**Chapter I: General Provisions**

**Article 1**
The Soviet government organs at the levels of province, county, district, municipality, and township are local organizations of the Soviet government and shall be called local Soviets.

**Article 2**
Soviets at the levels of province, county, district, municipality, and township must be organized in accordance with this Law.

**Chapter II: Basic Organization of the Soviet Government**
**Section A: Municipal Soviets**

**Article 3**
The Municipal Soviet is the supreme government organ of the entire municipality and is organized by representatives elected by the voters of the entire municipality.

**Article 4**
Below the Municipal Soviet, the municipality shall be divided into a number of "urban districts," and Urban District Soviets shall be established.
However, municipalities with fewer than 4,000 inhabitants and municipalities subordinate to District Soviets shall not be divided into urban districts.
Within urban districts outside the city (i.e., rural areas brought under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Soviet), villages shall be demarcated according to distance and the number of inhabitants, but each urban district shall contain no more than five such villages.
**Article 5**
The Urban District Soviet is the supreme government organ of the entire urban district and is organized by representatives elected by that urban district.
The Urban District Soviet is subordinate to the Municipal Soviet.
**Article 6**
Except in the case of "District-subordinate Municipalities," the representatives of a Municipal Soviet shall be elected by a plenary congress of representatives of the Urban District Soviets.
**Article 7**
A plenary congress of representatives of the Urban District Soviet shall elect a Presidium of the Urban District Soviet, which shall be the supreme government organ of the entire urban district when the Urban District Congress of Representatives is not in session.

**Article 8**
In municipalities with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, a plenary congress of representatives of the Municipal Soviet shall elect a Presidium, which shall be the supreme government organ of the entire municipality when the Municipal Soviet Congress of Representatives is not in session.

**Article 9**
In municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants, a plenary congress of representatives of the Municipal Soviet shall elect a Municipal Executive Committee, which shall be the supreme government organ of the entire municipality when the Municipal Soviet Congress of Representatives is not in session. The Municipal Executive Committee shall then elect a Presidium from among its members, which shall be the supreme government organ of the entire municipality when the Municipal Executive Committee is not in session.
**Article 10**
The Municipal Executive Committee: In municipalities with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, it shall be composed of 21 to 25 members and 5 to 7 alternate members; in municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants, it shall be composed of 35 to 75 members and 7 to 11 alternate members.

**Article 11**
The Presidium of an Urban District Soviet: In municipalities with fewer than 50,000 inhabitants, it shall be composed of 5 to 7 persons; in municipalities with more than 50,000 inhabitants, it shall be composed of 9 to 11 persons.
The Presidium of a District-subordinate Municipal Soviet shall be composed of 5 to 7 persons.
The Presidium of a County-subordinate Municipal Soviet shall be composed of 7 to 11 persons.
The Presidium of a Province-subordinate Municipal Soviet shall be composed of 11 to 19 persons.
The Presidium of a Central Government Directly-administered Municipal Soviet shall be composed of 19 to 25 persons.

**Article 12**
Urban District Soviets, whether subordinate to a Municipal Soviet or directly themselves.

**Article 13**
The tasks of the representatives of an Urban District Soviet or Municipal Soviet are: On the one hand, to represent the voters who elected them by working in the Soviet, conveying the voters' opinions and the work the voters wish to undertake for discussion in the Urban District Soviet or Municipal Soviet; on the other hand, to communicate the work to be carried out by the higher-level Soviets to the masses, after it has been discussed by the Urban District Soviet or Municipal Soviet, and to lead the inhabitants within the scope of each representative in resolutely implementing the orders and instructions of the higher-level Soviets and executing the resolutions of the Urban District Soviet and Municipal Soviet.

**Article 14**
For representatives of an Urban District Soviet, according to the proximity of their residences, among every five to nine representatives, one shall be designated by the Presidium of the Urban District Soviet as a chief representative. Within the scope permitted by the Presidium, the chief representative shall allocate and guide the work of the representatives under his leadership, convey notices from the Presidium of the Urban District Soviet, convene meetings of the inhabitants under the leadership of those representatives, resolve minor issues among those inhabitants, and, when necessary, may attend Presidium meetings.
In villages within urban districts outside the city, if a village has more than one chief representative, one may be designated from among the chief representatives to bear the responsibility of receiving notices from the Presidium and transmitting them to the other chief representatives, and of convening meetings of the inhabitants based on the village unit. To discuss village issues, he may also convene meetings of the representatives of that village.

**Article 15**
Within the entire territory under the jurisdiction of an Urban District Soviet or a District-subordinate Municipal Soviet, in order to maintain close ties between representatives and inhabitants, facilitate the absorption of inhabitants' opinions, and guide the work, the entire body of inhabitants shall be appropriately distributed under the leadership of individual representatives according to the proximity of the representatives' and inhabitants' residences (normally, 30 to 70 inhabitants shall be placed under the leadership of one representative), so that each representative has a fixed relationship with the inhabitants within a certain scope under his leadership.

**Article 16**
Under the Urban District Soviets and District-subordinate Municipal Soviets, the following various standing or provisional committees shall be organized. Their composition numbers and tasks are stipulated below:

1.  **Red Army Expansion Committee:** Composed of 7 to 9 members. Its task is to manage Red Army expansion and the movement to return to the ranks.
2.  **Committee for Giving Preferential Treatment to Red Army Personnel:** Composed of 7 to 9 members. In urban districts within the city, it shall cooperate with trade unions and representatives of the poor to collect the monthly preferential dues from workers and poor masses, as well as the 5% commercial tax and shop rent handed over by the municipal finance department, and appropriately distribute them to the families of Red Army soldiers who have not received land allotments and are facing difficulties, and to the families of personnel disengaged from production. It shall lead the able-bodied inhabitants of the entire urban district in chopping firewood and carrying water or doing other necessary work for the families of Red Army soldiers and disengaged personnel who lack labor power, find jobs for Red Army family members, and lead them in establishing production cooperatives. In urban districts outside the city, it shall guide plowing teams in cultivating land for the families of Red Army soldiers and other disengaged personnel who lack labor power, resolve general difficulties in the livelihood of such families, and manage the cultivation, harvesting, and safekeeping of public land set aside for the Red Army.
3.  **Committee for Comforting and Supporting the Red Army:** Composed of 7 to 9 members, organized from representatives of the Urban District Soviet or District-subordinate Municipal Soviet and representatives of various mass organizations. Its task is to lead the masses of inhabitants in conducting movements to comfort and support the Red Army, collect items donated by the masses for comforting the Red Army, etc.
4.  **Red Security Committee:** Composed of 5 to 7 members, organized from representatives of the Urban District Soviet or District-subordinate Municipal Soviet, cadres of the Red Guards and Young Pioneers, and other activists. Its tasks are to strengthen Red security and the struggle to suppress counterrevolutionaries, such as guiding and inspecting the posting of sentries, manning watchtowers, checking travel permits, interrogating suspicious residents and visitors, leading the masses to pay attention to the actions of exploiting elements, investigating rumors spread by reactionaries, and assisting the Political Security Bureau and the Adjudication Department in suppressing counterrevolutionary activities.
5.  **Air Defense and Anti-Gas Committee:** Composed of 5 to 7 members. Its tasks are to guide the masses of inhabitants in various necessary measures to defend against enemy aircraft bombing, such as setting up signal gun stations, constructing aircraft shelters, preparing anti-gas equipment, etc.
6.  **Committee for Compulsory Labor and Transportation:** Composed of 7 to 9 members. Its tasks involve investigating, registering, organizing, adjusting, and mobilizing transportation teams, plowing teams, road repair teams, labor service teams (composed of landlords and reactionary rich peasants), and other compulsory labor matters. To rapidly mobilize porters to the front lines to carry the wounded and sick, transport war trophies, and perform rear-area transportation duties, a separate Transportation Committee composed of 5 to 7 members may be organized.
7.  **Unemployment Relief Committee:** In urban districts within the city, and in urban districts outside the city and District-subordinate Municipalities where there are somewhat more unemployed workers, Unemployment Relief Committees shall be organized. (They need not be organized in urban districts outside the city where unemployed workers are non-existent or very few.) Composed of 7 to 11 members, organized from representatives of the Urban District Soviet or District-subordinate Municipal Soviet and activists among the unemployed workers. Its task is to assist the Unemployment Labor Section of the Municipal Labor Department in investigating and registering all unemployed workers in the municipality, discussing and implementing efforts to find jobs and housing for unemployed workers, and raising funds or goods for temporary relief.
8.  **Poor People's Committee:** Organized in urban districts within the city. (It need not be organized in urban districts outside the city.) Composed of 9 to 15 members. The members must be representatives of poor people background from the Urban District Soviet and activists from among the poor masses of various trades. Its tasks are to investigate and register the number, occupations, and unemployment status of poor people in the entire urban district, and to discuss and resolve all difficulties in the livelihood of the poor masses of various trades.
9.  **Housing Committee:** Composed of 7 to 9 members. Its tasks involve managing the investigation and registration of public and private houses in the entire urban district, the confiscation and distribution of houses belonging to gentry, landlords, and reactionary capitalists, discussing and resolving the housing shortage problems of workers and poor people, and managing the reconstruction of houses destroyed by fire, etc. This committee shall only be organized in urban districts within the city; it need not be organized in urban districts outside the city.
10. **Household Registration Committee:** Composed of 3 to 5 members. Its task is to investigate and register the households and population of the inhabitants in the entire urban district according to class status, and to register monthly the numbers of births, deaths, migrations, marriages, and divorces among the inhabitants of the urban district.
11. **Industrial Committee and Agricultural Committee:** In each urban district, especially within the city, an Industrial Production Committee shall be organized. Composed of 9 to 15 members, it shall be organized from representatives of the Urban District Soviet or District-subordinate Municipal Soviet, activists among the employees of state-operated industries, representatives of industrial production cooperatives, and activists among other independent producers. Its task is to guide the masses of workers and poor people in developing state-owned, cooperative, and independent producers' industries of all kinds, and to supervise industrial capitalists to increase capital and expand business, while opposing any removal of capital, shutdown of enterprises, etc.
    In urban districts outside the city, Spring Plowing Committees, Summer Plowing Committees, Autumn Harvest and Autumn Plowing Committees, and Winter Plowing Committees shall be organized according to the agricultural seasons. Composed of 7 to 9 members, organized from representatives of the Urban District Soviet or District-subordinate Municipal Soviet and activists among the peasants who are experienced in farming. Their tasks are to guide the peasant masses in adjusting labor power, increasing fertilizer, solving difficulties with plowing cattle, repairing and adding farm tools, selecting seeds, improving cultivation methods, eliminating pests, and harvesting agricultural products without missing the season.
12. **Industrial Research Committee and Agricultural Research Committee:** Composed of 7 to 9 members. In urban districts within the city, an Industrial Research Committee shall be organized. Its task is to guide research into various important problems in state-owned, cooperative, and private small-enterprise industrial production within that urban district, such as how to improve production techniques.
    In urban districts outside the city, an Agricultural Research Committee shall be organized. Its task is to guide research into various important problems in agricultural production within that urban district, such as which seeds are suitable for which localities, what fertilizers are appropriate to apply, which cultivation methods are better, etc., and simultaneously to manage the agricultural experimental station of that urban district.
13. **Confiscation and Requisition Committee:** Composed of 5 to 7 members. In urban districts within the city, its tasks are to assist the Political Security Bureau and the Adjudication Department in confiscating the property of counterrevolutionary offenders, confiscating the property of landlords residing in the city and their hidden counterrevolutionary elements, and handling fines or contributions imposed on capitalists who engage in sabotage, etc. This is a standing organization.
    In urban districts outside the city, its tasks are to confiscate the cash and other properties of landlords and, in accordance with orders from the state financial organs, to appropriately conduct the levying of contributions from rich peasants. This is a provisional organization, to be disbanded once its tasks are completed.
14. **State Property Committee:** Composed of 3 to 5 members. Its task is to manage state property. It shall be organized in urban districts or municipality-directly-administered cities where state property exists; it need not be organized where there is none.
15. **Commercial Tax or Agricultural Tax Collection Committee:** Composed of 7 to 9 members. In urban districts within the city, a Commercial Tax Collection Committee shall be organized to assist the Municipal Finance Department in investigating the business conditions of shops and in collecting commercial tax. This is a standing organization.
    In urban districts outside the city, an Agricultural Tax Collection Committee shall be organized to assist the Municipal Finance Department in collecting agricultural tax. It shall be organized temporarily at the time of agricultural tax collection and disbanded once its task is completed.
16. **Public Debt Issuance Committee:** Composed of 7 to 9 members. It manages the promotion and sale of public bonds, and the collection and temporary safekeeping of bond funds and grain. It shall be organized temporarily at the time of public bond issuance and disbanded once its task is completed.
17. **Education Committee:** Composed of 9 to 11 members, organized from representatives of the Urban District Soviet or District-subordinate Municipal Soviet, principals of Lenin elementary schools, principals of supplementary night schools, directors of clubs, and representatives of organizations such as the Communist Youth League, trade unions, Poor People's Leagues, Young Pioneers, Children's Corps, and Congresses of Women Workers' and Peasants' Representatives. It manages the development, organization, and survey statistics of all cultural and educational undertakings within the entire municipality and District-subordinate Municipality.
18. **Health Committee:** Composed of 7 to 9 members, organized from representatives of the Urban District Soviet or District-subordinate Municipal Soviet and activists from the masses in each street or village. It manages matters concerning ventilation, lighting, water supply, cleaning away dust and refuse, clearing ditches and lavatories, exterminating flies, catching rats, epidemic prevention, medicine, and pharmacy within the entire urban district and District-subordinate Municipality.

