Chapter 40 Improve people's lives

As soon as Bo Gu, chairman of the Northwest Office of the Central Government, arrived in Zhidan, he became familiar with the masses and local cadres. He learned that Zhidan County, which is deep in mountains and valleys, has inconvenient transportation, and daily necessities such as salt, cloth, and matches are in short supply.For example, to eat salt, you have to go to Ningxia to carry salt at the risk of being robbed by bandits; and there is even a shortage of cloth and cotton. A quilt is covered by several people, and whoever goes out wears a piece of clothing.Most people wear sheepskin all year round. In winter, the wool is worn inside, and when it is hot, the wool is worn outside.In the past, there was a market every five and ten in the county, but it disappeared due to various reasons.There is no store in the county that can go to the white area to buy goods, and the merchants in the white area cannot enter the Soviet area to trade because of the blockade.According to these circumstances, on July 8, 1936, a notice was issued in the name of Bogu, instructing the Northwest Branch of the Soviet State Bank to set up a business department to carry out the transportation and wholesale of daily necessities such as cloth and salt, and supply them to various cooperatives to improve the lives of the masses.

On July 13, 1936, the "Red China" newspaper also published a specific method entitled "The Soviets tried their best to improve the lives of the people in Zhidan". In order to improve the lives of the people in Zhidan County and enable the workers and peasants to fully exchange their own products for daily necessities, the Soviet government calls on the masses to do the following work to solve their difficulties. 1. In Zhidan City (formerly Bao’an County), restore the former five-day and ten-day market, and the Soviet government helped to set up consumer cooperatives and Zhidan City government consumer cooperatives, which often sell daily necessities such as salt and cloth, and sell them every day .

2. The district governments immediately help the masses to set up district consumer cooperatives, distribute salt and cloth, and supply large quantities to the masses. 3. The Northwest Branch of the National Bank set up a business department to wholesale bulk goods such as salt and cloth for various cooperatives. 4. The Ministry of Grain has set up the Agricultural Product Buying Department of the Grain Reconciliation Bureau. All local products that the workers and peasants want to sell - grain, beans, wool, sheepskin, etc., can be sold on the market at any time. If they cannot be sold, the buying office Buy them together.

5. All purchases and sales of goods must use notes issued by the Soviet government, and "white notes" are strictly prohibited from being popular in the market. After the bazaar in Zhidan city resumed, some merchants brought in a small amount of goods from Yan'an for testing, and gradually more merchants came and the quantity of goods increased.The bank business department used the products produced in the Soviet area to exchange with merchants for daily necessities such as cloth in the White area, and distributed them to the staff of the government through the "rationing system".For the general public, it is sold at a limited price at a low price (for example, each person is only allowed to buy 20-count yarn wide-faced cloth 7 feet, which can be used as a material for a coat).In addition, the government organized a transport team to carry supplies to the Qingyang area on the front line of the Western Expedition, which further enriched the types of daily necessities and eased the difficulties of the people's daily needs.

In order to promote trade circulation in the Soviet area, the banknotes printed by the National Bank of the Soviet Union in Shadaozi Village, North Erli Road, Zhidan City, used Daolin paper to print the banknotes of "Northwest Branch of the National Bank of the Soviet People's Republic of China". The denominations are one yuan and two yuan. The pattern of "take up arms and demand resistance to Japan" is also accompanied by the slogans of "struggle for the democratic republic" and "stop the civil war and unite to resist Japan" in new Latinized words.These currencies are very unique in financial history, and can be said to be "anti-money" with a clear political nature.

