Army Extends Peking Control To Schools And Factories

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31323, 20 March 1967, Page 13

Army Extends Peking Control To Schools And Factories

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) TOKYO, March 19. China’s Army, which supports Mao Tse-tung, has extended its control of Peking by seizing its schools, factories and municipal agencies, Japanese dispatches said today.

The reports from Peking were by correspondents of the Japan Broadcasting Corporation and the newspaper “Yomiuri.” They coincided with Chinese broadcasts saying that the Army had taken over farms and factories in the provinces of Anhwei, Kiangsi and Hupeh. The Japanese dispatches and the Chinese broadcasts appeared to reinforce beliefs

that the Army of 2.5 million had become Mao’s chief instrument in his struggle to oust followers of President Liu Shao-chi from places of power. Associated Press said. In launching his purge in August, Mao used youthful Red Guards. Paper Seized The Japanese dispatches said that the extension of Army control in Peking began last week with the seizure of the Peking “Daily News.” They said slogans were posted “warmly welcoming the Army seizures.” Radio Peking said that the Communist Party Central Committee had called on revolutionary leaders and workers in industry and mines to seize power from Mao’s opponents, who were accused of taking the capitalist way. The committee told workers to stay on their jobs, to increase production and to oppose “economism,” the Chinese Communist term for economic benefits. The Chinese Communist Party Central Committee had

instructed the Army to assist civilians in industrial production, according to Radio Peking.

The instruction came in a letter broadcast by Radio Peking. In the letter, addressed to workers throughout China, the Central Committee said that it had decided the People’s Liberation Army should make a “great effort” to help boost production. “You should co-operate effectively with the comrades from the People’s Liberation Army,” it told workers. The text of this letter was splashed across the front pages of all Peking newspapers today. The letter also called on workers to get rid of “unhealthy tendencies” and strengthen labour discipline. Workers must adhere to eight-hour days and participate in the cultural revolution activities only outside this period. No Wastage “Struggle should be waged against any unhealthy tendencies towards absenteesim and

a perfunctory attitude to work,” it said. Workers were also urged to pay attention to the quality of goods and not to waste State money and materials.

In Hong Kong, the annual report of the Chairman of the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation said that Mao’s purge had not harmed China’s economy during the last year. Mr J. A. H. Saunders said that there was no evidence of a decline in China’s foreign trade, and industrial production had increased. He said that food production was down slightly in 1966, but this was due mainly to extensive drought in the north and severe floods in the south.