OCR
- page three market ín the whole area. In view of the laek in taxes, this prosperity nevertheless :§ not, felt directly for the P rtuguese administration. In fact L*sbon is today forced to pay Subsidies to the colony. But while these subsidies exist, the invisible gains for Portugal are very important indeed. Despite the appearances, Por. tugal is gaining quite a lot by iys posession of the Colony. Tt is hard to learn exactly the number of the population, eince the refugee situation fluctuates a great deal. One must therefore take an average, which would put the Chinese population.at 378,000 people as against a European population of 5000. But this situation is false, if we understand under Chinese men who have a feeling of loyalty towards China. Because the ovefwhelming majority of the population o f Macao of Chinese rece is passionately loyal to Portugal, Most of the men of colour will reply quite naturally that they are Portuguese, whll show neither tmterest nor sympathy for China, The Chinese movements, which are so passionate jn Hong-Kong have here no great importance, That. is why the P rtuguese can exercise such absolute tolerance, letting both Re@ and Nationalist Chinese Agents do as they pleasee No leaflets, no papers, will swayu the loyalty of the great majority of the Macao Chinese to P et Portugal. The Macao people kmow to well, that they live litferaliy in a Paradise today, that they can not live better than they live today under the Pertuguese Flag. They know that they have no colour bar, as there are still some left in HongKonge And they have a freedom which they know has disappeared ín China. Finally there is the tie of religion, since a large element in Macao is Ggtholic, and feels as such solidarity with Portugal. Thus today, with the support of a loyal population, end thanks to a policy of wisdom and modération, “ortuge:1 4s holding to its om, This it does in the face of great aifficulties and of ever rising threats. It is interesting to note that even among the Chinese here in Macao, if the poss ibility of a Chinese invasion is discusceed, there is no doubt that 4n the end the city will return to Portugal, if it shpould be lost. People simply feel Portuguese. And this is the most admirable achievement of Portuguese Colonial policy : they have gained over to them the loyalty of the coloured people. In this connection one point must be stated. Since the incidents of late J, ly, the name of England is rather loathed here by both the Macao population and the Portuguese, because of an editorial in the L,ndon "Times". This editorial said as follows " ( this is translated from Portuguese to English. It would be good, if, in case of publication, the original LO