CSCMPC AND CCP ISSUE RENT-REDUCTION DIRECTIVES

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600310823-3
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 12, 2011
• Sequence Number: 823
• Publication Date: June 15, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

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CLASSIFICATION CONFrn~mTnr. CD[~FI'~=~-`~'
l1
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD ~:0.
COUNTRY China
SUBJECT Economic - Agriculture, rent reduction
HOW
PUBLISHED Daily newspaper
WHERE
PUBLISHED Canton
DATE
PUBLISHED 6 Apr 1950
LANGUAGE Chinese
THIS DOCU Yf NT CONTAIN! IN/ONYATION AIItCTINY 7Nt NATIONAL DI/t N7[
OI TM[ UNIT[D 3TATtl MITMIN iN[ ^tA NINY Of [f fIONAY! AR t0
Y. f. C,. f 1 AND 7f.Al AN[N D[D. IT3 TNAN3N13310N ON TM[ N[YttATIOY
O3 1T3 CONTl31f IN ANT NANM[f TO AN YNAYTNONIS[D /[NEON If fN0?
MI[IT[D 3T LA11, [[ff00VCT10M Of TNIf -ONN 13 /NON131T[0.
SOURCE Nan-fang Jih-pao.
DATE OF
INFORMATION
1950
DATE DIST.
I~
Jun 1950
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT N0.
CSCMPC AND CCP ISSUE RENT-RIDUCTION DIRECTIVES
CSCMPC REGULATES RENTS -- Canton Nan-fang Jih-pao, 6 Apr 50
Hankow, 5 April -- The Central and South China Military and Political Coun-
cil (;CSCMPC) has issued a set of seven regulations relating to the reduction and
refund of rents and promotion of agricultural production. The text of the regu-
lations is as followse
1. The spring planting season has arrived, but the spring shortage of
supplies has not yet been overcome. The matter of rent reduction and rent re-
funds is of the first importance in the promotion of the spring planting and
production. It is very important that the authorities on all levels give their
closest attention to these matters to see that there is no delay. Wherever
these movements have been started, they should be expanded over the whole area
to overcome the possibility of promises without performance. Where the program
has not been started, there should be no further delay. With the exception of
Hainan, the program can now be carried out throughout the area.? A 25-percent
reduction should be made in sll 1949 autumn-harvest rent payments. Where the
rent was collected without reduction, the 25 percent must be refunded. Land-
lords resisting the program must be dealt with according to law. An,}r govern-
ment personnel guilty of collusion or of lackadaisical attitudes toward the
program should be dealt with as the case requires.
2. Since landlords are forbidden to sell or otherwise alienate their lands,
some middle-class and small landowners may have difficulty in making rent re-
funds or in paying back rent deposits made in advance. In these cases, adJust-
ments should be made to allow them: to make such refunds in installments: From
20 to 50 percent should be refunded before the autumn harvest. Interest need
not be added. If refunds already have been made, the matter should be regarded
as closed. Rent refunds should be made on the basis of 25-percent reduction
of the agreed rent, without reference to crop conditions.
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After the spring calamities are over, measures should be taken to avoid
summer calamities. Provincial and special district authorities should dispatch
officials to investigate calamity areas and interrogate the sufferers. Problems
should be dealt with as they arise and relief applied. Calamitous conditions
may thus be prevented from spreading an3 the period of affliction shortened.
Areas of mild calamity will thus not become areas of severe calamity. All who
display merit in relief measures should be rewarded, those who are negligent
should be criticized. Those who di regard developing calamitous conditions and
fail to report them should be dealt with severely if loss results.
Hankow, 5 April -- The Central and South China Bureau of ?the CCP Central
Committee has issued a second directive on the subject of rent reduction, the
text of which is as follows;
1. The agricultural rent-reduction program is going forward in all provinces,
but in several areas the following weaknesses?and shortcomings are found:
a. There is apparent rettt reduction without reality. Landlords are
manifesting an antagonistic attitude toward the program.
b, Members of the agricultural delegates assemblies lose touch with
the masses. Their attitude is exclusive, they do not unite the masses for strug-
gle, and they lack liaison?with the masses.
c. Assembly members are incapable of controlling the landlords by
reason and law. They have, therefore, become stiff and set in their ways, and
this attitude has given rise to cases of corporal punishment to force?compliance.
d. When the poor farmers are unable to secure all they expect of the
landlords, they borrow grain, encroach upon the middle-class farmers, etc. These
shortcomings and weaknesses are a drawback Co the movement and must be resolutely
overcome.
2. Previously, during a certain period, we scored the neglect of the de-
mands to meet the shortage of grain and stated that cadres are reluctant to lead
the masses in rent reduction. They overestimate the difficulties of the task.
That is true today and, considering the condition of the cadres in certain places,
such conditions still need to be scored. Corrections must'"be made, or the in-
fluence of the forces opposing us cannot be counteracted.
But when this difficulty has been overcome, other variants appear, such
as underestimating the difficulty of the task, not understanding that economic
struggle is also political struggle, and that such struggle is a universal move-
ment to weaken and strike down the whole landlord class. It is the great struggle
of the farmer against the age-old feudalistic extortion; it is the first shout
for the abolition of the feudalistic system.
