On Consolidating the United Front Work in Shanxi

Telegram to Yang Shangkun and Others

(July 5, 1938)

To the Front Headquarters and the Northern Bureau:

Comrade Shangkun’s telegram of the 28th has been received. Because the Party organization has greatly expanded in Shanxi, and due to shortcomings in the organizational forms and working methods, it has become very difficult to preserve Party secrecy, and the exposure of certain organizational connections will inevitably affect Yan and Liang’s attitude toward and relations with us. Therefore, in addition to the measures proposed in Comrade Shangkun’s telegram, the following are also necessary:

1. In areas, units, and organs where the Party organization has already developed to a considerably large extent, temporarily suspend the recruitment of Party members, especially suspend development within the Ximeng system, and concentrate attention on education, training, and consolidating the organization.

2. Party development should be carried out with attention to areas, units, and groups where the organization is weak, with special attention to establishing many rural Party branches and branches within the old Jin-Sui Army, so as to lay a deep foundation for the Party in Shanxi society. Do not issue general calls to the lower levels for greatly expanding Party membership.

3. All documents and slogans of Yan’s groups, organs, and units must pay special attention to form, using more of Yan’s terminology of “doctrine of distribution according to labor” and less of our Marxist-Leninist terminology.

4. It would be best if either Zhu or Peng could go and have a talk with Yan. If it is necessary for Hufu to go, he can only set out at the end of the month.

Mao, Luo, Hu
Sent on the 5th to Shangkun, and to Zhu and Peng to be forwarded to Zhu Rui