASS OF ANTI-COMMUNIST OPINION HERE IS

ANXIOUS THAT WE SHOULD NOT RELAX OUR CONTROL OVER COMMUNIST

ACTIVITIES ANY FURTHER, WHILE STILL NATURALLY WISHING TO SEE, A

RETURN TO VIOLENCE AVOIDED. THEY FEEL QUITE STRONGLY CAND AFTER

ALL THEY KNOW THEIR OWN PEOPLE) THAT CONCESSIONARY GESTURES PRODUCE NO GOOD RESULTS AND ONLY ENCOURAGE FURTHER COMMUNIST

INTRANSIGENCE. IT IS THESE PEOPLE WHO COUNT WHEN IT COMES TO

SUSTAINING PUBLIC CONFIDENCE, AND IN MY VIEW THEIR REALISM IS

IN GENERAL WELL JUSTIFIED BY OUR OWN OVER-ALL EXPERIENCE.

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5. IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE TO DEREGISTER CHUNG WAH'S MANAGER AND

STAFF AND STILL ALLOW THE BUILDING TO RE-OPEN AS A DIFFERENT

COMMUNIST SCHOOL: BUT, IN THAT CASE, UNLESS THE SCHOOL ITSELF

WAS DEREGISTERED ALSO THE NAME WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY BE PERPETUATED

AND THIS WOULD BE ALMOST AS BAD AS TAKING NO ACTION AT ALL. · THE

COMMUNISTS WOULD BE ABLE TO CLAIM A MAJOR VICTORY AND PUBLIC

CONFIDENCE IN THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE WEAKENED. BUT PROVIDED THE

NEW SCHOOL WAS DIFFERENTLY NAMED AS WELL AS UNDER DIFFERENT

MANAGEMENT AND WITH A DIFFERENT STAFF (IF THE PRESENT SCHOOL WAS

DEREGISTERED I WOULD DEREGISTER MANAGER AND STAFF ALSO), WE

COULD MAINTAIN THAT IT WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACTS OF THE

FORMER SCHOOL AND SO CONTEMPLATE REGISTERING IT. THIS IS A POSSIBILITY

I HAD ALREADY CONSIDERED AND ON THE BALANCE I FELT THAT REGISTRATION

SHOULD BE REFUSED AS WE HAVE POWER TO DO: BUT I WOULD BE PREPARED

TO RECONSIDER THIS VIEW AGAIN IF NECESSARY, AND IF IN FACT AN

APPLICATION FOR THE REGISTRATION OF A NEW SCHOOL WAS RECIEVED.

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