The north is colder than the south, and Zhidan is even colder in the winter snow season. Lin Boqu, the president of the Northwest Bank, wears thin clothes and lives without a curtain. Comrade.At that time, life in the central government was very difficult, and a towel or a toothpaste were considered luxuries. Due to the increase in the supply of personnel and the decrease in fiscal revenue, we have to rely on invoices to maintain the minimum needs of the government and troops.By the time the State Bank left Zhidan, the currency issued (including the banknotes withdrawn from the Shanxi-Gansu-Jin Bank) was about 900,000 yuan. Prices soared and banknotes depreciated. When I first arrived in Zhidan, one yuan could buy a sheep. Danshi can only buy a pair of sheep for one yuan.Especially after the Xi'an Incident, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party formed a united front for the War of Resistance. The Soviet area could use both "Soviet currency" and the "French currency" of the Kuomintang.When the Northeast Army gave up the four counties of Yan'an, Ganquan, Heshui, and Qingyang, the National Bank settled the accounts overnight on December 31, 1936, and fixed things in order to continue working as soon as it arrived in Yan'an. He left Zhidan on the morning of January 1 and arrived in Yan'an City in two days.

Since the exchange rate difference between "Soviet currency" and "legal currency" is 6:1, in order to prevent the people holding "Soviet currency" from suffering losses, the bank business department adopted the method of recycling the issued Soviet banknotes with commodities.Specially send cadres to Zhidan, and use animals to carry daily necessities to the countryside to collect cash, thereby reducing the losses caused to the masses after the depreciation of the "Soviet currency". When Snow visited Hongdu Zhidan, he saw Mao Zedong casually walking on the street several times, talking with local people.Although Mao Zedong worked day and night, he liked to go out of the city and by the river in the evening, thinking about problems during walks, often talking with farmers he met, checking on the conditions of the people, and listening to the views and suggestions of the people on the revolution.

Soon, Mao Zedong noticed a well more than 50 meters across from the small courtyard. There was often a long line of people queuing up to fetch water. When he walked over and asked, he realized that the well was built by officers and soldiers stationed in the Northern Song Dynasty. It has a history of eight or nine hundred years. In history, common people called it "Guanjing".The water quality is sweet and sweet, and the tofu made with Guanjing water is tender and delicious, and the boiled water does not settle for a few days.However, due to the arrival of the central authorities, there were too many people drinking and drinking water, and the water supply from the official well could not be supplied, and those who lined up at the back could only get half a bucket of turbid water.

Seeing this situation, Mao Zedong said to everyone: "If you eat this kind of water, you will get sick. We must find a way to solve it." Huang Yinjiang, a local who was waiting to fetch water, said: "Maybe the water eye of this well is suffocated by mud. If you dig it out, the water will probably flourish." Mao Zedong stroked Huang Yinjiang's shoulder with his hand: "You are a local and know this well. I ask you to organize everyone to dig out the well. Okay? Can you install a few more pulleys? You don't need to drain the water to fetch water." There's a long line."

It is a great honor for Huang Yinjiang to gain the trust of Chairman Mao.The next day, I contacted some people and cadres in the organization to start digging the well.Mao Zedong saw it at noon and came over to help win the pulley. Everyone was very excited and more motivated.After two or three days of busy work, more than a dozen baskets of sand and sand were taken out of the well, and they dug seven or eight feet deep into the well, laying a layer of pebbles on the bottom of the well.Sure enough, the well water is flourishing.Silversmith Huang also invited a carpenter master to obtain materials nearby, and made three potter's wheels and put them on the well. From then on, the four potter's wheels fetched water at the same time, and people no longer had to queue up to carry water.

Once, Mao Zedong and the guards went for a walk outside the city.It is autumn, and the field is golden.Some farmers were singing folk songs, praising Liu Zhidan's Xintianyou, so they stood down and listened carefully. Mao Zedong stopped in his tracks, listened to the song with a solemn expression, and asked He Qinghua what other songs praised Liu Zhidan?He Qinghua thought for a while, and sang "Singing Liu Zhidan" casually: Folk songs are full of people's admiration and love for Liu Zhidan, the leader of the masses. Listening to such songs in Liu Zhidan's hometown made Mao Zedong think a lot, and said to the guards: "Liu Zhidan has a great influence among the masses and is very popular." Walking to the field of crops, the singing singer saw several farmers digging yams, and said to the farmers with a smile: "Your folk songs are very nice, and you must sing praises to Comrade Liu Zhidan. He is amazing." Mentioning Liu Zhidan, the farmers became active. "Liu Zhidan has a good relationship with our poor peasants. He fights against local tyrants and landlords, divides the land, and divides the cattle and sheep. The poor have a good life." "Liu Zhidan loves the poor and has no airs. He mingles with the masses wherever he goes. We all call him Lao Liu." "Good people don't live long. Liu Zhidan sacrificed too early..." Mao Zedong sighed and said: "Liu Zhidan is a good comrade. He mobilized the masses, united the masses, and loved the masses. He and his comrades founded the Northwest Soviet Area. He regards the interests of the party more important than his own life. His spirit is not shall perish, and we shall sing of him from generation to generation." In this connection, Mao Zedong chatted with the peasants. When he learned that the progressive gentleman Mr. Chen Dingbang was seriously ill, he immediately calmed down and said to He Qinghua beside him: "Mr. Chen is a progressive gentleman who supports the revolution and has contributed to the revolution." He Qinghua asked: "Chairman, you are so busy every day, how do you know Mr. Chen?" Mao Zedong smiled slightly and said: "Have you forgotten? Our Central Red Army left Wuqi Town and passed by Baoan City. The local Soviet government and the masses greeted us grandly. I remember that Mr. Chen was a tall man who spoke at the welcome meeting on behalf of the masses. Very literary." He Qinghua patted himself on the forehead and said, "Yes, yes, yes. I heard from the locals that Mr. Chen is Wen Bagong, he has a high prestige in society, and he is also Liu Zhidan's teacher. Many cadres in the Northern Shaanxi Soviet Area, such as Ma Xiwu, Cao Liru, Wang Ziyi, and Liu Jingfan are all his students." "Yes. As soon as I arrived at the security guard, the comrades in the agency told me that some of the cave dwellings in the stone kiln courtyard where the central agency lived belonged to Mr. Chen. When they heard that we were coming, they offered to let them out." Mao Zedong looked at the distant mountains , and continued: "The comrades of the second department of the Red University run a school in his village, and Mr. Chen gave up the cave and the house again. He is really very enlightened." Listening to Chairman Mao and the guards praising old Mr. Chen Dingbang, several fellow villagers also talked about it.When Liu Zhidan robbed Taibai Town, Mr. Chen provided guns, mules and horses.After Liu Zhidan established the Nanliang Guerrillas, Mr. Chen provided financial assistance several times, and his home was also a secret reception station for the Red Army.After the establishment of the Shaanxi-Gansu Border Soviet Government, Mr. Chen took the initiative to distribute land, cattle and horses to the surrounding poor. Some poor people used to borrow money, grain, and land rent owed by the Chen family, and Mr. Chen exempted them all. "Ha, that's not a small amount. The old man is arrogant, so he said it would be waived. At that time, the situation of the Chen family was no longer good. We were self-cultivated and lacked labor, which made us feel sorry." The old man with a handkerchief on his belly said affectionately: "Some people brought some food to the Chen family, and Mr. Chen got angry and insisted on sending it back. He also reasoned with us, saying that everyone has land to grow and every family has food. , The world is peaceful, and a good society is a good society. Now Liu Zhidan leads everyone to turn around, I want to support, you should support, everyone must support, so that everyone can live a good life." Mao Zedong listened carefully to the old man's words, nodded affirmatively, and said: "Comrade Liu Zhidan is the leader of the masses, but it is a pity that he died on the front line. We must not forget his teacher. Tsinghua University, tomorrow you can contact the county magistrate Jingfan and use my life Subsidy, buy some supplements, and go see Mr. Chen on my behalf, okay?" He Qinghua hurriedly said: "Chairman, don't worry. We will definitely bring your greetings to Mr. Chen." The next day, He Qinghua, Liu Jingfan, head of Bao'an County, and other staff, with Mao Zedong's instructions and supplements, walked to Liushuping to visit Mr. Chen Dingbang.Mr. Chen, who was ill, was very moved when he heard the intention of coming, and at the same time expressed his gratitude to Chairman Mao. In the next summer, on a rainy morning, Mr. Chen Dingbang passed away at the age of 76.