Instructions on Work Following the Establishment of the New Government in Southern Hebei
(August 20, 1938)
[1]
To Xu, Deng, and Song, as well as to the Provincial Committee, with copies to Comrades Peng, Zhu Rui, and Bo Cheng:
A. Upon the establishment of the new government in Southern Hebei, several beneficial policies must be implemented immediately: (1) Relief should be provided to the vast numbers of starving people throughout the region, with funds and grain to be raised from the wealthy and a portion drawn from local public funds. (2) An autumn harvest campaign should be organized. (3) A policy of reducing rents by 25 percent should be established. (4) Regulations concerning people’s self-defense and evacuation procedures during enemy attacks, along with measures for emptying villages and clearing fields, should be promulgated. (5) Rules for civilian anti-bandit self-defense should be issued. (6) A clean and honest government should be formed, with clear stipulations regarding living allowances and official expenses for government personnel at all levels.
B. The security forces should be promptly reorganized or transformed, while bandits should either be won over or thoroughly eliminated.
C. For the time being, the new government need not issue public declarations or telegrams to the outside world, nor engage in excessive external propaganda, so as not to provoke others. However, within its own jurisdiction, the new government should immediately publish various proclamations, laws, and orders to enhance its prestige and present itself to the people in a completely new light.
D. In addition to using legal tender, banknotes of the Jicha-Shanxi Border Region Bank should also be allowed to circulate freely in Southern Hebei.

Mao, Luo, Wang, Hu
20th day

[1] This is an instruction telegram sent by Mao Zedong, Luo Fu (Zhang Wentian), Wang Jiaxiang, and Hu Fu (Liu Shaoqi) to Xu Xiangqian, Deng Xiaoping, Song Renqiong, the Provincial Committee, and Comrades Peng Dehuai, Zhu Rui, and Liu Bocheng.