Instruction on the Report on Convening a High-Level Cadres Meeting to Inspect Work
(August 5, 1953)

To the Party Committees and Political Departments of all Greater Military Regions, the Chinese People’s Volunteers, all Special Arms, all Academies, all Schools, and all Directly Subordinate Departments:

Hereby forward to you the Summary (II) of the Report of the Party Committee of the Central-South Military Region, dated July 9, on the inspection of work at the Region’s High-Level Cadres Meeting. The issues raised therein are extremely important and are problems common to the entire army. All Military Regions, all Arms, and all Departments are requested to likewise study these issues and resolve them. The policy of the Central-South for resolving the problems is correct, and all places may refer to it and implement it accordingly.

General Political Department of the Military Commission
August 5

[I]
Refers to the summary of the Report of the Party Committee of the Central-South Military Region of the CPC, dated July 9, 1953, on the situation of inspecting work at the High-Level Cadres Meeting, submitted to Mao Zedong and the Military Commission, the General Political Department, and the Central-South Bureau. The summary states: In order to summarize and resolve certain issues raised in the struggle against bureaucracy, so as to enhance leadership, educate cadres, improve work, and better the relations between the leadership and the masses and between higher and lower levels, the Military Region convened a High-Level Cadres Meeting attended by principal leading cadres at the division level and above. The main issues raised at the meeting and suggestions for improvement are: (1) Issues concerning overwork and disorder in company-level work and leadership. Overwork and disorder in company-level work are caused not only by work scheduling but also by the work style of leading organs, namely the so-called "Five Excesses" that increase the burden on companies (excessive temporary tasks, excessive meetings, excessive directives and documents, excessive written reports, forms, and statistics demanded from below, and excessive organizational forms in companies). This is a common failing of organs and departments at all levels not understanding the situation at the lower levels. Therefore, resolving the problem of overwork and disorder in companies must begin with overcoming subjectivism, one-sidedness, and impetuosity in organs and departments, and improving the leadership style and methods. (2) Issues concerning veteran soldiers. Veteran soldiers are the backbone of the companies, yet the current attitude towards them is very poor; they are not educated when they make mistakes, but are subjected to sarcasm and blows; some are not promoted or admitted into the Party because of their age. To correct this tendency, there must be an appropriate and positive policy towards veteran soldiers, enabling them to display their initiative and become disseminators of traditional work style among new recruits. The demobilization of veteran soldiers should be carried out in a planned manner in batches. (3) Issues concerning the treatment of intellectuals. Although the atmosphere of distrusting intellectuals and excluding and discriminating against them among worker and peasant soldiers has disappeared, it has not been completely resolved among cadres and leading organs, where prejudice against intellectuals still exists, and they are blindly distrusted. Instructions have been given to all departments to inspect and correct this. (4) Issues concerning suicide and ideological struggle. Many leading organs handle suicide incidents very unseriously, seeking causes only from the side of the suicide victim and not from the side of the leadership, thus failing to draw genuine lessons and experience. Through the review at this meeting, the following points have been drawn: First, towards backward elements, a policy of patient guidance and gradual reform must be adopted, and one must not be over-anxious for results. Second, we must care for the sick, show them concern, consideration, and diligent and earnest care, and oppose coldness and callousness. Third, towards romantic relationships among organ personnel that do not conform to the provisions of the Marriage Law, appropriate methods must be adopted to handle them, and one must not forcibly break them apart or convene meetings to struggle against them. Fourth, company cadres must be enabled to learn to use the weapon of ideological struggle to conduct ideological education, paying attention to method and effect. (5) Issues concerning military-civilian relations and relations between the army and local authorities. After the troops were relieved of their tasks as work teams, their relations with the people and with local authorities have gradually become estranged, and some good systems of the past have in fact been abolished or are close to being abolished. It is necessary to constantly conduct education within the troops on relying on and cherishing the people; periodically inspect discipline and correct actions that harm the interests of the masses; maintain constant contact with local organs, solicit and listen to their opinions on the army; and during busy farming seasons, dispatch necessary manpower to help the peasants with their labor.