Strengthen the Party Spirit in Newspaper and Periodical Propaganda[1]

(September–October 1942)

I. Ensure That Newspaper and Periodical Propaganda Is Subordinate to the Party’s Policies

The time has now arrived for bringing about an improvement in relations between the Guomindang and the Communist Party, for resuming negotiations between the two parties, and for restoring the legal status of the New Fourth Army, so as to persevere in the War of Resistance. With regard to the fighting of “friction” engagements, a telegram has been sent to Li Xiannian, asking him to do his utmost to avoid them in the future and to find ways to improve relations with the surrounding Guomindang troops. Please pay attention to the other units as well. In the area of propaganda, please also take care to explain to the propaganda personnel that they must do their utmost to avoid discussing the shortcomings of the Guomindang or making comparisons between the good and bad points of the Guomindang and the Communist Party. Fan Changjiang’s first two dispatches were very good and have been published in *Liberation*[2] and broadcast. The third one was unsuitable and therefore was not published. Please explain the current policy to him and convey my regards to him on my behalf. Please keep a firm grip on the newspapers and periodicals in northern Jiangsu and ensure that their propaganda is subordinate to the Party’s current policies.

(September 15)

[1] The first part of this text is a telegram from Mao Zedong to Chen Yi; the second part is a directive drafted by Mao Zedong for the Secretariat of the Central Committee of the CPC to be issued to all central bureaus and central sub-bureaus; the third part is a telegram from Mao Zedong to Lin Feng, secretary of the CPC Central Jin-Sui Sub-Bureau.

[2] This refers to the Yan’an *Liberation Daily*. The paper was first published on May 16, 1941.

II. Overcome the Tendency Toward Asserting Independence Among Propaganda Personnel

In the recent period, a number of incidents have occurred in propaganda work in various places that are not in keeping with the Party’s current policies. For instance, the Taihang branch of the Xinhua News Agency published a circular telegram from the Political Council proposing the convening of a national affairs conference; the Shandong branch published a circular telegram from the 111th Division of the Northeastern Army opposing Guomindang personnel; the northern Jiangsu branch published news opposing the Guomindang; and the northwestern Shanxi branch published a congratulatory telegram from a certain friendly army on the fifth anniversary of the New Army (which could affect the standing of the friendly army). All these are not in keeping with our Party’s current policies. Investigation reveals that the central bureaus and central sub-bureaus in various places have paid very little attention to the work of the local news agencies and newspapers, have lacked guidance for propaganda personnel and propaganda work, still do not recognize the great role of news agencies and newspapers as propagandists and organizers of revolutionary policies and revolutionary work, and still do not understand that much of the work of leading personnel should be carried out through the newspapers. The Northwest Central Bureau has already issued a decision concerning newspaper work, and all other localities should follow suit, correcting the past habit of not discussing news policy and editorial guidelines, firmly grasping leadership over news agencies and newspapers, ensuring that the propaganda of news agencies and newspapers fully conforms to the Party’s policies, ensuring that our propaganda strengthens its Party spirit, using the many documents published in *Liberation Daily* on how to strengthen the Party spirit of newspapers to educate our propaganda personnel, and overcoming the erroneous tendency toward asserting independence among propaganda personnel.

(October 28)

III. Constantly Pay Attention to Mastering News Policy and Editorial Guidelines

On the 18th, the northwestern Shanxi branch of the Xinhua News Agency broadcast to Yan’an Deng Baoshan’s[1] congratulatory telegram on the fifth anniversary of the New Army[2]. Apart from instructing the Yan’an head office not to publish it, please provide guidance to the northwestern Shanxi branch and the *Jinxi Daily*. Telegrams of this kind can only be transmitted orally and must not be published, so as not to affect Deng Baoshan’s standing. In addition, the sub-bureau must constantly pay attention to and master the news policy and editorial guidelines of the entire news agency and newspaper office, so as to make our propaganda fully conform to the Party’s policies.

(October 28)

[1] Deng Baoshan was then commander of the 21st Army Corps of the Guomindang, with his troops stationed at Yulin, Shaanxi.

[2] The New Army was a people’s anti-Japanese armed force in Shanxi that developed in the early period of the War of Resistance Against Japan under the leadership and influence of the Chinese Communist Party.