Reign of Terror

As the Communists swept over the China mainland in 1949, Mao Tse-tung's regime promised moderation, tolerance and forgiveness. Last week tolerance was lost in the mounting clamor of a great Red terror. Mao Tse-tung's regime announced the execution of 120 "counterrevolutionaries" at Canton, 56 at Swatow, 89 at Hankow, 28 at Kweilin. In scenes reminiscent of the tumbril-and-guillotine days of the French Revolution, the Communists turned the spectacle of death into public carnivals, with music and dances.

China's Red press described the liquidation of one "batch," numbering several hundred. Tien Feng had wrecked locomotive boilers in Peking's railroad shop. Li Chih-hsiang had ruined wind gauges, wind pumps and water pumps. Tung Hua-chang had inspired workers to slow down. Chin Han-kui had fabricated 90 false rumors against the government. On their way to execution, the victims were paraded slowly through Peking's streets to the scenes of their crimes, where death was meted out.

"Thousands of citizens went to the execution grounds to see the executions," reported the Reds' New China News Agency. "All were highly indignant, and cursed these counter-revolutionaries." Peking's People's Daily added that the crowds "gritted their teeth in hatred . . . Cheers and applause were heard as these people were killed." A mob surrounded a van transporting one group of prisoners, and would have torn them to pieces had not a well-armed guard intervened. After executions, onlookers kicked the bodies and beat them with sticks.

The People's Daily quoted from the approving comments of the people. A shoemaker: "Shooting is too lenient." A peasant: "Too bad I arrived late. I would have liked to see this special agent die." A dozen textile workers vowed that they were so inspired by the executions that they would now step up their production. A Buddhist priest, Chu Tsan, member of the Peking Municipal Consultative Council, was quoted as saying: "To execute these counter-revolutionaries does not contradict the Buddhist command to avoid killing. By executing a very small number of reactionaries, the majority of the people will be saved, and criminals will be deterred from committing crimes. That is good."

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