**19.** The Bridge and Road Committee shall have seven to nine members, administering the repair and construction of streets, common roads, bridges, ferries, tea pavilions, and the like.

**20.** The Grain Committee shall have seven to nine members, administering the investigation, registration, and statistics of grain (including miscellaneous grains) for each season throughout the urban district and the city-affiliated districts, as well as investigating and tallying the total grain required each season by the resident masses in the urban district and the city-affiliated districts, and any surplus or deficit thereof.

**21.** The Famine Preparedness Committee shall have seven to nine members. Its tasks shall be to raise grain and store it in famine-preparedness granaries; to investigate and tally, among the resident masses of the urban district and city-affiliated districts, how many are short of grain or suffering from famine and how much grain they need for relief; and to implement relief measures.

**22.** The Forest or Mountain-Forest Committee shall have five to seven members. In urban districts and outer-city districts that have no mountains, a Forest Committee shall be organized. Its task shall be to lead the resident masses in planting trees in all places where tree-planting is possible — such as garden plots, courtyards, riversides, and roadsides — and in tending and protecting them.

• In outer-city districts that have mountains, a Mountain-Forest Committee shall be organized to administer the planting, tending, and protection of mountain forests.

**23.** The Water Conservancy Committee shall have five to nine members. In inner-city urban districts, it shall administer the repair of drains beneath streets and houses, the construction of embankments along adjacent city rivers, and the dredging of ponds and wells inside and outside the city.

In outer-city urban districts, it shall administer the repair and excavation of sloping land, river embankments, and ponds, as well as the repair and installation of waterwheels.

**24.** The Land Registration Committee shall have three to five members. In inner-city urban districts, it shall administer the investigation, registration, and statistics of land slopes, ponds, wells, garden soil, fruit trees, wooded areas, and the like.

In outer-city urban districts, it shall administer the investigation, registration, and statistics of fields, mountain forests, ponds, garden soil, sandbars, fruit trees, and the like, as well as the issuance and replacement of land certificates.

**25.** The Land Reclamation Committee shall have five to seven members, and shall be organized in outer-city urban districts that contain uncultivated fields, uncultivated land, or uncultivated hills.

It shall administer and lead the masses in opening up uncultivated fields, uncultivated land, and uncultivated hills.

**26.** The Field Investigation Committee shall be organized only in outer-city urban districts, with seven to eleven members. It shall be composed of the chairman, vice-chairman, and secretary of the urban-district soviet or the district-affiliated city soviet, the head of the Poor Peasants’ League, the head of the trade union branch, and responsible persons of other mass organizations, serving as the leading organ for the field-investigation movement. It shall be dissolved upon the thorough completion of the field-investigation movement.

During the field-investigation movement, in order to confiscate the property of the landlord class and the surplus draft oxen, farm implements, and houses of rich peasants, and to distribute them to the masses, a Committee for the Confiscation and Distribution of Property may be organized, with seven to eleven members, working under the guidance of the Field Investigation Committee.

Likewise, for the confiscation and distribution of landlords’ land and the surplus and better land of rich peasants, a separate Committee for the Confiscation and Distribution of Land may be organized under the Field Investigation Committee, with seven to eleven members.

**27.** The Election Committee shall have nine to thirteen members. It shall be organized, during elections for the urban-district soviet and the district-affiliated city soviet, from among the delegates of the urban-district soviet or the district-affiliated city soviet, representatives of various mass organizations, and other activists.

Under the direct guidance of the City Soviet Election Committee, it shall administer matters related to electoral propaganda, voter registration, the division of electoral units, the preparation of candidate lists, the convening of election meetings, and all other matters connected with the election.

It shall be dissolved once the election is completed.

**28.** The Workers’ and Peasants’ Inspection Committee shall have seven to nine members, organized from representatives of the trade union, the Poor Peasants’ League, the Congress of Working Women and Peasant Women, the Communist Youth League, and other activists. It shall be directly subordinate to the Workers’ and Peasants’ Inspection Committee of the city soviet (or, in the case of district-affiliated cities, to that of the district soviet).

Its task shall be to regularly inspect whether the presidium, the delegate assemblies, the various committees, the Red Guards, the Young Pioneers, and state enterprises of the urban-district soviet and the district-affiliated city soviet are fully carrying out their work in accordance with the decrees and instructions of the higher soviets.

If, in these organs and enterprises, there occur individuals guilty of corruption, degeneration, passive work slowdowns, coercion and suppression, or other acts that contravene the public will of the voter masses or violate soviet decrees, it shall assist the City Soviet Workers’ and Peasants’ Inspection Committee in proceeding with the impeachment of such undesirable individuals.

**29.** The organization of the various committees under the urban-district soviets and district-affiliated city soviets may be increased or decreased according to the needs of local work conditions, but must obtain the consent of the higher soviet.

**30.** In outer-city urban districts, if the area is relatively broad or if work is highly developed, certain necessary committees may be organized on the basis of villages. Each such committee shall have three to five members and shall be a branch of the township committee, with one of its members — who also serves on the township committee — acting as its head.

**31.** Each committee shall have one director, who shall preside over the work of that committee.

**32.** Every delegate of the urban-district soviet or the district soviet must join at least one committee as a member. Which committee a delegate should join is first chosen by the delegate himself or herself, and then appropriately distributed by the presidium.

**33.** Active elements from among the workers, peasants, and poor peasants who are not delegates should be fully recruited to join the various committees as members.

**34.** When conducting their work, the various committees must not contravene the opinions of the delegate assembly and the presidium.

**35.** The departments of the city soviet and the district soviet must, according to their respective tasks, maintain close relations with the various committees under the urban-district soviets and the district-affiliated city soviets through the delegate assemblies and presidiums of the urban-district soviets and the district-affiliated city soviets. When necessary, a department of the city soviet may convene a meeting at the city soviet of the directors of relevant committees from all urban districts within the city, or send personnel to an urban district to convene a meeting of the relevant committees and provide work instructions.

**36.** Meetings of the full delegate assemblies and of various committees of the city soviet, the urban-district soviets, and the district-affiliated city soviets should, when necessary, be moved to relevant enterprises, organs, mass organizations, or villages, so as to allow local worker, peasant, and poor-peasant masses and the parties directly involved to attend the meetings and express their opinions.

**37.** Delegates of the city soviet, urban-district soviets, and district-affiliated city soviets shall, with the exception of those designated as permanent personnel, adhere to the principle of not being detached from production.

**38.** The full delegate assembly of the city soviet shall, in cities with fewer than 50,000 residents, be convened once a month by the presidium; in cities with more than 50,000 residents, it shall be convened once every two months by the presidium.

The full delegate assembly of an urban-district soviet shall, in cities with fewer than 50,000 residents, be convened once every ten days by the presidium; in cities with more than 50,000 residents, it shall be convened once every eleven days by the presidium.

The City Executive Committee shall be convened once a month by the presidium.

The presidium meeting of an urban-district soviet shall be convened once every three days by the presidium.

The presidium meeting of the city soviet shall, in cities with fewer than 50,000 residents, be convened once every three days by the presidium; in cities with more than 50,000 residents, it shall be convened once every seven days by the presidium.

Meetings of the various committees shall be convened once every ten days by their respective directors.

If temporary issues arise, any organ may convene a temporary meeting regardless of its type.

The permanent personnel of the urban-district soviets and the district soviets shall be: in inner-city urban districts, five persons.

In outer-city urban districts: one person where the population is below 1,000; three persons where the population is above 1,000; four persons where the population is above 2,000. For district-affiliated city soviets: four persons.

**39.** The permanent personnel of the city soviet shall be set by order of the People’s Committee in accordance with the size of the local population and the complexity or simplicity of the work.

**40.** The urban-district soviets and the district-affiliated city soviets must make a work report to the voters once every two months.

The city soviet shall make a work report to the voters once every three months.

Voters have the right to criticize and offer suggestions regarding the work report.

**41.** The urban-district soviets, to the city soviet, and the district-affiliated city soviets, to the district soviet, shall make a work report at least once a month.

The city soviet shall make a report to the higher soviet at least once a month.

**42.** Both the urban-district soviets and the district-affiliated city soviets may employ one clerk to assist with the work of the presidium.

**43.** The delegates of the urban-district soviets and the district-affiliated city soviets shall be re-elected once every six months.

The delegates of the city soviet shall, in cities with fewer than 50,000 voters, be re-elected once every six months.

In cities with more than 50,000 residents, they shall be re-elected once a year.

Delegates may serve consecutive terms if re-elected.

**44.** Between two elections, a delegate who acts contrary to the public will of the voters, or who absents himself or herself from delegate assembly meetings for two consecutive months without cause, or who defies a resolution of the delegate assembly and fails to change after a warning, or who commits other serious errors, may be recalled upon the proposal of more than ten voters and with the consent of more than half of the voters, or may be expelled by a vote of the delegate assembly with the consent of more than half of the voters.

A delegate who is recalled or expelled shall have his or her duties filled by a candidate delegate.

**B. Township Soviets**

**45.** The township soviet is the highest organ of political power in the whole township and is organized from delegates elected by the voters of the whole township.

**46.** The full delegate assembly shall elect five to seven persons to form a presidium, which shall be the highest organ of political power for the whole township when the delegate assembly is not in session.

**47.** The presidium shall elect one chairman and one vice-chairman.

**48.** The tasks of the delegates are, on the one hand, to represent the voters who elected them by going to work at the soviet, conveying the voters’ opinions, and bringing the work that the voters wish to undertake before the township soviet for discussion.

On the other hand, after the work to be undertaken by the higher soviets has been discussed by the delegate assembly or the presidium, they shall communicate it to the masses, lead the residents within the scope of each delegate’s responsibility, resolutely implement the orders and instructions of the higher soviets, and carry out the resolutions of the township soviet.

**49.** Among the township soviet delegates, according to the proximity of their dwellings, one delegate shall be designated by the township soviet presidium as delegate head for every group of three to seven delegates. Within the scope permitted by the presidium, he or she shall distribute and guide the work of the delegates under his or her leadership, convey notices from the township soviet presidium to those delegates, convene meetings of the residents under his or her leadership, resolve minor issues among those residents, and, when necessary, may participate in presidium meetings.

**50.** The entire territory of the township shall be divided into several villages according to distance and the number of residents, but each township shall have no more than five villages (villages may be named after famous sites within them; numerical names shall not be used).

If a village has more than one delegate head, one of them may be designated to take responsibility for receiving notices from the presidium, passing them on to the other delegate heads, convening residents’ meetings at the village level, and, in order to discuss village work, may also convene meetings of the village’s delegates.

**51.** Within the entire territory under the jurisdiction of the township soviet, in order to maintain close ties between delegates and residents, facilitate the collection of residents’ opinions, and provide leadership for work, all residents shall be appropriately distributed under the leadership of individual delegates according to the proximity of their dwellings to those delegates (usually putting thirty to seventy residents under one delegate’s leadership), so that each delegate develops a fixed relationship with the residents within a specific area under his or her leadership.

**52.** Under the township soviet, the following kinds of permanent or temporary special committees shall be organized, with their numbers and tasks specified as follows:

1.  **Red Army Expansion Committee:** Shall have three to nine members, administering the expansion of the Red Army and the return-to-the-ranks campaign.
2.  **Red Army Preferential Treatment Committee:** Shall have seven to eleven members. It shall guide the plowing teams in tilling the land for Red Army family members and family members of other personnel detached from production who lack sufficient labor power; help solve general life difficulties of Red Army family members and family members of other personnel detached from production; and administer the tilling, harvesting, and storage of Red Army public fields.
3.  **Red Army Solace Committee:** Shall have seven to eleven members, organized from delegates of the township soviet and representatives of various mass organizations. Its task shall be to lead the resident masses in conducting campaigns to comfort and support the Red Army, and to collect articles from the resident masses for comforting the Red Army.
4.  **Red Alert Committee:** Shall have seven to nine members, organized from delegates of the township soviet, cadres of the Red Guards and Young Pioneers, and other activists. Its tasks shall be to intensify red alerts and the struggle to eliminate counter-revolutionaries, such as guiding and inspecting sentry duty, watch-posts, checking travel passes, interrogating suspicious residents and visitors, leading the masses in watching the actions of exploiting elements, pursuing rumors spread by reactionaries, and assisting the Political Security Bureau and the Adjudication Department in implementing the suppression of counter-revolutionary activities.
5.  **Air Defense and Anti-Gas Committee:** Shall have five to seven members. Its task shall be to guide the resident masses in all necessary matters for defending against enemy aircraft bombing, such as setting up warning gun stations, constructing aircraft shelters, and preparing anti-gas equipment.
6.  **Confiscation and Requisition Committee:** Shall have five to seven members. Its tasks shall be to administer the confiscation of landlords’ cash and other property, and, in accordance with orders from the state financial organs, to appropriately carry out levies of contributions from rich peasants. This is a temporary organization and shall be dissolved upon completion of its tasks.
7.  **State Property Committee:** Shall have three to five members. Its task shall be to administer state property, and it shall be organized only in townships that possess state property.
8.  **Agricultural Tax Collection Committee:** Shall have nine to fifteen members. It shall administer the collection of the agricultural tax and shall be temporarily organized at the time of agricultural tax collection, and dissolved upon completion of its tasks.
9.  **Public Bond Issuance Committee:** Shall have nine to fifteen members. It shall administer the promotion of public bonds, the collection and temporary safekeeping of bond payments in money or grain, and shall be temporarily organized at the time of public bond issuance, and dissolved upon completion of its tasks.

10. The agricultural production committees of each season shall, in accordance with the agricultural production seasons, organize spring plowing committees, summer plowing committees, autumn harvest and plowing committees, and winter plowing committees. These committees shall consist of nine to fifteen members, formed from representatives of the township Soviet and active and experienced farmers among the peasant masses. Their tasks are to guide the peasant masses in adjusting labor, increasing the use of fertilizers, resolving difficulties with plowing cattle, repairing and supplementing farming tools, selecting seeds, improving cultivation methods, eliminating pests, and harvesting agricultural products without missing the right timing.

n. The wasteland reclamation committee shall consist of five to seven members, responsible for managing the reclamation of barren fields, barren lands, and barren hills.

These are temporary organizations.

They shall be abolished once their tasks are completed.

12. The mountain and forest committee shall consist of five to seven members, responsible for managing the planting, cultivation, and protection of mountain forests.

13. The water conservancy committee shall consist of five to seven members, responsible for managing the repair and construction of slopes, riverbanks, and ponds, as well as the repair and equipping of waterwheels.

M. The land registration committee shall consist of three to five members. Its task is to study various issues related to agricultural production, such as which seeds are suitable for which locations, what fertilizers are appropriate to apply, and which cultivation methods are better, while also managing the township’s agricultural experimental stations.

16. The land investigation committee shall consist of seven to eleven members, organized with the township Soviet chairman, vice chairmen, secretary, head of the poor peasant league, head of the trade union branch, and other leaders of mass organizations. It serves as the leading body for the land investigation movement across the township. Once the land investigation movement is thoroughly completed, it shall be abolished. During the land investigation movement, in order to confiscate the property of the landlord class and the surplus plowing cattle, farming tools, and houses of rich peasants, and distribute them to the masses, a committee for the confiscation and distribution of property may be organized, consisting of seven to eleven members, working under the guidance of the land investigation committee. Similarly, for the confiscation and distribution of surplus and good-quality land belonging to the landlord class and rich peasants, a separate committee for the confiscation and distribution of land may be organized under the land investigation committee, consisting of seven to eleven members.

The education committee shall consist of nine to fifteen members, organized from representatives of the township Soviet, the principal of the Lenin Primary School, the principal of the supplementary night school, the head of the club, and representatives of organizations such as the Communist Youth League, trade unions, poor peasant league, Young Pioneers, children’s corps, and congresses of female workers and peasant women. It manages the development, organization, and statistical coordination of cultural and educational undertakings across the township.

S. The health committee shall consist of seven to nine members, organized from representatives of the township Soviet and activists from various villages’ masses. It manages matters such as ventilation, lighting, water supply, sweeping away dust and garbage, clearing ditches and latrines, fly eradication, rodent capture, epidemic prevention, and medicines across the township.

S. The bridge and road committee shall consist of seven to nine members, managing the repair and construction of bridges, roads, ferry crossings, and tea pavilions across the township.

20. The grain committee shall consist of seven to nine members, managing the survey, registration, and statistics of grain for each season across the township, investigating and counting how much grain the township’s residents need each season, and whether there is a surplus or deficit.

The famine relief committee shall consist of seven to nine members. Its task is to collect grain and store it in famine relief granaries, investigate and count how many residents in the township have insufficient grain or are suffering from famine, how much grain relief is needed, and implement measures for famine relief.

The household registration committee shall consist of three to five members. Its task is to investigate and register, according to class status, the households and population of all residents in the township, and to register monthly the number of births, deaths, migrations, marriages, and divorces among the township’s residents.

The voluntary labor committee and transport committee shall consist of seven to nine members, responsible for investigating, registering, organizing, coordinating, and mobilizing transport teams, plowing teams, road repair teams, labor service teams (consisting of landlords and reactionary rich peasants), and other voluntary labor matters. In order to rapidly mobilize laborers to the front lines to carry wounded and sick soldiers, move spoils of victory, and perform rear-area transport duties, a separate transport committee may be organized, consisting of five to seven members.

The election committee shall consist of nine to thirteen members. When elections for the township Soviet are held, it shall be organized from representatives of the township Soviet, representatives of various mass organizations, and other activists. It manages matters related to election propaganda, voter registration, delineation of electoral units, preparation of candidate lists, convening of election meetings, and all other matters related to elections.

The workers’ and peasants’ procuratorial committee shall consist of seven to nine members, organized from representatives of trade unions, poor peasant league, congresses of female workers and peasant women, the Communist Youth League, and other activists. It is directly subordinate to the district Soviet workers’ and peasants’ procuratorial committee. Its task is to regularly check whether the township Soviet presidium’s representative meetings, various committees, Red Guards, and Young Pioneers are fully carrying out their work in accordance with the decrees and instructions of the higher-level Soviet. If there are individuals within these organs and local armed forces who are guilty of corruption, deterioration, passivity or slack work, suppression or coercion, or other behaviors that violate the public will of the voters or Soviet decrees, it shall assist the district Soviet workers’ and peasants’ procuratorial committee in prosecuting such harmful individuals.

Article 41. The organization of various committees under the township Soviet may be increased or reduced according to the needs of local work, but this must obtain the consent of the higher-level Soviet.

(Note) When the township area is relatively wide or work is highly developed, certain necessary committees may be organized on a village basis. Each such committee shall consist of three to five members and shall be a branch of the township committee, with one of the township committee members serving as its head.

Article 41 (bis). Each committee shall have one head who presides over the work of the committee.

Article 43. Each township Soviet representative must participate in one or two committees as a member. Which committee a representative should join shall first be chosen by the representatives themselves, and then appropriately allocated by the presidium.

Article 44. Worker and peasant poor activists beyond the representatives should be fully absorbed into each committee as members.

Article 45. When carrying out work, each committee must not contravene the opinions of the representative conference or the presidium.

Article 46. The various departments of the district Soviet must, according to their respective tasks, establish close relations with the various committees under the township Soviet through the township representative conference and its presidium. When necessary, the departments of the district Soviet may convene meetings at the district Soviet of the heads of committees from all townships or certain townships in the entire district that are related to their work, to give instructions.

Article 47. The plenary representative conference of the township Soviet shall be convened once every ten days by the chairman. The presidium meeting shall be convened once every three days by the chairman. Meetings of each committee shall be convened once every ten days by the head. For temporary important issues, any organ may convene an emergency meeting.

