Critique and Revisions to Comrade Bo Yibo’s[1] Draft Speech at the Beijing Public Trial of Major Embezzlement Offenders
(February 1, 1952)

Some revisions have been made,[2] please have Zhou[3] deliberate and decide, and return it to Comrade Bo Yibo before 10 a.m.

Mao Zedong
February 1, 3 a.m.

Wang Shengye,[4] like Xia Maoru,[5] is an architectural engineer. In this current struggle against embezzlement, waste, and bureaucracy, he assisted the People’s Government in uncovering many acts of shoddy work and material cutting by unscrupulous merchants in the construction industry, recovering a total sum exceeding eight billion yuan. This can be considered as performing meritorious service to atone for his crimes. However, because his embezzlement offenses were not voluntarily confessed but were revealed under duress, he should be sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. Furthermore, because his confession was still thorough and he has already performed meritorious service to atone for his crimes, the execution of his sentence shall be suspended, to observe his future conduct; additionally, he shall be given the administrative sanction of dismissal from his post. Sun Jianguo[6] was originally a Communist Party member (already expelled from the Party long ago) and a revolutionary soldier, yet he dared to collude with private merchants, engaging in embezzlement and accepting bribes. He should have been severely punished. Considering that in this current anti-embezzlement struggle he completely and voluntarily confessed his crimes and assisted the People’s Government in exposing unscrupulous merchants, he is therefore sentenced to ten years’ imprisonment, with execution suspended, to observe his future conduct; additionally, he shall be given the administrative sanction of dismissal from his post. Xia Maoru and Hang Xiaozu[7] should both be given the administrative sanctions of demotion by one grade and a major demerit recorded, as a warning.

The government now stipulates: As long as the circumstances of the embezzlement are serious and there is conclusive evidence, regardless of how the person concerned refuses to admit guilt, whether the amount reaches one hundred million yuan or not, they can be designated a major embezzlement offender and sentenced to death.

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[1] Bo Yibo, then Director of the Central People’s Government Austerity Inspection Committee.
[2] The revisions Mao Zedong made to Bo Yibo’s draft speech, the two added paragraphs constitute the second and third parts of this text. In addition, there were some scattered textual revisions.
[3] Zhou, refers to Zhou Enlai.
[4] Wang Shengye, formerly an engineer in the Barracks Management Division of the Logistics Department of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.
[5] Xia Maoru, then an engineer and concurrently Head of the Engineering Section of the Central-South Grain Management Bureau.
[6] Sun Jianguo, formerly Deputy Director of the Supply Division of the General Logistics Department of the Military Commission.
[7] Hang Xiaozu, then Chief Engineer and concurrently Factory Director of the Telecommunications Factory of the Civil Aviation Administration of the Military Commission.