Tan Zhenlin Resolves "Wheat Storm"

Original title: Tan Zhenlin to resolve the "wheat storm"

At the end of March 1941, Tan Zhenlin led the Sixth Division of the New Fourth Army and was stationed in the area of Zhaimen Town, Beixiang, Wuxi County, Jiangsu Province.

at that time, the town had a peasant association member named xu shizhang. He actively participated in the activities of farmers' associations, engaged in rent and interest reduction, and secretly joined the Communist Party of China. At that time, Wuxi City was occupied by the Japanese invaders and imposed an economic blockade on the countryside. Many wealthy households had their grain and cotton piled up at home. At the beginning of March, Xu shizhang organized a spring farming cooperative in the village. in order to raise the cost of spring farming production, he came up with a way: in the name of the cooperative, he borrowed wheat from the landlords and rich peasants in the township to transport it into the city, then sold it to the progressives through the city, and agreed to return 3/4 of the income to the wheat owners and 1/4 to the cooperative. Xu Shizhang's grain trade was approved by the county party Committee. Therefore, 105 bales of wheat were borrowed in only two days. Among them, Yan Yuzhen, son-in-law of Tang Weicang, a Kaiming gentry in Zhaimen Town and head of the third village in Zhaibei Township, lent 10 bales.

On the eve of the wheat boat entering the city, Yan Yuzhen told Xu Shizhang that he would follow the wheat boat into the city for a few days. Xu Shizhang immediately refused him. Because Yan Yuzhen had a nephew named Yan Chunting, who worked for the Japanese puppet in Wuxi city. This person often cheated people with the "crime" of "fornishing the New Fourth Army. But the next day, Yan Yuzhen hid in the wheat boat and entered the city. As a result, he met Yan Chunting soon after landing. Yan Chunting borrowed money from his uncle. After being refused, he caught Yan Yuzhen and tortured him at a special agent station, forcing Yan Yuzhen to tell the whereabouts of 105 bags of wheat. The Japanese puppet then seized the wheat.

When the news came, Xu Shizhang rushed to Yan Yuzhen's house and asked him to compensate, but he was refused. Xu Shizhang and others decided to hold a mass meeting of the whole township the next morning to announce the matter to the villagers and ask Yan Yuzhen for compensation.

After Tan Zhenlin learned of this, he sent someone to find Xu Shizhang before the start of the conference the next morning. When Xu Shizhang saw Tan Zhenlin, he thought he was interceding for Yan Yuzhen. Before Mr. Tan could finish, he turned and walked out of the gate.

Tan Zhenlin hurriedly asked the guards to call Xu Shizhang back, brought a cup of boiling water on Xu Shizhang's hand, pressed Xu Shizhang to sit down, and then kindly said: "I just spoke a little simple, your temper is also a little impatient. What is going on, you tell me carefully."

Xu Shizhang told the matter in detail. After listening quietly, Tan Zhenlin said, "Comrade Xu, I didn't understand the situation just now, but it was my fault. I understand your mood, all the money you have worked so hard to raise has been ruined, why not hurry? However, we should have a global view when we do things."

After Tan Zhenlin patiently told Xu Shizhang about the practical difficulties faced by the party and the importance of the anti-Japanese national united front, he said to him: "For enlightened gentlemen, if we do not unite with them, the Japanese devils will pull them, and then we will fight the devils. It's even more difficult. If we don't drive away the devils, how can we divide the land and how can the poor turn over? Enlightened gentry love face, we should take care of their face, should not hold a meeting to make a fool of them, nor should we urge them to pay for it immediately. You are serious and responsible, but you should pay attention to ways and means."

Tan Zhenlin's words convinced Xu Shizhang. Think about what you did just now, Xu Shizhang bowed his head in shame. Tan Zhenlin continued, "Comrade Xu Shizhang, I know you have great prestige among the masses. What you just said outside is wrong, and you should restore this influence. We Communists are not enlightened gentry. We only obey the truth and do not pay attention to face. We admit our mistakes when we recognize them."

After hearing this, Xu Shizhang immediately got up and walked to the gate and said loudly, "Folks! I didn't make things clear. What I said just now was wrong. The Communist Party really helps us to speak and work for the poor. The New Fourth Army is handling the wheat matter for us. Now everyone go back and continue to prepare for spring ploughing!"

Later, Tan Zhenlin wrote a detailed letter to Chen Zhenbai, then director of the Xibei Administration, entrusting him to explain in detail the handling of the matter by Yan Weicang, an enlightened gentry. Yan Yuzhen was very moved. Ten days later, he prepared another batch of wheat and compensated the farmers' association.

May 18, 2017 Source: People's Political Consultative Conference