Article 48. When necessary, meetings of the plenary representative conference and meetings of each committee should be moved to villages or mass organizations related to the issues under discussion, in order to absorb the local masses and the parties concerned to participate in the meetings.

Article 49. Representatives of the township Soviet, except for designated permanent personnel, shall follow the principle of not leaving production.

Article 50. The township Soviet may employ one clerk to assist the work of the presidium.

Article 51. The permanent personnel of the township Soviet: for townships with fewer than 1,000 residents, one chairman and one clerk; for townships with more than 1,000 residents, one chairman, one vice chairman, and one clerk, making three persons; for townships located on important communication routes that mark the end of a day’s journey and where work is particularly heavy, four persons may be stationed.

Article 51 (bis). The township Soviet must convene a voter meeting once every two months to make a work report. The voters have the right to criticize and make suggestions regarding the township Soviet’s report.

Article 53. The township Soviet shall make a work report to the district Soviet at least once a month.

Article 54. Representatives of the township Soviet shall be re-elected once every half a year, but consecutive re-election is permitted.

Article 55. Between two elections, a representative who acts against the public will of the voters, or is absent from representative conferences for two consecutive months without reason, or defies resolutions of the representative conference and does not change after a warning, or commits other major errors, may be recalled upon the proposal of at least ten voters and with the consent of more than half of the voters, or may be expelled after passing through the representative conference and with the consent of more than half of the voters. The position of a recalled or expelled representative shall be filled by an alternate representative.

Chapter III: District, County, and Provincial Soviet Congresses and Their Executive Committees

A. District Soviet Congress and Its Committee

Article 56. The district-wide Soviet congress is the highest organ of political power in the entire district.

Article 57. The district-wide Soviet congress elects the district executive committee, which is the highest organ of political power in the district during the recess of the district Soviet congress. The district executive committee is organized with twenty-one to thirty-five members and five to seven alternate members.

Article 58. The district-wide Soviet congress shall be convened once every three months by the district executive committee.

Article 59. The tasks of the district-wide Soviet congress are: to hear the work report of the district executive committee and discuss it, to discuss the guidelines and implementation methods for Soviet work within the district, and to elect the district executive committee. However, the election of the executive committee is held only once during every two district-wide congresses (i.e., once every six months).

Article 60. The district executive committee elects seven to eleven members to form the presidium, which is the highest organ of political power in the entire district during the recess of the district executive committee.

Article 61. The presidium of the district executive committee mutually elects one chairman and one vice chairman.

Article 61 (bis). The presidium of the district executive committee may employ one secretary and one to two clerks to assist with clerical and similar work.

Article 63. The permanent personnel of the district executive committee shall be stipulated by order of the People’s Committee based on the number of residents and the complexity of work.

Article 64. The plenary meeting of the district executive committee shall be convened once a month by the presidium. The presidium meeting shall be convened once every three days by the chairman. Emergency meetings may be convened for temporary important issues.

Article 65. The district executive committee shall make a work report to the county executive committee at least once a month.

Article 66. The district executive committee shall make a work report to the plenary representative conference of each township Soviet within the district at least once every two months.

Article 67. The district executive committee shall make a work report to the district-wide Soviet congress.

B. County Soviet Congress and Its Executive Committee

Article 68. The county-wide Soviet congress is the highest organ of political power in the entire county.

Article 69. The county-wide Soviet congress elects the county executive committee, which is the highest organ of political power in the county during the recess of the county Soviet congress. The county executive committee is organized with thirty-five to fifty-five members and seven to eleven alternate members.

Article 70. The county-wide Soviet congress shall be convened once every six months by the county executive committee.

Article 71. The tasks of the county-wide Soviet congress are: to hear the report of the county executive committee and discuss it, to discuss and decide the guidelines for Soviet work throughout the county, and to elect the county executive committee. However, the election of the county executive committee is held only once during every two county-wide congresses (i.e., once a year).

Article 71 (bis). The county executive committee mutually elects nine to fifteen members to form the presidium, which is the highest organ of political power in the entire county during the recess of the county executive committee.

Article 73. The presidium of the county executive committee mutually elects one chairman and one or two vice chairmen.

Article 74. The county executive committee may appoint two to five inspectors to travel on inspection tours and guide one or several specific tasks designated by the presidium.

Article 75. The presidium of the county executive committee may employ one or two secretaries and one or two clerks to assist with clerical and similar work.

Article 76. All permanent personnel of the county executive committee shall be stipulated by order of the People’s Committee based on the number of residents in each county and the complexity of work.

Article 77. The plenary meeting of the county executive committee shall be convened once every two months by the presidium. The presidium meeting shall be convened once every five days by the chairman. Emergency meetings may be convened for temporary important issues.

Article 78. The county executive committee shall make a work report to the provincial executive committee at least once a month.

Article 79. The county executive committee shall make a work report to the county-wide Soviet congress.

Article 80. The county executive committee shall make a work report to the Soviet congresses of all districts.

C. Provincial Soviet Congress and Its Executive Committee

Article 81. The provincial-wide Soviet congress is the highest organ of political power in the entire province.

Article 81 (bis). The provincial-wide Soviet congress elects the provincial executive committee, which is the highest organ of political power in the province during the recess of the provincial Soviet congress. The provincial executive committee is organized with fifty-five to ninety-five members and eleven to nineteen alternate members.

Article 83. The provincial-wide Soviet congress shall be convened once a year by the provincial executive committee.

Article 84. The tasks of the provincial-wide Soviet congress are: to hear the work report of the provincial executive committee and discuss it, to discuss and decide the guidelines for Soviet work throughout the province, and to re-elect the provincial executive committee.

Article 85. The provincial executive committee mutually elects thirteen to nineteen members to form the presidium, which is the highest organ of political power in the entire province during the recess of the provincial executive committee.

Article 86. The presidium of the provincial executive committee mutually elects one chairman and two vice chairmen.

The provincial executive committee may appoint five to nine inspectors to travel on inspection tours and guide one or several specific tasks at lower levels, as designated by the presidium or various departments.

**Article 87**
The provincial executive committee may engage specialized personnel to assist the presidium or the various departments in their work.

**Article 88**
The presidium shall employ one to three secretaries and one to three clerks to assist with clerical work and other tasks.

**Article 89**
The total permanent staff of the provincial executive committee shall be stipulated by order of the People's Committee in accordance with the population of each province and the workload involved.

**Article 90**
A plenary session of the provincial executive committee shall be convened by the presidium once every four months.
A meeting of the presidium shall be convened by the chairman once every seven days.
When there are urgent and important issues, provisional meetings may be convened at any time.

**Article 91**
The provincial executive committee shall submit a work report to the Central Executive Committee once every four months.
The presidium shall submit a work report to the Central People's Committee at least once a month.

**Article 92**
The provincial executive committee shall submit a work report to the soviet congress of all counties within the province.

**Article 93**
The provincial executive committee shall submit a work report to the provincial soviet congress.

**Chapter IV: Various Departments**

**Article 94**
Under the soviet executive committees at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, the following departments shall be established: Labor, Land, Military Affairs, Finance, National Economy, Grain, Education, Internal Affairs, and Justice, as well as the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committee and the State Political Security Bureau Sub-bureau.
However, the work of the provincial Military Affairs Department may be merged into the military area command headquarters, and no separate organ shall be established.
The State Political Security Bureau shall only assign special agents at the district level.
An Audit Committee shall be established at the provincial level.

**Article 95**
The various departments at the district and county-administered municipal levels, those directly subordinate to the county, those at the county and province-administered municipal levels, those directly subordinate to the province, those at the province and central-administered municipal levels, and those directly subordinate to the central level form a vertical organizational system in which the lower levels absolutely obey the higher levels.

**Article 96**
The various departments of the soviets at the district, municipal, county, and provincial levels, in addition to being subordinate to their own respective higher-level departments, shall receive guidance and oversight from the executive committee and its presidium at the same level.

**Article 97**
The presidium does not have the authority to halt a department's execution of orders from its higher-level department.
If the presidium has objections to the higher-level department's orders, it shall refer the matter to the higher-level executive committee or presidium for resolution; pending instructions from the higher-level executive committee or presidium, it may not halt the department's execution of the higher-level orders.

**Article 98**
At all levels, soviets may not arbitrarily transfer key responsible personnel (heads of departments, deputy heads, etc.) without the consent of the higher-level departments.

**Article 99**
Heads of departments, in addition to being chosen from among the members of the executive committee at the respective level, may also be selected from outside the executive committee.
The selection of heads and deputy heads of departments must be reported to the higher-level executive committee or presidium, and they shall be appointed after review by the higher-level departments.
Heads and deputy heads of departments, unless found incompetent, shall not be changed following the re-election of the executive committee.

**Article 100**
When personnel of a department are rotated, in addition to the outgoing personnel clearly briefing the incoming personnel on the work situation, a list detailing documents, instruments, property, etc., must be prepared, jointly signed by the outgoing and incoming personnel, and the items clearly handed over and checked.

**Article 101**
The total staff for the various departments at all levels shall be stipulated by order of the People's Committee according to the working conditions of each department in each locality; only key personnel are specified below.

**Section 1: The Labor Department**

**Article 102**
A Labor Committee shall be established under the Labor Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, serving as an organ for discussing and advising on various issues concerning the work of the Labor Department.
The Labor Committee shall be composed of 15 to 21 persons at the provincial level, 13 to 19 persons at the county level, and 9 to 11 persons at the district level; at the municipal level, it shall be composed of 9 to 21 persons depending on the size of the city.

**Article 103**
The Labor Committee shall be composed of the department head, deputy head, the head of the Labor Protection Section, the head of the Unemployed Labor Section, the director of the Social Insurance Bureau, one to three representatives from the trade unions, representatives from the National Economy Department and the Land Department, nearby subordinate heads of Labor Departments, and other personnel capable of serving in this capacity, with the department head serving as the committee's chairman.
The members of the Labor Committee, after being reviewed and approved by the presidium at the same level, must be submitted to the higher-level Labor Department for authorization.

**Article 104**
Under the Labor Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, Labor Protection Sections, Unemployed Labor Sections, and Social Insurance Bureau sub-bureaus, branch bureaus, or offices shall be established. (The Social Insurance Bureau is temporarily under the oversight of the Labor Department.)

**Article 105**
The provincial Labor Department shall have one head and one to two deputy heads.
The Labor Departments at the county, district, and municipal levels shall each have one head and one deputy head.
The Labor Protection Section and the Unemployed Labor Section at each level shall each have one section head.
The Social Insurance Bureau shall have one director.
The provincial Labor Department and the Labor Departments of central-administered municipalities shall each have one secretary.
The county Labor Departments and the Labor Departments of province-administered municipalities shall each have one clerk.
Under the Labor Protection Section at each level, a Labor Inspection Office shall be established.
In industrially developed areas, under the Labor Protection Section, a Health Inspection Office, a Technical Inspection Office, and an Economic Evaluation Office must also be established.
Under the Unemployed Labor Section at each level, a Labor Exchange Office shall be established.
In areas with a high number of unemployed workers, under the local Unemployed Labor Section, an Unemployed Labor Relief Committee must also be established.

