February 20, 1923  To Mr. Wu Ziyu in Luoyang:  On the Beijing–Hankou Railway, workers who had been demanding freedom of assembly and association were brutally massacred—over three hundred perished. Such a thing has never been heard of in any civilized nation of modern times. The purpose of maintaining an army is to protect the people; yet now it is being used to oppress them. From Changxindian in the north down to Wuhan in the south, the air is filled with the sound of killing, and cries of injustice resound to heaven. You, sir, remain comfortably ensconced in Luoyang, calmly directing affairs from there. Whether it was ordering the breach of the Yellow River dike or instigating the rebellion in Chongqing, compared with this campaign those actions still do not qualify as acts of courage.

I have heard that in ancient times there were popular uprisings; today, however, we see workers’ revolts. Russia has already experienced such a revolt. If it spreads—as easily as dry straw snapping underfoot—to Germany, France, and Italy, trouble is bound to break out sooner or later. In that event, all the warlords, politicians, and capitalists will inevitably be swept away by the tide. As for yourself, you have long stood firm against the Anhui and Fengtian cliques, earning the enduring goodwill of the Chinese people. Yet to claim that because you hold the prestigious posts of Inspector-General of Zhili, Shandong, Henan, Hunan, and Hubei, no one would dare lay a finger on you—such a notion is utterly mistaken. Should you entertain it, the entire nation will rise up in righteous indignation and march forth together in pursuit of justice.

The All-Hunan Provincial Federation of Labor Unions  Eleventh day of the first month