TNAG-0053-FCO40-89-Communist-activities-in-schools-1968 — Page 39

CYPHER CAT A

ROUTINE HONG KONG

TELEGRAM NUMBER 1067

SECRET

COPY

HW

68

TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

10 SEPTEMBER 1968.

SECRET.

ADDRESSED COMMONWEALTH OFFICE TELNO. 1967 OF 10TH SEPTEMBER REPEATED FOR INFORMATION TO PEKING.

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YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 1429, PARAGRAPH 2: COMMUNIST SCHOOLS.

FOR MASON.

YOUR (A). THERE IS ALMOST NO PROSPECT OF ATTRACTING THE CHILDREN OF HARD-CORE FAMILIES AWAY FROM COMMUNIST SCHOOLS TO NON-COMMUNIST SCHOOLS AND, SINCE 1967, ONLY A VERY FEW SUCH CHILDREN HAVE SOUGHT TO TRANSFER. NOR IS THERE MUCH PROSPECT OF PERSUADING THEM TO ENTER NON-COMMUNIST SCHOOLS INITIALLY, AND IF THEY DID SO IT MIGHT WELL BE IN ORDER TO INFILTRATE THEM. AMONGST THE FAMILIES OF THOSE WHO ARE LESS CONVINCED AND/OR OVER WHOM THE COMMUNISTS HAVE SOME HOLD (E.G. THROUGH EMPLOYMENT IN COMMUNIST-CONNECTED CONCERNS) VARIOUS FACTORS AFFECTING CHOICE OF SCHOOL WILL APPLY, EACH AS DEGREE OF COMMUN I ST CONVICTION, DEGREE OF HOLD OVER THE PARENTS, ACCESSIBILITY OF SCHOOL S NEAR THE PARENTS HOME, AVAILABILITY OF SCHOOL PLACES AND SO ON. BUT IN GENERAL THESE PEOPLE ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING PRESSURED INTO SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO A COMMUNIST SCHOOL IF ONE WITH AVAILABLE PLACES IS REASONABLY NEAR BY. ONCE IN A COMMUNIST SCHOOL, COMMUNIST CONVICTION IS DRILLED INTO THE CHILDREN, HOWEVER LUKE-WARM THEIR PARENTS MAY BE.

2. YOUR (B). NON-COMMUNIST CHILDREN ARE NOT BEING GREATLY ATTRACTED TO COMMUNIST SCHOOLS AT PRESENT. A FEW MAY BE SENT TO SUCH SCHOOLS INITIALLY BECAUSE OF CONVENI ENCE, OR OUT OF IGNORANCE OF THE NATURE OF THE SCHOOLS, OR FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS OTHER THAN COMMUNIST CONVICTION. ONE FACTOR MAY BE THAT SINCE THE COMMUNISTS DO NOT/AS YET

APPEAR TO HAVE SUFFICIENT PLACES FOR THE CHILDREN OF THOSE MORE OR

LESS COMMITTED TO THEM, THEY STILL IN GENERAL GIVE PRIORITY TO THEIR OWN ADHERENTS. AS COMMUNIST SCHOOLS SPREAD, THE DANGERS OF A MORE ACTIVE POLICY OF ATTEMPTING TO ATTRACT NON-COMMUNIST CHILDREN WILL OBVIOUSLY INCREASE: AND, INDEED, IT IS CLEAR THAT THE MORE COMMUNIST SCHOOLS THERE ARE THE GREATER MUST BE THE VARIOUS POTENTIAL DANGERS.

RECEIVED

IN VIVES No. 63 10 SEP1968

MWA9/12

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