**Article 106**
The duties and powers of the department head, deputy heads, and the various sections are as follows:
(1) The department head manages all work of the department; the deputy heads assist the department head in carrying out the work and, during the department head's absence for any reason, exercise the powers of the department head.
(2) The Labor Protection Section manages labor protection work and supervises and inspects the implementation of the labor laws.
(3) The Unemployed Labor Section manages the registration and statistics of unemployed laborers, the regulation of manpower, labor placement, and guidance for workers organizing production cooperatives, etc.
(4) The Social Insurance Bureau manages social insurance work.

**Article 107**
The directors and inspectors of the Labor Inspection Offices and the directors of the Social Insurance Bureaus at all levels shall be recommended by the trade union federation at the same level and appointed after review by the Labor Department.

**Section 2: The Land Department**

**Article 108**
A Land Committee shall be established under the Land Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, serving as an organ for discussing and advising on various issues concerning land struggle and land production.
The Land Committee shall be composed of 15 to 25 persons at the provincial level, 13 to 19 persons at the county level, 11 to 17 persons at the district level, and at the municipal level, it shall be composed of 11 to 19 persons depending on the extent of suburban rural areas under the municipality's jurisdiction.

**Article 109**
The Land Committee shall be composed of the department head, deputy head, the head of the Confiscation and Distribution Section, the head of the Mountain, Forest and Water Conservancy Section, the head of the Investigation and Registration Section, the director of the Agricultural Experimental Station, the director of the Agricultural Products Exhibition Center, representatives from the Labor Department, the National Economy Department, and the Agricultural Trade Union, nearby subordinate heads of Land Departments, and other personnel capable of serving in this capacity, with the department head serving as the committee's chairman. The members of the Land Committee, after being inspected and approved by the soviet presidium at the same level, must be submitted to the higher-level Land Department for authorization.
At the provincial and county levels, the committee must include the participation of one to three nearby subordinate heads of Land Departments.
At the district and municipal levels, the Land Committee must include the participation of three to five members from nearby township soviets responsible for land issues.

**Article 110**
Under the Land Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, a Confiscation and Distribution Section, a Land Construction Section, a Mountain, Forest and Water Conservancy Section, an Investigation and Registration Section, an Agricultural Experimental Station, and an Agricultural Products Exhibition Center shall be established.
In counties, districts, and municipalities where the issue of land confiscation and distribution has been thoroughly resolved, the work of the Confiscation and Distribution Section shall be merged into the Land Construction Section.
Under the district-level municipal Land Department, temporary committees may also be formed, such as a Confiscation and Distribution Committee, a Land Investigation Committee, and a Land Registration Committee.

**Article 111**
The provincial Land Department shall have one head and one to two deputy heads.
The Land Departments at the county, district, and municipal levels shall each have one head and one deputy head.
The Confiscation and Distribution Section, Land Construction Section, Mountain, Forest and Water Conservancy Section, and Investigation and Registration Section shall each have one section head.
The Agricultural Experimental Station and the Agricultural Products Exhibition Center shall each have one director.
The provincial Land Department and the Land Departments of central-administered municipalities shall each have one secretary.
The county Land Departments and the Land Departments of province-administered municipalities shall each have one clerk.

**Article 112**
The duties and powers of the Land Department head, deputy heads, and the various sections are as follows:
(1) The department head manages all work of the department; the deputy heads assist the department head in carrying out the work and, during the department head's absence for any reason, exercise the powers of the department head.
(2) The Confiscation and Distribution Section manages the confiscation and distribution of land and property in accordance with land laws and decrees, and the inspection of land (land investigation campaign).
(3) The Land Construction Section manages matters concerning the development of agricultural production, such as seasonal plowing and harvesting, the regulation of labor, the opening up of wasteland, the regulation of plowing cattle, the improvement of farm tools, seed selection, the increase of fertilizers, the improvement of cultivation methods, the extermination of pests, and the organization and guidance of agricultural experimental stations, agricultural products exhibition centers, plowing cattle cooperatives, labor mutual-aid societies, etc.
(4) The Mountain, Forest and Water Conservancy Section manages the construction and development of sloping land, river embankments, and ponds, the repair and procurement of waterwheels, and the cultivation, protection, and reclamation of mountain forests, etc.
(5) The Investigation and Registration Section manages the investigation, registration, and statistics of land, as well as the issuance of land certificates, etc.

**Section 3: The Military Affairs Department**

**Article 113**
Military Affairs Departments shall be established at the county, district, and municipal levels.
A Military Area Command Headquarters shall be established at the provincial level, serving as the higher organ for the county Military Affairs Departments.
No committees shall be established under the Provincial Military Area Command Headquarters or the Military Affairs Departments at the county, district, and municipal levels.
(Note: The organization of the Provincial Military Area Command Headquarters and the military administrative organs of central-administered municipalities shall be stipulated by order of the Central Military Commission.)

**Article 114**
The Military Affairs Departments at the county and province-administered municipal levels shall each have one head and one deputy head.
The department head manages all work of the department; the deputy head assists the department head in carrying out the work and, during the department head's absence for any reason, exercises the powers of the department head.

**Article 115**
The Military Affairs Departments at the county and province-administered municipal levels shall establish a First Section, a Second Section, and a Third Section, each with one section head. Their duties and powers are as follows:
(1) The First Section Head manages the organization and training of local forces and concurrently serves as the First Staff Officer of the Red Guards Command Headquarters.
(2) The Second Section Head manages the expansion of the Red Army and all war mobilization work, and concurrently serves as the Second Staff Officer of the Red Guards Command Headquarters.
(3) The Third Section Head is responsible for the storage and distribution of weapons and ammunition, and manages other miscellaneous affairs of the Military Affairs Department.

**Article 116**
The Military Affairs Departments at the district and county-administered municipal levels shall each have one head and one deputy head.
The department head manages all work of the department; the deputy head assists the department head in carrying out the work and, during the department head's absence for any reason, exercises the powers of the department head.

**Article 117**
The district Military Affairs Departments shall establish a First Section and a Second Section, each with one section head. Their duties and powers are as follows:
(1) The First Section Head manages the organization and training of local forces and concurrently serves as the Chief of Staff of the district or municipal Red Guards.
(2) The Second Section Head manages the expansion of the Red Army and all war mobilization work.

**Article 118**
The Military Affairs Departments at the county and province-administered municipal levels shall each have one secretary; the Military Affairs Departments at the district and county-administered municipal levels shall each have one clerk.

**Section 4: The Finance Department**

**Article 119**
A Finance Committee shall be established under the Finance Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, serving as an organ for discussing and advising on various financial issues.
The Finance Committee shall be composed of 11 to 15 persons at the provincial level, 9 to 11 persons at the county level, 7 to 9 persons at the district level, and at the municipal level, it shall be composed of 7 to 15 persons depending on the size of the city.

**Article 120**
The Finance Committee at each level shall be composed of the department head, deputy head, the head of the Accounting Section, the head of the Taxation Section, the head of the State Property Management Section, representatives from the National Economy Department, the director of the sub-treasury or branch treasury, the bank manager, nearby subordinate heads of Finance Departments, representatives from organs connected with the work of the Finance Department, and other personnel capable of serving in this capacity, with the department head serving as the committee's chairman.
The members of the Finance Committee, after being reviewed and approved by the soviet presidium at the same level, must be submitted to the higher-level Finance Department for authorization.

**Article 121**
Under the Finance Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, an Accounting Section, a Taxation Section, and a State Property Section shall be established.
Furthermore, in localities where the confiscation and expropriation of property from exploiters should be carried out, a Confiscation and Expropriation Committee shall be organized.
During the collection of agricultural tax, an Agricultural Tax Collection Committee shall be organized under the district and municipal Finance Departments.
During the issuance of public bonds, a Public Bond Issuance Committee shall be organized.
In places with extensive mountain forests, a State Mountain Forest Management Committee shall be organized.
The members of each committee shall be appointed by order of the department head.

**Article 122**
The provincial Finance Department shall have one head and one to two deputy heads.
The Finance Departments at the county, district, and municipal levels shall each have one head and one deputy head.
The Accounting Section, Taxation Section, and State Property Section shall each have one section head.
Each committee shall have one chairman. The provincial Finance Departments and the Finance Departments of central-administered municipalities shall each establish a General Affairs Section with one section head.
The provincial Finance Departments and the Finance Departments of central-administered municipalities shall each have one secretary.
The county Finance Departments and the Finance Departments of province-administered municipalities shall each have one clerk.

**Article 123**
The duties and powers of the heads, deputy heads, and the various sections of the Finance Departments at all levels are as follows:
(1) The department head manages all work of the department; the deputy heads assist the department head in carrying out the work and, during the department head's absence for any reason, exercise the powers of the department head.
(2) The Accounting Section manages the disbursement and receipt of money, the registration of accounts, and the compilation of budget and financial statements, etc. Under the Accounting Section, units for bookkeeping, cashiering, and auditing shall be established.
(3) The Taxation Section manages the collection, inspection, and supervision of commercial taxes, agricultural taxes, and mountain forest taxes. Under the Taxation Section, an Agricultural Tax Unit, a Commercial Tax Unit, and bookkeepers shall be established; a Mountain Forest Tax Unit shall be established when necessary.

(IV) The State Property Section manages the registration, organization, and rental of state-owned properties under the jurisdiction of the headquarters, including state-owned forests, mines, shops, houses, factories, and workshops, as well as the inspection and registration of borrowed public funds and the collection of various rents.

A State Property Management Committee may be organized under the State Property Section.

(V) The General Affairs Section manages meals, printing, mail receipt and dispatch, and all matters not falling under other sections.

**V. National Economy Departments**

Article 124: Under the National Economy Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, National Economy Committees shall be established as bodies for discussing and making recommendations on various issues related to the national economy.

180: The National Economy Committee shall be composed of 15 to 19 members at the provincial level, 13 to 15 at the county level, and 11 to 13 at the district level. At the municipal level, it shall be composed of 13 to 19 members depending on the size of the city.

Article 115: The National Economy Committee at each level shall be composed of the department head, deputy head(s), the section chiefs of design, industry, and survey and statistics, the directors of the transportation management bureau and trade bureau, the chairperson of the cooperative guidance committee, representatives from the labor department, land department, finance department, workers' union and cooperatives at the same level, the head of the lower-level national economy department in the locality, and other staff capable of serving in this capacity. The department head shall serve as the chairperson of the committee.

The members of the National Economy Committee, after being reviewed and approved by the presidium of the soviet at the same level, must be submitted to the higher-level national economy department for approval.

Article 116: Under the National Economy Department at each level, there shall be established a Design Section, an Industry Section, a Commerce Section, a Survey and Statistics Section, a Cooperative Guidance Committee, a Transportation Management Bureau (or sub-bureau), and a Trade Bureau (or sub-bureau). A State-Owned Enterprise Section may be established when necessary, but at the district level, the Industry and Commerce Sections are not required when unnecessary.