The opposition of the landlords is axiomatic and unavoidable. If the
masses are not aroused and their force organized against the great political
power of the landlords to establish the political power of the farmers them-
selves, it will be very diffict;tt to overcome their opposition, and to prevent
mere lip-service to the rent-reduction program.
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3. Rent sad advance-deposit refunds in grain or money should naturally
go to the tenant invo]ved, but because many poor tenants are in actual need,
the agricultural associations should persuade the more prosperous tenants to
divide some of their funds with the needy so that production will not be im-
peded.
4. In the south it has been customary to have public granaries in which
large quantities of grain were kept in storage as a provision against famine.
During the period of reactionary government, the stores in these granaries fell
into private control. The suthorit.ies throughout the area should take steps
to change these conditions B,y action of people?s delegates assemblies, or
agricultural assemblies, steps should be taken to inventory all these supplies
on hand and then to loan. them at low interest to poor farmers.
These loans should be repaid, in kind, from the summer or autumn har-
vest in 1950 and again stored in the granaries as a reserve for possible
shortage next year.. The hsien and rural officials should organize committees
to take the inventory and assume control of these stocks. These committees
should also inventory the common funds belonging to ancestral halls and temples.
Funds over and above the amount needed to maintain the schools and other philan-
thropic work of these organizations may be used for loans to needy farmers for
agricultural prod.uct?ion.
5. In areas where rent refunds, appropriate rent-deposit refunds, and
loan of stores from old public granaries have been carried out, it should not
be necessary to employ the government loan funds for aid. Persons still in need
should be encouraged to seek loans from private sources on the basis- of a mutually
satisfactory interest rate and guarantee of repayment.
Where such measures are still insufficient to meet the need, the prac-
tice of mutual relief may be employed. Those with extra supplies should be
exhorted to loan grain and seed to the less fortunate. However, the principle
of voluntary participation must be preserved and debts contracted by borrowing
must be repaid.
6. In the rent-?reduction program, the general policy must be adhered to
and legal methods must be employed so that the masses will be more closely
united. While obstreperous landlords must be subdued, no invasion of the
rights of middle-class farmers or. of industry is to be practiced. Lawless
beatings, killings, and corporal punishment should be rigorously prohibited.
Cadres in all places who manifest wrong tendencies and do not reform after
warnings should be dealt with strictly.
Bandit leaders who organize raids on grain stores and carry out other
disorders must be suppressed immediately. A11 elements who resist the law must
be dealt with according to the law. Ir. the case of landlords who are really
unable to refund rent or rent deposits and widows and other lone persons who
rent out small plots, the authorities should make a careful investigation, and,
if necessary, persuade those .to whom such payments are due to agree to partial
payments or no payments at a11.
7. At this juncture, when there is danger that winter supplies will not
extend through the spring season, the authorities and relief committees every-
where must act to investigate all cases of famine conditions, register famine
sufferers, and use effective means of relief. They should coordinate agricul-
tural, forestry, water.-conservation, financial, and trade agencies to organize
the famine sufferers for production for self-help, make agricultural relief
loans, or furnish relief work. In areas of severe calamity, relief grain
shouts be issued at once, emergency measures should be undertaken, attention
should be given to hygiene and healing of the people, and measures should be
taken to prevent loss of life among agricultural. animals,
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We wish to make it clear to all cadres and farmers that the present
situation of the landlords is much different from that during the period of
resistance to +.he Japanese. Their opposition and disruption will be much
milder than it was then. This factor is to be counted on, but it cannot be
assumed that the whole class of landlords will voluntarily obey all the laws
of the revolution from now on. It? should be realized that without a struggle
and a victory it? will be very difficult for the feudalistic landlords as a
class, voluntarily, to surrender to the revolution.
The basic factor of arousing the .masses must be firmly grasped. On
no pz?etext should anyone weaken in his attitude toward this. We must depend
upon the struggle of the masses +.o overthrow the politiccl nnwer of the land-
lords and set up the power of t:he farmers, We must organize ?he masses. We
must strike against t?he law violators and the wicked members of the landlord
class whom the people fear. Only thus can conditions be created for the uni-
versal practice of rent reduction. Also, considerable impetus may be given to
the work of dividing up t?he landlords" properties, compelling them to accede
to the demands of the people and carry out the law. This has been a sustained
principle of our Party through the years and should not be lightly regarded.
3. Sometime ago, we criticized +,he idea of living by old experience and
old rules, not? understanding how, or being afraid, to take advantage of the
new method of employing the people's delegates assemblies to arouse the masses.
Wherever this fault still exists, strong efforts should be r.~ade to change it.
However, when this defect is corrected, many times formalism. develops and the
basic purpose of arousing the masses is lost sight of, This results in limit-
ing th.e s+.imulat'ion to the delegates alone.
The mistake develops from paying attention only to rent reduction and
forgetting the .matter of laying foundations for the mass movement. To over-
come this tendency, the agricultural association movement should be expanded.
