893.00/12–1949: Telegram
The Second Secretary of Embassy in China (Bacon) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 19—3:52 a. m.]
2615. In November former Chinese professor at … visited home … for first time since 1937. Painted bleak picture of region which in Communist hands for 10 years, stating most persons worse off than before war. Land redistribution has given each individual in village approximately one and one-half mou which insufficient maintain livelihood as taxes now 10 times prewar. This enforced equalization land-holding means class of persons who formerly able maintain selves partly from profitable intensive small gardening and partly from peddling or handicrafts now have plot of land large enough to demand all their time but too small support them. Only group better off than before those with children in PLA who entitled tax reduction and labor assistance contributed by other members of village. Class struggle has created new small class “public slaves” composed former landlords who dispossessed of everything and forced eke out meager living working for others.
Floods this year greatly aggravated already bad situation. Informant anticipates by February next year practically no grain left throughout large areas resulting widespread starvation. Refugees streaming out of Shantung by tens of thousands mostly to Manchuria and Shansi. Hsien government at Yenchow issued 3,000 travel permits daily for past 2 months.
Sent Department 2625; Department pass Shanghai 1278.