Article 117: The provincial National Economy Department shall have one department head and one or two deputy heads. The county, district, and municipal National Economy Departments shall each have one department head and one deputy head. The Design Section, Survey and Statistics Section, and State-Owned Enterprise Section shall each have one section chief. The Transportation Management Bureau and Trade Bureau shall each have one director. The provincial and centrally-administered municipal National Economy Departments shall each have one secretary, while the county and provincially-administered municipal National Economy Departments shall each have one clerk.

Article 118: The duties and powers of the department heads, deputy heads, sections, and committees at each level of the National Economy Departments are as follows:
(1) The department head manages all work of the department; the deputy head assists the department head in carrying out the work and acts with the department head’s authority when the head is absent for any reason.
(2) The Design Section drafts plans for the development and regulation of agriculture, forestry, industry, commerce, mining, transportation, and other sectors within its scope of jurisdiction.
(3) The Industry Section manages the development and regulation of industry.
(4) The Commerce Section manages the development and regulation of commerce.
(5) The Survey and Statistics Section is responsible for surveying and compiling statistics on agriculture, forestry, industry, commerce, mining, transportation, and other necessary matters within its scope of jurisdiction.
(6) The State-Owned Enterprise Section manages the operation of various state-owned enterprises.
(7) The Cooperative Guidance Committee manages and guides the development of cooperatives and supervises their work.
(8) The Trade Bureau manages state-operated trade.
(9) The Transportation Management Bureau manages the transportation of state-owned enterprises.

Article 119: National Economy Departments at all levels may hire specialized personnel and establish specialized agencies to carry out certain necessary work.

**VI. Food Departments**

Article 130: Under the Food Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, Food Committees shall be established as bodies for discussing and making recommendations on food issues. The Food Committee shall be composed of 15 to 19 members at the provincial level, 13 to 15 at the county level, and 9 to 15 at the district level. At the municipal level, it shall be composed of 11 to 17 members depending on the size of the city.

Article 221: The Food Committee at each level shall be composed of the department head, deputy head(s), chiefs of the Regulation Section, Famine Relief Section, and Warehouse Management Section, the instructor of the food cooperative, the chairperson of the Red Army Public Grain Management Committee, the chairperson of the Land Tax Grain Custody Committee, the director of the Food Regulation Bureau, representatives from the National Economy Department, Finance Department, Land Department, and workers' union, the head of the lower-level food department in the locality, and other staff capable of serving in this capacity. The department head shall serve as the chairperson of the committee.

The members of the Food Committee, after being reviewed and approved by the presidium of the soviet at the same level, must be submitted to the higher-level food department for approval.

Article 222: Under the Food Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, there shall be established a Regulation Section, a Famine Relief Section, a Warehouse Management Section, a Red Army Public Grain Management Committee, a Land Tax Grain Custody Committee, and a Food Regulation Bureau or sub-bureau.

Article 133: The provincial and centrally-administered municipal Food Departments shall have one department head, one or two deputy heads, and one secretary. The county, municipal, and district Food Departments shall each have one department head and one deputy head. The county and provincially-administered municipal departments shall have one clerk. The Regulation Section, Famine Relief Section, and Warehouse Management Section shall each have one section chief. The Food Regulation Bureau (or sub-bureau) shall have one director. The Red Army Public Grain Custody Committee and the Land Tax Grain Custody Committee shall each have one chairperson.

Article 134: The duties and powers of the department heads, deputy heads, sections, and committees at each level of the Food Departments are as follows:
(1) The department head manages all work of the department; the deputy head assists the department head in carrying out the work and acts with the department head’s authority when the head is absent for any reason.
(2) The Regulation Section surveys and compiles statistics on the production and sales of food within its scope of jurisdiction, and drafts and implements regulation plans.
(3) The Famine Relief Section plans and manages all matters related to famine relief.
(4) The Warehouse Management Section manages the receipt and issuance of grain in warehouses.
(5) The Red Army Public Grain Custody Committee collects and safeguards Red Army public grain within its scope of jurisdiction.
(6) The Land Tax Grain Custody Committee collects and safeguards land tax grain within its scope of jurisdiction.
(7) The Food Regulation Bureau regulates the production and sales of food to ensure the food supply for the Red Army and the civilian population.

**VII. Education Departments**

Article 135: Under the Education Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, Education Committees shall be established as bodies for discussing and making recommendations on various issues related to culture and education. The Education Committee shall be composed of 13 to 17 members at the provincial level, 11 to 15 at the county level, and 9 to 13 at the district level. At the municipal level, it shall be composed of 9 to 17 members depending on the size of the city.

Article 136: The Education Committee at each level shall be composed of the department head, deputy head(s), chiefs of the General Education Section, Social Education Section, and Editing and Publishing Section, representatives from mass organizations such as the Communist Youth League, Young Pioneers, Children’s Corps, and trade unions, the chief writer of government newspapers, the principals of local schools (one or two persons), representatives of various cultural organizations, the head of the lower-level education department in the locality, and others. The department head shall serve as the chairperson of the committee.

The members of the Education Committee, after being reviewed and approved by the presidium at the same level, must be submitted to the higher-level education department for approval.

Article 137: Under the provincial Education Department, there shall be established a General Education Section, a Social Education Section, and an Editing and Publishing Section. Under the county, district, and municipal Education Departments, there shall be established a General Education Section and a Social Education Section.

Article 138: The provincial Education Department shall have one department head and one or two deputy heads. The county, district, and municipal Education Departments shall each have one department head and one deputy head. The General Education Section, Social Education Section, and Editing and Publishing Section shall each have one section chief. The provincial and centrally-administered municipal Education Departments shall have one secretary. The county and provincially-administered municipal Education Departments shall have one clerk.

Article 139: The duties and powers of the department heads, deputy heads, and sections at each level of the Education Departments are as follows:
(1) The department head manages all work of the department; the deputy head assists the department head in carrying out the work and acts with the department head’s authority when the head is absent for any reason.
(2) The General Education Section manages supplementary education for adults and youth, children’s education, and secondary education.
(3) The Social Education Section manages clubs, cinemas, theaters, local newspapers, reading rooms, libraries, revolutionary museums, lecture tours, and similar activities.
(4) The Editing and Publishing Section manages the editing and review of various materials for general and social education, as well as materials edited by lower-level education departments or private individuals, and manages publishing undertakings.

**VIII. Internal Affairs Departments**

Article 140: Under the Internal Affairs Departments at the provincial, county, municipal, and district levels, Internal Affairs Committees shall be established as bodies for discussing and making recommendations on various issues related to the work of the Internal Affairs Department. The Internal Affairs Committee shall be composed of 15 to 21 members at the provincial level, 11 to 15 at the county level, and 11 to 13 at the district level. At the municipal level, it shall be composed of 13 to 19 members depending on the size of the city.

Article 141: The Internal Affairs Committee at each level shall be composed of the department head, deputy head(s), chiefs of the Election Guidance Section, Transportation Section, Red Army Preferential Treatment Section, Health Section, Social Security Section, Civil Administration Section, and Compulsory Labor Section, the director or chief of the police sub-bureau or police department, representatives from the coolie transport workers’ union and the revolutionary mutual aid association, the head of the lower-level internal affairs department in the locality, and other staff capable of serving in this capacity. The department head shall serve as the chairperson of the committee.

The members of the Internal Affairs Committee, after being reviewed and approved by the presidium of the soviet at the same level, must be submitted to the higher-level internal affairs department for approval.

Article 142: Under the Internal Affairs Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, there shall be established an Election Guidance Section, a Transportation Section, a Red Army Preferential Treatment Section, a Health Section, a Social Security Section, a Civil Administration Section, and a Compulsory Labor Section.

Article 143: In the locality of the provincial Internal Affairs Department, a provincial police sub-bureau shall be established, directly under the Police Management Bureau of the Central People’s Commissariat for Internal Affairs. Under the police sub-bureau, police departments shall be established in large cities, and police stations shall be established in small cities, forming a direct organizational chain that is simultaneously guided and controlled by the Internal Affairs Departments at each level in the locality.

Article 144: The provincial Internal Affairs Department shall have one department head and one or two deputy heads. The county, district, and municipal Internal Affairs Departments shall each have one department head and one deputy head. The Election Guidance Section, Transportation Section, Red Army Preferential Treatment Section, Health Section, Social Security Section, Civil Administration Section, and Compulsory Labor Section shall each have one section chief. The provincial and centrally-administered municipal Internal Affairs Departments shall have one secretary. The county and provincially-administered municipal Internal Affairs Departments shall have one clerk.

Article 145: The provincial police sub-bureau shall have one chief and one deputy chief. The police department shall have one chief and one deputy chief. The police station shall have one station chief and one deputy station chief.
(Note) The detailed organization of the police shall be stipulated by separate specialized regulations.

Article 146: The duties and powers of the department heads, deputy heads, sections, bureaus, and stations at each level of the Internal Affairs Departments are as follows:
(1) The department head manages all work of the department; the deputy head assists the department head in carrying out the work and acts with the department head’s authority when the head is absent for any reason.
(2) The Election Guidance Section manages the election work of the soviets, supervises the correct implementation of electoral laws, collects and compiles materials on election work, and resolves issues arising during elections.
(3) The Transportation Section manages the construction and repair of roads, bridges, ferries, river embankments, tea pavilions, and similar structures, as well as the registration of boats and vehicles.
(4) The Red Army Preferential Treatment Section manages the registration and statistical supervision of the Red Army, supervises the implementation of the Red Army preferential treatment regulations, mobilizes the masses and allocates labor to assist Red Army soldiers in cultivating land, and resolves other difficulties faced by Red Army family members.
(5) The Health Section manages guidance on public health campaigns, guidance on hospitals, clinics, and sanatoriums, the registration and examination of doctors, the inspection of pharmacies, the organization of medicinal cooperatives, and the education of doctors.
(6) The Social Security Section manages relief for people affected by war or natural disasters, compensation for local armed forces and soviet staff who sacrifice their lives or become disabled while participating in revolutionary wars, food relief during famine years, and guidance on famine relief granaries.
(Note) Compensation for Red Army soldiers falls under the Compensation Committee and its sub-committees established by the Central Revolutionary Military Commission.
(7) The Civil Administration Section manages the registration and statistics of household registration, marriages, births, and deaths; supervises the correct implementation of marriage regulations; provides guidance on municipal administration; and issues identification documents to residents.
(8) The Compulsory Labor Section manages the registration, statistics, and allocation of all compulsory labor for the state.
(9) The police sub-bureau, police department, and police station manage police affairs in their respective municipalities.

Article 147: To discuss certain specialized issues, temporary specialized committees may be organized under each section.

**IX. Adjudication Departments and Military Adjudication Offices**
(Note) Local soviets at all levels establish Adjudication Departments, while Red Army units establish Military Adjudication Offices.

Article 148: Under the Adjudication Departments at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, Adjudication Committees shall be established as bodies for discussing and making recommendations on various issues related to judicial administration, prosecution, and trial. The Adjudication Committee shall be composed of 9 to 13 members at the provincial level, 9 to 11 at the county level, 7 to 9 at the district level, and 7 to 13 at the municipal level.

