The speaker briefly described the situation regarding the first of the two agenda items at this United Front Work Conference—the anti-imperialist patriotic united front. When discussing how the business community, upper-level intellectuals, and religious circles have successively joined the Resist America and Aid Korea movement, the Chairman pointed out:

The handling of the Buddhist issue needs to be studied; we must bring them into the movement. How to carry out Buddhist reform should be discussed with the enlightened elements among them. Some of them say they have no freedom to practice Buddhism because their temples have been occupied. There are quite a few Buddhist believers, and we must not ignore them. Beijing probably needs to vacate a few temples for them. Mount Wutai, which concerns the Mongolian and Tibetan ethnic groups, probably needs some restoration.

The Chairman inquired about the Resist America and Aid Korea movement in the Northwest and Southwest, and was told that the movement had already unfolded in large cities and some small cities. The Chairman instructed:

We should seize this opportunity to expand it; this is a tremendous education. Recently, merchants in small cities like Tianshui sent me a telegram saying they had already held demonstrations. This movement should be carried out universally, reaching all factories and rural areas, so that every household knows about it and everyone participates.

When discussing how to further develop the movement, the Chairman instructed:

We can find a few responsible comrades in this area to discuss it and study it thoroughly.

Some comrades reported that during the Korean War, especially after the U.S. imperialists landed at Inchon, there were many rumors and ideological confusion, and our propaganda efforts at the time were insufficient. The Chairman instructed:

We should take the offensive in propaganda. It would be good to suppress the rumors spread by spies.

Opposing the U.S., land reform, and suppressing counterrevolutionaries are the three major movements at present.

Comrades from the Central-South region reported that during land reform, peasants entering cities to arrest people affected industry and commerce. The Chairman instructed:

It is necessary to make arrests, but not too many. Bandit chieftains and local tyrants must be arrested, but it should be done legally.

Comrades from the Central-South and Southwest regions reported that Wuhan and the Southwest had established urban liaison groups and rent reduction and deposit refund mediation committees as organs to appropriately handle land reform, rent reduction and deposit refunds, and urban liaison issues. The Chairman instructed:

Establishing such organs is good. They should be set up in all cities with populations over several tens of thousands (whether county towns should establish them can be considered). Democratic parties should participate, and they should be managed by the municipal government. Those who should be arrested are arrested, and those who should not be arrested are not arrested, taking both sides into account and resolving issues reasonably to avoid anarchy. Deposits must be refunded, and this can also be discussed through such organs. Whether to refund more or less should be handled appropriately—refund more if possible, and if not, refund less as deemed fit.

The Chairman asked about the situation in East China, and was told that conditions in various parts of southern Jiangsu were now somewhat better. The Chairman said:

Mr. Huang Yanpei plans to visit southern Jiangsu to observe the land reform. I told him: It is very good for you to go and see. You can hear the views of leading cadres at all levels, peasants, and landlords and rich peasants.

Comrades from various regions reported that some local comrades still had concerns about democratic figures going on inspection tours. The Chairman instructed:

When democratic figures go to various places to inspect, the localities should not regard this as a burden. Let them listen to the peasants' grievances and see the peasants' joy. We can also let them see some of our shortcomings and mistakes. This is a beneficial thing. The imperial examinations were held once every three years, but land reform is a once-in-a-millennium event; we should welcome them to observe.