The responsibility for organizing and uniting the masses rests upon the agri-
cultural delegates conference. This should be clearly understood by each
delegate. Each agricultural delegates conference should be gradually brought
up to standard. We cannot expect each delegate to struggle alone, nor do we
wish merely to train a small group of delegates and expect them to carry out
the struggle.
a. Discovering and collating the demands of the masses.
b. Preparing resolutions embodying the demands of the masses in
accordance with the policies of t>,e par+.y and the government, placing them
before the masses, and organizing them to carry out the resolutions. Each
delegate comes from among the people and returns to them; he may not represent
his own actions or opinions as being those of the masses. On returning to
his village, the work of the delegate is to disseminate the resolutions, and
call upon the masses to organize agricultural associations to stimulate the
struggle. In the struggle carried on by the agricultural association, he
represents only his own membership in the association and seeks to carry out
the resolutions as a progressive member.
The struggle in each village is undertaken only after having been
organized by the farmers of that village, and shall not be carried on merely
by a few delegates. To cope with a preliminary situation in which the dele-
gates are not the most efficient, the plans which the delegates develop for
the organization of local agricultural associations must be approved by the
agricultural association on the next higher level. At the same time, the
leading cadres must themselves act or send out working cells to carry out
important immediate actions, set proper examples, and actually elevate the
standard of organizational awareness of the masses. Only in this manner may
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the delega+.e s, in cooperation with their 1031 village agricultural organiza-
tion, deal with questions of immediate i;ttportance and at the same time advance
the whole movement, stimulate action on and control policy, and unify the work
in all. its phases
Those who depend entirely upon the agricultural delegates, and pass up
the organization of the masses, or depend wholly upon the agricultural delegates
conference and neglect the orgar.izution of agricul+u:?al associations are no dif-
ferent from those who put all their reliance ir. the delegates and surrender their
right, to pass upon their actions, satisfied with th,.) mere convening of the dele-
gates conference and with a superficial program which dispenses with the impor-
tant work of the village. They will eventually find the fruits of such a course
to be evil.. This point should be carefulav noted.
~, To divide our enemies and reduce their oppr?sition most effectively, in
addition to mobilizing t?he masses and the systematic employment of the agricul-
tural delegates, it is also necessary to control policy closely and to obtain ap-
proval of definite policies by the masses. hcpecially is it necessary to guard
against cadres and small numbers of activist persons going into the struggle
with the landlords without having properly mobilized the masses. Such persons
hop? to win in the struggle, but have mistakenly overlooked the .masses, hence
they employ torture, repea.+,ed beatings, and killings, or become defeated by the
resistance of +,he landlords. Sometimes, when the demands of the masses have
not been .met, they have directed the struggle toward the prosperous middle-class
farmers, borrowing their grain and violating the policy of uniting the middle-
class farmers. This practice should be stopped whenever it. appears.
A distinction should be made in dealing with the landlords. Some land-
lords, because of the extra heavy public grain levies, or from other causes,
actually have no surplus grain. With the consent of the people, the demands on
such landlords can be relaxed. They ?nay be given loans for making rent refunds,
or permitted to use silver dollars to make payments, 1';xperience in many places
ha,s demonstrated that the general requirement to refund rent deposits easily
leads to hardship and bickering and slows down the movement. Consequently, tY~e
directive of the CSCMPC should be followed to dace limits on the refund of ex-
cess rents.
After landlords who resist, have been overthrown, those who have not re-
sisted should not be molested further. Furtheianore, large numbers of killings
and arrests should be avoided.
The important method to use in overthrowing recalcitrant. landlords is
to arouse the masses thoroughly to employ legal methods of struggle against
the landlords. Mass arrests and incarceration should not be employed as the ttw.in
method. This brings about. a condition of social unrest. As for landlords who
are notorious offenders against the rural. inhabitants, the authorities should
deal with them, but not with undue severity. Present opponents of the revolu-
tion should. be resolutely suppressed without mercy. The border line between
severity and leniency should be .made very distinct so that subordinates can have
no question.
It must be recognized that there are difficulties in the way of the
spring production plans for this year. The methods of overcoming these dif-
ficulties aree (a) to suppress the depredations of our enemies, (b) to mslce
provision to supply the materials for livelihood and production to the masses,
(c) to observe, as far as possible, the sensibilities of all classes in the
rural population, and to work toward the stabilization of social order.
-5-
corri zDEr~rInL
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We should move forward steadily with proper regard for the mutual pro-
motion of the above factors. We should now show partiality which would tend to
produce instability.
5. In places where the rent-reduction program has been completed, im-
mediate steps should be taken +,p organize the spring planting by getting plowing
and planting done at the right time, and by encouraging the masses to become
more aware o.f their. organizational capabilities, shd to oppose the retrogressive
atti.+,udes of the anti-Communist? landlords,
Tn areas of calamity, reiiPf orga.n.i2a*ion measures should be instituted
siatultaneously wi ,h the rent -~reduct?icn program. The one should not be prompted
to the neglect of the other. Rent reduction and refund is an important aid in
overr_omi~ ca:la.aity, but? relief Measures invo]ve other procedures as well. There
must be a unified program, which. does nor. lose sight of the distinctive fen+.ures
involved..
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