Article 149: The Adjudication Committee at each level shall be composed of the department head, deputy head(s), adjudicators, prosecutors, the director or special agent of the State Political Security Sub-bureau, the chief of the police sub-bureau or police department or station, representatives from the Workers’ and Peasants’ Inspection Committee, Labor Department, and workers’ union, the head of the lower-level adjudication department in the locality, and other staff capable of serving in this capacity. The department head shall serve as the chairperson of the committee.

The members of the Adjudication Committee, after being reviewed and approved by the presidium of the soviet at the same level, must be submitted to the higher-level adjudication department for approval.

Article 150: The provincial Adjudication Department is subordinated to the Central People’s Commissariat for Justice in matters of judicial administration. In matters of prosecution and trial, it is subject to the control of the Provisional Supreme Court.

Article 151: Under the Adjudication Departments at all levels, criminal courts and civil courts shall be organized. Circuit courts may be organized when necessary. Under the municipal Adjudication Departments, labor courts must also be organized.

Criminal Court, trials criminal cases.

Civil Court, trials civil cases.

- As for the Circuit Court, it goes to the location of the incident to try relatively important criminal and civil cases, in order to attract the broad masses at and near the incident location to observe the trial.

Labor Court, trials cases concerning violations of labor laws and decrees.

Article 151 The Provincial Adjudication Department shall have one director, one to two deputy directors, one to three adjudicators, one to five inspectors, one to five prosecutors, one secretary, and one to three clerks.

The County Adjudication Department shall have one director and one deputy director each, one to two adjudicators, one to three inspectors, one to three prosecutors, one secretary, and one to two clerks.

The District Adjudication Department shall have one director and one deputy director each, and one clerk.

The Municipal Adjudication Department shall have one director and one deputy director each, one to three adjudicators, one to three prosecutors, and one to two clerks.

Article 153 The functions and powers of the director, deputy director, prosecutors, and adjudicators are as follows: (1) The director manages all work of the department; the deputy director assists the director in carrying out work and acts on behalf of the director when the director is absent due to certain reasons. (2) Prosecutors manage the investigation of cases, preliminary hearings of cases, and assist in court prosecution matters.

(3) Adjudicators manage the trial and adjudication of cases.

Article 154 Under the Provincial and Municipal Adjudication Departments directly under the Central Government, detention houses and labor reformatories shall be established. Under the County and Provincial directly affiliated Municipal Adjudication Departments, detention houses shall be established, and labor reformatories may also be established when necessary, serving as institutions for the imprisonment and education of criminals.

Districts shall establish detention houses.

Article 155 Within the judicial scope, adjudication departments at all levels have the authority to mobilize the Red Guards, People's Police Stations, and Political Security Forces at any time.

Article 156 Military courts are divided into Primary Military Courts, Frontline Military Courts, and High Military Courts.

Article 157 The High Military Court, in terms of judicial administration, is subordinate to the Central Commissariat of Justice, and in terms of prosecution and adjudication, it is subject to the control of the Provisional Supreme Court.

Where military courts should be established and the scope of their jurisdiction shall be stipulated by orders of the Central Commissariat of Justice.

Article 158 Under both the Primary and High Military Courts, adjudication committees shall be established.

The adjudication committee of the Primary Military Court shall be composed of five to seven persons.

The adjudication committee of the High Military Court shall be composed of seven to nine persons.

Article 159 The committees of the Primary and High Military Courts shall be composed of the director, deputy director, adjudicators, prosecutors, the director or special agent of the State Political Security Sub-bureau, representatives of the political organs of the military, and other staff members capable of holding such positions, with the director serving as the chairman.

Article 160 Both Primary and High Military Courts must organize civil and criminal tribunals, and when necessary, may organize circuit tribunals to try cases, the same as Adjudication Departments.

Article 161 The High Military Court shall have one director, one to two deputy directors, one to three prosecutors, one to three adjudicators, one to five inspectors, one secretary, and one to three clerks.

The Primary Military Court shall have one director and one deputy director each, one to two prosecutors, one to two adjudicators, and one to two clerks.

The staff members of military courts at all levels; the High Military Court may, based on working circumstances, draft opinions and report to the Central Commissariat of Justice, and after obtaining consent from the Council of People's Commissars, increase or decrease staff by order.

Article 162 The director of the Military Court manages all work of the court; the deputy director assists the director in carrying out work and acts on behalf of the director when the director is absent due to certain reasons.

The functions and powers of prosecutors and adjudicators are the same as those of prosecutors and adjudicators in Adjudication Departments.

Article 163 Adjudication departments at all levels and Primary and High Military Courts shall all have judicial police, the number of which shall be stipulated by orders of the Central Commissariat of Justice.

Article 164 Persons without the right to vote (including those under 16 years of age) shall not hold positions in Adjudication Departments and Military Courts.

Chapter 10 Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committee (Note) The tasks of the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committee are stipulated in the Organic Law of the Soviet Central Government; what is stipulated here is limited to the organizations at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels.

Article 165 The Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committees at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels shall be composed of committee members elected by the respective Soviet Congresses according to the prescribed quotas.

The province shall have from 13 to 21 members, the same for municipalities directly under the Central Government.

The county shall have from 9 to 11 members (the same for districts and municipalities directly under the province).

The district shall have from 5 to 7 members (the same for districts and municipalities directly under the county).

Article 166 Members of the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committees at all levels must meet the following conditions to be qualified: (1) Workers, peasants, poor people, and other elements with a revolutionary history who have class consciousness and are most loyal to the Soviet government, but workers must account for at least 40 percent.

(2) Those who have not received criminal punishment from a Soviet court.

Article 167 The Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committees at all levels are part of the Soviet administrative organs at all levels, and their direct subordinate relationships are the same as those of other administrative organs.

Article 168 The Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committees at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels shall work in the same office as the corresponding Communist Party of China inspection committees at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, maintaining close contact.

Article 169 Each Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committee at all levels shall elect one chairman and one vice-chairman. The chairman is responsible for handling daily work and supervising staff in carrying out work; the vice-chairman assists the chairman in carrying out work and acts on behalf of the chairman when the chairman is absent due to certain reasons.

Article 170 Under the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committees at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, complaint bureaus shall be established to manage complaints from the people and communications from worker-peasant correspondents, etc. The complaint bureau shall have one director.

Provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall have one secretary; counties and municipalities directly under the province shall have one clerk to assist with paperwork and administrative tasks.

Provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall have five to nine inspectors; counties and municipalities directly under the province shall have two to five inspectors, responsible for inspecting and guiding certain designated tasks.

Article 171 The Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committees at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels must establish correspondents in all state organs, enterprises, factories, workshops, schools, social organizations, streets, and villages to form a correspondence network; correspondents shall not be detached from production.

Article 172 The Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committees at all levels have the authority to suggest to the executive committee or presidium of the Soviet at the same level the punishment or replacement of staff members in certain state organs and enterprises. If criminal evidence is found among these personnel, they must be transferred to the judicial organs for handling.

Article 173 When the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committees at all levels have opinions on the working facilities of certain state organs within their jurisdiction, they may directly make suggestions to those organs or enterprises.

Article 174 When the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Committees at all levels conduct inspections on staff members in certain state organs or enterprises, they may organize temporary inspection committees; when inspecting the work of a certain state organ or enterprise, they may organize temporary inspection committees.

Chapter 11 State Political Security Bureau (Note) The tasks of the State Political Security Bureau are stipulated in the Organic Law of the Central Soviet Government; here only the organization and limits of authority of the State Political Security Bureau at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels are stipulated.

Article 175 The organs of the State Political Security Bureau at all levels are completely centralized organizations, with lower levels obeying higher levels, and adopt a system of appointment.

Article 176 The State Political Security Bureau shall establish sub-bureaus in provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government, counties and municipalities directly under the province; special agents shall be assigned in districts and municipalities directly under the county.

Front armies and army corps shall all establish sub-bureaus; divisions, regiments, and independent battalions shall assign special agents and officers.

When necessary, the State Political Security Bureau may directly assign special agents in certain organs.

Article 177 Under the Political Security Bureaus at all levels, there shall be committee organizations responsible for examining and discussing the work of the Security Bureau and the materials it obtains. The director of each bureau is the chairman of that committee, and among the participating committee members shall be representative of the Communist Party at the same level and the prosecutor of the court (now the adjudication department).

The committee members of the Supreme State Political Security Bureau shall be approved and appointed by the Central Committee of People's Commissars; the committee members of the sub-bureaus below shall be appointed by the State Political Security Bureau.

Article 178 Each sub-bureau of provinces, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and front-army army corps shall establish an Executive Department, an Investigation Department, and a General Affairs Office.

Under the Executive Department, an Executive Section and a Preliminary Hearing Section shall be established.

Under the Investigation Department, an Investigation Section and an Inspection Section shall be established.

Sub-bureaus of counties and municipalities directly under the province shall establish an Executive Section, an Investigation Section, and a General Affairs Section.

Article 179 Each sub-bureau of provinces, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and front-army army corps shall have one director and one deputy director.

The Executive Department and the Investigation Department shall each have one department head.

The Executive Section, Preliminary Hearing Section, Investigation Section, and Inspection Section shall each have one section chief.

The General Affairs Office shall have one office chief.

Sub-bureaus of counties and municipalities directly under the province shall have one director and one deputy director each.

The Executive Section and the Investigation Section shall each have one section chief.

The General Affairs Section shall have one section chief.

Other staff members; sub-bureaus of provinces, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and front armies shall, according to the circumstances, determine the number and report to the Central State Political Security Bureau for stipulation by order to increase or decrease.

Article 180 The functions and powers of the director and each section are as follows: (1) The director manages the entire work of the bureau and guides lower-level sub-bureaus or special agents. The deputy director assists the director in carrying out work and acts on behalf of the director when the director is absent due to certain reasons. (2) The Executive Department (or Section) manages the arrest, interrogation, and handling of prisoners, leads the security forces, and supervises the issuance of passports, permits, and travel passes. (3) The Investigation Department (or Section) organizes the work network, guides investigation work, and inspects mail and publications from White areas. (4) The General Affairs Office (or Section) manages the internal administrative affairs of the bureau.

Article 181 The State Political Security Sub-bureau has the authority to investigate, arrest, and conduct preliminary hearings for all counter-revolutionary cases. The authority to adjudicate and execute according to law generally belongs to the judicial organs. Special agents only have the authority to carry out work within the scope of tasks assigned by their superiors, and shall not arrest people without authorization without permission from superiors, except in special circumstances (such as when counter-revolutionary elements are fleeing or counter-revolutionaries have already decided to revolt, etc.).

Article 182 The actions of organs of the State Political Security Bureau at all levels are subject to legal limitations. Within the scope of the law, court prosecutors have the authority to inspect cases of organs of the State Political Security Bureau at all levels.

Article 183 Before carrying out an arrest of counter-revolutionary elements hidden in certain organs or organizations, the organs of the State Political Security Bureau at all levels must notify the principal responsible person of that organ or organization. If it is deemed that the principal responsible person of that organ or organization is not qualified to receive the notice, the principal responsible person of its superior organ must be notified before the execution.

Article 184 Each sub-bureau of the State Political Security Bureau has the authority to organize armed forces for its own use.

Article 185 The sub-bureaus and special agents of the State Political Security Bureau must maintain close horizontal contact with local Soviet organs and the command and political organs of the Red Army; directors and special agents may attend meetings of these organs.

