Telegram on Directing Attention to the Search for Big Tigers
(January 23, 1952)

To all departments of the Central Committee and the Military Commission, all leading Party members’ groups of the Central People’s Government; all central bureaus, and forward to sub-bureaus and provincial, municipal, and district Party committees; all greater military regions, the Chinese People’s Volunteers, and forward to military regions at all levels and all armies:

In all organs that handle large amounts of money and materials, no matter which system they belong to—Party, government, military, civilian, or academic—there are bound to be large numbers of embezzlers, and moreover there are bound to be major embezzlers (big tigers). Some people think that Party organs, propaganda, cultural, and educational organs, and people’s organizations, which do not handle much money, certainly have no big tigers. This is incorrect. Just a few days ago, it was still thought that the central cultural and educational organs did not have a single tiger. After the search and study of the last two days, it has been discovered that at least fifteen big tigers who have embezzled over 100 million yuan can be caught. Therefore, please pay attention: after the Three-Anti struggle has been fiercely launched in every department and every region, it is necessary to direct the attention of comrades toward searching for big tigers, pursuing them relentlessly until they are caught, without stopping, without slackening, and without being satisfied with the achievements already made. In this regard, it is necessary, based on the circumstances, to set estimated numerical targets and assign them to various departments to strive to fulfill their tasks. In the course of the struggle, it is also necessary to add new tasks according to the development of the situation. For example, at the central level, among the 10,000 embezzlers uncovered before January 18 (among whom many involved very small sums, very minor circumstances, bordering on embezzlement and practically not qualifying as embezzlement), there were only 18 major embezzlers [involving sums] of over 100 million yuan. By January 18, it was believed that another 50 could be uncovered. In the last two days, there has been another increase. It is estimated that there will be further increases in the future. You are earnestly requested to pay attention to this experience. It is necessary to point out to comrades: if they are unwilling to shield major embezzlers, lest they be discovered in the future (there will always be a day when they are discovered) and they themselves be blamed and disciplined, then they should organize all available forces to strive to ferret out all hidden major embezzlers. Below is the report of the Air Force Party Committee dated January 22 on the arrangements for searching for major embezzlers [1], which may serve as your reference.

Mao Zedong
January 23

1. Redeploy and organize forces: on the one hand, transfer a portion of cadres from units whose problems are basically clarified to reinforce departments with more problems; on the other hand, carry out internal adjustments within each department.
2. Conduct "mountain searches": carry out spot checks on the basis of general surveys, discover leads, and then follow them in depth. In the general survey, the Logistics Department should focus on the following four aspects:
   a. Check the quantity, quality, and delivery time of processing and ordering.
   b. Check whether the specifications and quantities of orders and goods match.
   c. Check bank deposit accounts.
   d. Check accounts with merchants, seeking leads from outside, so as to attack from both inside and outside to find tigers.
   Also organize forces to interrogate major embezzlers already arrested, so as to discover leads from them.
3. Determine key points, with leading cadres dividing up the work and taking individual responsibility.

--- Notes

[1] The methods for searching for major embezzlers laid out in the report of the Party Committee of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force on January 22, 1952, are: