Comments on Materials Regarding Several Problems in the Coal Production of Kailuan
(October 15, 1961)


Comrade Chen Boda:
Please take a look at this document. When you go to Tangshan, please look into this issue.
Return to Mao after reading.
Mao Zedong
October 15
[1]


1. Mining-excavation relations, enterprise management, equipment and materials, and livelihood and ideological issues. The first two problems are mainly internal issues of the coal mine, while the latter two are more related to external factors. Problems concerning personnel and materials often alternate as the principal contradiction of a period. When work on personnel is done relatively well, problems concerning materials become prominent. When material supply work is somewhat better, failing to do a good job on personnel work is also unacceptable. Judging from the recent situation, the main issue affecting the inability to raise the level of coal production is the problem of personnel.

2. After a series of measures such as regularization, promotion, and increased labor protection supplies, the workforce has become more consolidated than before, and the vast majority of workers still feel attached to the coal mine.

3. At present, in addition to complaints about the poor quality of equipment and tools and insufficient material supply, workers and staff are also quite concerned about livelihood issues, including insufficient grain rations, excessively high prices, especially for vegetables, and the overly narrow scope of wage grade regulations. In addition, there is also the problem of relatively low remuneration for grassroots cadres.

4. The high number of sick cases among cadres at present is also a problem worthy of attention.

--- Notes



Refers to the material "Several Problems Currently Existing in the Coal Production of Kailuan," compiled by the Production Office of the State Economic Commission on October 9, 1961, and published in Issue No. 310 of *Situation Briefing* printed by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee on October 11. The material pointed out the following problems: