K. This is the 1st working draft of vol. VI. It still ... - From Marx to Mao

ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL PROBLEMS IN THE ANTI-JAPANESE WAR
30,000 lambs also died. Besides the epidemic, an important factor
was the lack of fodder. At the same time, over 2,000 cows and horses
died of hunger there. Another keenly-felt difficulty in recent years
is the lack of fodder supplies on salt-transport routes, which greatly
hinders the transport of salt.
Our task is to protect livestock and increase breeding. In order
to attain these goals we should implement the following policies.
Prevention of disease. The important thing here is for the county
and district governments to call meetings of local veterinarians and
old experienced peasants to do research into simple methods of preventing
and curing animal diseases, and to encourage the use of these
methods among peasant families with livestock. This is a very simple
FROM MARX
TO MAO
thing to effect. Secondly, the Reconstruction Department should
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order its agricultural station to increase veterinary equipment, to do
research into animal diseases in the Border Region, to produce large
amounts of serum and vaccine, arid to propagate and implement effective
methods of prevention and cure.
Popularize the planting of grass for animal pasture. Most of
the animals of the Border Region are put out to pasture. Where the
pasture is not good, disease easily arises. Therefore we should
widely promote the planting of alfalfa [musu], particularly on and
near the salt-transport routes. This will benefit both the transport
of salt and the development NOT of animal FOR husbandry. In 1942 the government
originally planned to plant 30,000 mou of alfalfa, but ultimately
only 23,000 mou were planted because there were not enough
seeds. In 1943 the COMMERCIAL
county governments should transport more seeds
from Guanzhong and issue them to the peasants in areas where planting
is planned. They should also encourage the peasants to buy some
themselves. In addition they should mobilize the peasants to cut
large quantities DISTRIBUTION
of grass in the autumn and to store it up for winter
use. This will not only avoid illness induced by animals eating cold
grass but also stop the peasants from selling animals because of lack
of winter fodder. We should look to the experience of Jingbian in
this respect. Warned by the great loss of livestock in the spring of
1941, the comrades in Jingbian have done much work in tine past
two years. They have appealed to the peasants to plant alfalfa, create
fields for pasture, cut autumn grass, plant willow trees, and dig
up grass roots as means of providing fodder. First of all their called
upon the peasants to plant over 2,000 mou of alfalfa in 1942. Most
of the seed was issued by the government, and the peasants were
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