Written Comment on an Article in the American Magazine *The New Republic* [1]
(June 26, 1957)
Comrade Chen Yun [2]:
On page 17 there is a sentence that is worth studying. This sentence strikes a discordant note, but it should also prompt us to pay attention. Some people have proposed that agricultural investment should account for 20%; any less would be disadvantageous. Please study this.
Mao Zedong
Morning of June 26

[1] This written comment was written on the cover of the Xinhua News Agency's *Reference Material*, issue no. 1435, dated June 24, 1957. Pages 17 to 19 of that issue carried an article from the American magazine *The New Republic* titled "The Debate on Our China Policy." Under the subheading "The Collapse Theory," the article began by saying: "The 'Committee of One Million' says: 'The Peking regime does not now have firm control of the mainland.' The shortages of industrial products, pork, cotton, and coal reflect a 'serious economic crisis.'" Mao Zedong wrote a marginal note next to this, "Please study this sentence—Mao," and wrote this comment to Chen Yun.
[2] Chen Yun was then Vice Chairman of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Vice Premier of the State Council.