Comment on the Comprehensive Report
(January 14, 1952)

To all major military regions, the Chinese People's Volunteers, and to be forwarded to military sub-districts at all levels and all armies; to all central bureaus, and to be forwarded to sub-bureaus and provincial, municipal, and district party committees:

The report from the Zunyi Military Sub-district [1] is much closer to the facts than the report from the Jining Military Sub-district [2] just forwarded. In a military sub-district, an army, a small city, or a county, there is bound to be a large number of embezzlers; this is absolutely beyond doubt. Whenever it is said that there is only waste and no embezzlement, or that embezzlement is very minimal, it is unreliable and must never be believed. After a wave of stopping waste, it is imperative to immediately pursue embezzlement relentlessly. Where the problem of embezzlement cannot be resolved on their own, the higher authorities should promptly dispatch inspection teams to supervise and pursue the matter, and must not stop until all embezzlers have been ferreted out. To complete the task of the Three-Antis Campaign within the scope of a military sub-district or an army requires at least one month; it must not be allowed to end hastily. Please pay strict attention to this. In a county or a small city, the time required will be somewhat longer. As far as a single organ is concerned, about half a month of intense struggle will be sufficient.

Mao Zedong
January 14

[1] Refers to the comprehensive report on the Three-Antis Campaign dated January 5, 1952, from the Zunyi Military Sub-district of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. The report focuses on the situation where the sub-district leadership promptly arranged the struggle against embezzlement and the initial results achieved.
[2] Refers to the report on the situation of the Three-Antis Campaign from the Jining Military Sub-district of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, forwarded by Mao Zedong on January 14, 1952.