Chapter 12 Auditing Committee Article 186 Under the executive committees of provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government, Auditing Committees shall be established, subordinate to the Central Auditing Committee, and simultaneously subject to the guidance and control of the executive committees of provinces and municipalities directly under the Central Government and their presidiums.

Article 187 The Auditing Committee of a province or municipality directly under the Central Government shall be composed of seven to nine committee members. The chairman of the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection Department Committee, the minister of the National Economy Department, the minister of the Adjudication Department, and the head of the provincial-level military administrative organ shall be ex officio committee members. The Auditing Committee shall have one director. Under the Auditing Committee, one secretary and one clerk may be appointed, and one to five auditors.

Article 188 The tasks of the Auditing Committee of a province or municipality directly under the Central Government are to examine the budgets and final accounts of the financial revenues and expenditures of the provincial Soviet and all provincial-level Soviets, the municipal Soviet and the Soviets of all districts in the city; to examine the temporary revenue and expenditure accounts of financial organs; and to submit the principles of the provincial or municipal budget to the Central Auditing Committee.

Article 189 If the Auditing Committee of a province or municipality directly under the Central Government discovers that Soviets at all levels or local military units have violated laws and decrees or engaged in improper practices regarding financial revenue and expenditure matters, it may propose a solution to the presidium and report to the Central Auditing Committee.

Article 190 The Auditing Committee of a province or municipality directly under the Central Government shall, in addition to reporting the audit status to the Central Auditing Committee and the provincial or municipal presidium at any time, submit a report on the year's audit process to the Central Auditing Committee and the provincial or municipal presidium at the end of each fiscal year.

Article 191 Counties shall not establish Auditing Committees. The budget resolutions for districts and municipalities directly under the county shall be initially examined by the Finance Committee and then submitted to the Provincial Auditing Committee for examination.

Article 192 When the Auditing Committee of a province or municipality directly under the Central Government deems it necessary to investigate the financial revenue and expenditure matters of lower-level Soviets, it may dispatch auditors to conduct on-site investigations.

Chapter 13 General Affairs Office Article 193 Under each executive committee at the provincial, county, district, and municipal levels, a General Affairs Office shall be established to manage the internal affairs of the executive committees at all levels. Each General Affairs Office at all levels shall have one director and one deputy director, appointed by the presidium at the corresponding level.

**Article 194** Under the General Affairs Office of provinces, municipalities directly under the central government, and provincial municipalities, there shall be established a Documents Section, an Accounting Section, a Receiving and Dispatching Section, and an Administration Section, each with one section chief. Under the General Affairs Office of districts and municipalities directly under the county, there shall be one secretary, one to three clerks, and one each of receiving and dispatching officer and administrator.

**Article 195** General Affairs Offices at all levels shall be subject only to the control of the executive committee and presidium at the same level; no superior-subordinate relationship shall exist between them.

However, for the needs of certain work matters, such as correcting errors in receiving and dispatching work, improving document and printing techniques, or assigning technical staff, the General Affairs Office of a higher-level executive committee may give instructions to the General Affairs Office of a lower-level executive committee and may require it to submit reports on these matters.

**Chapter V Powers of the Local Soviets**

**Article 196** The powers of Soviets at the province, county, district, and city levels shall be as follows:
1. Execute all laws, decrees, resolutions, and instructions of the central state power organs; execute the decrees, resolutions, and instructions of the respective higher-level organs.
2. Decide upon and implement plans for various Soviet construction work within the respective area.
3. Resolve all issues of a local nature.
4. Unify the administrative work of Soviet organs at all levels within the respective area.

**Article 197** The provincial Soviet congress and its executive committee shall have the power to supervise Soviets at all levels within the entire province.
The county Soviet congress and its executive committee shall have the power to supervise Soviets at all levels within the entire county.
Lower-level Soviet organs shall absolutely obey higher-level Soviet organs.
If resolutions, decrees, or instructions of a lower-level Soviet contravene the laws, decrees, resolutions, or instructions of the central state power organs, or the decrees, resolutions, or instructions of the competent higher-level organ, the higher-level Soviet may annul them.
If a lower-level Soviet organ violates or resists the decrees, resolutions, or instructions of a higher-level Soviet organ, the respective higher-level Soviet organ may reorganize it in part or dissolve it in whole.

**Chapter VI Provisional Local State Power Organs—Revolutionary Committees**

**Article 198** In all places during the period of insurrection and in places newly occupied by the Red Army, provisional state power organs—revolutionary committees—shall be organized.

**Article 199** In places where insurrection arises based on prior organization and work of revolutionary mass organizations, the methods for establishing revolutionary committees at various levels shall be as follows:
1. The city or township revolutionary committee shall be organized from representatives elected by the revolutionary mass organizations of that city or township.
2. The district revolutionary committee shall be jointly organized from representatives elected by city or township revolutionary committees and representatives of district-level revolutionary mass organizations.
3. The county revolutionary committee shall be jointly organized from representatives elected by district revolutionary committees and representatives of county-level revolutionary mass organizations.
4. The provincial revolutionary committee shall be jointly organized from representatives elected by county revolutionary committees and representatives elected by provincial-level revolutionary mass organizations.
However, the list of members of every revolutionary committee, except in places isolated by White areas with interrupted communication, must be reported to the higher-level revolutionary committee or Soviet executive committee for examination and approval.

**Article 200** In places newly occupied by the Red Army or guerrilla forces where there was previously no organization or work of relevant revolutionary mass organizations, the methods for establishing revolutionary committees at various levels shall be as follows:
(1) For a city or township revolutionary committee, the political organ of the Red Army or guerrilla unit working in that city or township shall designate the list of committee members, and that political organ shall appoint them. However, after appointment, a meeting of the worker and peasant poor masses of that city or township must still be convened to report this appointed list. If there is a higher-level Soviet or revolutionary committee not far away locally, it must be reported to that Soviet or revolutionary committee for appointment.
(2) For district and county revolutionary committees, the political organ of the Red Army or guerrilla unit working in that county shall designate the list of committee members and appoint them, but a meeting of as many worker and peasant poor masses of the entire district or county as possible shall be convened to present the report.

**Article 201** Revolutionary committees shall be organized with: townships, from seven to eleven persons; districts or cities, from eleven to nineteen persons; counties, from fifteen to twenty-five up to thirty-five persons.

**Article 202** The presidium of a provincial revolutionary committee, consisting of nine to eleven persons, shall be elected by a plenary session of the provincial revolutionary committee and reported to the Central Executive Committee for appointment, or shall be directly appointed by the Central Executive Committee.
The presidium of a county revolutionary committee, consisting of five to nine persons, shall be elected by a plenary session of the county revolutionary committee and reported to the provincial Soviet or revolutionary committee for appointment, or shall be directly appointed by the provincial Soviet or provincial revolutionary committee.
The presidium of a district revolutionary committee, consisting of three to five persons, shall be elected by a plenary session of the district revolutionary committee and reported to the county Soviet or county revolutionary committee for appointment, or shall be directly appointed by the county Soviet or county revolutionary committee.
The presidium of a city revolutionary committee, consisting of five to eleven persons, shall be elected by a plenary session of the city revolutionary committee and reported to the superior government to which it is subordinate for appointment, or shall be directly appointed by the superior government.
Township revolutionary committees shall not establish presidiums.

**Article 203** Provincial revolutionary committees and county revolutionary committees shall each have one chairman and one to two vice-chairmen.
District revolutionary committees and township revolutionary committees shall each have one chairman and one vice-chairman.
City revolutionary committees shall have one chairman and one to two vice-chairmen.
Chairmen and vice-chairmen shall all be elected by the presidium meeting and reported to the superior government for appointment, or shall be directly appointed by the superior government.

**Article 204** Under the provincial, county, district, and city revolutionary committees, there shall be established a Labor Department, a Land Department, a Military Department, a Counter-Revolutionary Elimination Committee, a Finance Department, and a Food Department. Additional departments may be established according to the progress of their work development.
Each department shall have one department head and one deputy department head.
The Counter-Revolutionary Elimination Committee shall be organized with: townships, seven to nine persons; districts and cities, seven to eleven persons; counties and provinces, five to seven persons.
The number of other working personnel shall be determined by the provincial Soviet or provincial revolutionary committee based on work conditions, and reported to the central departments. After approval by the Council of People's Commissars, the number shall be prescribed and adjusted by decree.
Departmental committees shall be established under each department, their numbers and functions being the same as those of the departments of Soviets at corresponding levels (the Food Department being the same as the National Economy Department).

**Article 205** Each department shall be directly subordinate to the superior department at the next higher level and shall absolutely obey the orders of that superior department, but shall simultaneously be subject to the guidance and control of the revolutionary committee at the same level.

**Article 206** The tasks of a revolutionary committee are: to develop the struggle of the worker and peasant poor masses against the landlord and bourgeois classes; to seize arms from the armed forces of the local landlords and bourgeoisie; to organize a Red armed force commanded by the revolutionary committee itself and composed entirely of exploited worker and peasant poor (with no exploitative elements participating); to vigorously develop revolutionary warfare, eliminate and suppress all local counter-revolutionary armed forces; to lead the masses in vigorously suppressing all counter-revolutionary elements who have been overthrown but are still secretly active; to lead the masses in confiscating and distributing land; to implement the labor laws; to organize trade unions and poor peasant leagues, making them the pillars of the revolutionary committee; in cities, to pay special attention to leading workers in supervising capitalist enterprises and shops; and finally, to convene congresses of worker, peasant, and soldier deputies to elect formal state power organs (Soviets).

**Article 207** The transformation from a revolutionary committee into a Soviet shall depend on the level of development of the revolutionary struggle of the local worker and peasant poor masses, to be decided by the local supreme state power organ.

**Chapter VII Supplementary Articles**

**Article 208** This Organic Law shall take effect from the date of its promulgation.

The Central Executive Committee may amend or repeal any articles of this Organic Law at any time.

Mao Zedong
Chairman of the Central Executive Committee

Xiang Ying
Vice Chairman

Zhang Guotao
Vice Chairman

December 12, 1933, Gregorian Calendar

--- Notes

(Note) Municipal Soviets and township Soviets are the basic organizations of the Soviet government. Their main characteristics are the system of regular congresses of representatives, where representatives do not disengage from production and are dispersed among the masses.


(Note) As for the names of urban districts: In small municipalities, names such as "Central Urban District," "Eastern Suburban District," "Western Suburban District," and so on may be used. In large municipalities, names of well-known streets or other appropriate local names may be used.
For villages within urban districts outside the city, the names of notable places in each village may be used. In no case shall numerals be used as names.


(Note) The standard for the number of representatives in an Urban District Soviet shall temporarily apply the standard for the number of representatives in a Township Soviet.


(Note) The standard for the number of representatives in a Municipal Soviet shall be in accordance with Articles 11 through 15 of the Provisional Election Law of the Soviet.


(Note) In Municipal Soviets that have organized a Municipal Executive Committee, the system of regular congresses of representatives remains in force, and is identical to the system of regular congresses of representatives in Municipal Soviets that do not have an Executive Committee.