Local comrades reported a lack of a positive and welcoming attitude toward the inspections and criticisms of democratic figures. The Chairman further instructed:

Distributing land, suppressing counterrevolutionaries, and mobilizing the masses are all good things. Land reform is something that even Yao, Shun, Yu, Tang, Wen, Wu, the Duke of Zhou, Confucius, and Sun Yat-sen never did; we are the first to do it. What bad things have we done? What is there to fear from others seeing? Nine out of ten fingers are good; at most, only one finger is bad. You must not underestimate democratic figures. You should understand that, except for local tyrants, bandit chieftains, and spies, we should adopt a positive attitude toward industrialists and businessmen, religious circles, school principals, teachers, enlightened gentry, and patriots. We must unite and educate them, and we must never ignore them; we must adopt a positive attitude. This method has been tried and tested repeatedly, and the results are always good. All negative attitudes are wrong. Let them speak their minds; even if they write a ten-thousand-word petition, we can let everyone see it. Accept what is good, and explain what is not. What if someone sees faults and wants to criticize? The Communist Party is not even afraid of imperialism, so why should it fear criticism? We must educate democratic figures and let them participate in activities. If we do not educate them and do not let them be informed about matters, that is wrong.

Regarding the second agenda item of the United Front Work Conference, namely the issue of the organizational development of the various democratic parties, the Chairman instructed:

This issue must be properly resolved. Otherwise, what we do and what we say will be inconsistent, and the lower levels will be inconsistent with us, which is not good. Last year we talked about consolidation, and this year we talk about development. If this year we only focus on consolidation, that won't work. Because their social strata and figures exist in society, they should develop. China has 475 million people, and all the democratic parties together have fewer than 20,000 members. Even if they double this year, that would only be 40,000, which is not many. We should draft a few points on this issue and issue instructions. We should enable the democratic parties to progress within the movement, let them act freely, as the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. This is a positive and beneficial policy.

Comrades from various regions reported that on the issue of the development of democratic parties, some local cadres still had certain ideological obstacles, and without strong support from the Party committee, it was difficult to implement. The Chairman instructed:

The entire Party should understand that democratic parties and democratic figures can progress. The 23rd Corps from Suiyuan has now been transferred to central Hebei. The commanders and division commanders of this unit are all the original personnel; they fought many battles against us in the past. If even this unit can progress, why can't democratic parties and democratic figures progress? We should adopt a positive attitude in handling this and not be afraid of trouble. We must make them understand that resisting the U.S., land reform, and eliminating counterrevolutionaries are necessary, and let them participate. Running state power always involves trouble; if you're afraid of trouble, then don't hold power. In the past, democratic parties and democratic figures wouldn't even come when invited; now that they have come, you are afraid of trouble.

The speaker mentioned that the United Front Work Department itself still lacked a set of regulations for its work, and this conference planned to draft a few points. The Chairman instructed:

It is good to have regulations on the organization, tasks, scope, and methods of the United Front Work Department. It would be best to have United Front Work Department organizations down to the prefectural Party committee level. How to do this should also be studied.

Some comrades reflected that the Chairman had said last year that those paying attention to United Front work were still a minority within the Party, and this situation had not changed much in several regions this year. The Chairman instructed:

This minority is correct. As long as we persist in land reform and the elimination of counterrevolutionaries, this is not right-deviationism; this is Marxism. We must adopt a positive attitude to organize democratic figures and democratic parties, educate them, enable them to participate in struggles, and lead them forward together. This is beneficial to the working people and beneficial to entering socialism. The minority will gradually expand, mainly relying on persuading others effectively. Two United Front Work conferences should be held each year, one large and one small, and this should be the case from the central bureaus down to the district Party committees. Don't blame others; only blame yourselves for not recruiting soldiers and buying horses, for not stockpiling grain and fodder. Don't let yourselves become isolated; make good achievements to show everyone. You must effectively obtain the help of Party committee secretaries and organization and propaganda departments, and be adept at building up our country through the Party committees and responsible comrades of the Party committees. Some of you should become experts, familiar with figures and history, and proficient in this field.

Comrades from the Central-South region raised the issue that suppressing counterrevolutionary elements should be distinguished from the struggle against local tyrants in land reform. The Chairman instructed:

On this issue, Comrade [speaker] has already issued instructions. The 47th Army in Jiangxi reported to the Central Committee that in over a month, in more than twenty counties, they executed [number] bandit chieftains and won the approval of the common people.