Suiyuan Anti-Japanese War Daily——Reminiscences of Suiyuan's Anti-Japanese Salvation Movement (10)
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Because the people of Suiyuan Province and the county government have long run out, several newspapers in the city have been suspended. In order to strengthen propaganda work, stabilize people's hearts, and boost morale, the Political Training Department decided to establish the "Suiyuan Anti-Japanese War Daily". Comrade Wang Yiran was appointed editor-in-chief, I was appointed editor of the supplement, and some comrades such as Wu Peiying, Di Minda, and Zhang Zixiu also participated in the work of the editorial department. We used the same equipment as the original Social Daily, and the editorial office was also located in the office of the former Social Daily.
We quickly recovered the workers in the printing house, and after a short period of preparation, the "Suiyuan Anti-Japanese War Daily" was published in early September 1937. The supplement is entitled "National Defense Frontline," and under the pseudonym of "Sentinel," I wrote some short poems and essays by Wu Daping, Di Minda, Zhang Zixiu, and others to carry out propaganda work to resist Japan and save the country in accordance with the spirit of the party's "Ten Programs for Resisting Japan and Saving the Country." The editorials were mainly written by Comrade Wang Yiran. Comrades Guo Lingshu and Pan Jiwen also wrote editorials for the Slow Yuan Anti-Japanese War Daily.
What I still remember most vividly is that when the good news of the Battle of Pingxingguan came on 13 September, we were extremely excited and reported the news of this victory with great fanfare with an extremely eye-catching headline and a large font, which punctured the myth of the invincibility of the so-called "imperial army" of the Japanese imperialists among the vast number of soldiers and people, and greatly encouraged the confidence of the people of the whole city and the soldiers of the militia in the war of resistance. It greatly increased the people's morale, greatly destroyed the enemy's prestige, and enhanced the prestige of the Communist Party and the Eighth Route Army among the masses. We, the staff and staff of the Anti-Japanese War Daily, and the comrades working in the political task force, have worked more energetically.
One day, Comrade Pan Jiwen asked me to go to his residence at No. 9 Tai Bei Lane, Kowloon Bay. That night I found a courtyard house in the dark, and he lived in a north room on the east side, except for the earthen kang that could accommodate one or two people and sleep three people at most, and there was a table and two chairs by the window, and there was no room for maneuver underground. It's really a bucket room. Later, I learned that Guo Lingshu had been living here in Guisui all these years.
Comrade Pan Jiwen began to ask me about the situation of the Anti-Japanese War Daily, and then he asked me bluntly about my understanding of the Communist Party, and I told me how many years I had longed for the Party, and I often approached some progressives who wanted to find the Party, but they could not find it, and I was anxious to move forward in the process of groping. At the same time, he talked about the "18 September", "12.8", "Bungu Agreement",
The "He-Mei Agreement" and a series of other incidents of loss of power and humiliation of the country and the conclusion of treaties were very indignant at Chiang Kai-shek's criminal act of the anti-communist and traitorous government of surrendering the great rivers and mountains of the motherland to the Japanese invaders. In the past two years, with the help of Minxian and some progressive youths, I have come across Snow's "Impressions of the Northwest" (i.e., "Journey to the West"), Mao Zedong's "Report at the Meeting of Wayaobao Activists", "Ten Programs for Resisting Japanese Aggression and Saving the Country", and other books and documents, and have gained a better understanding of the Communist Party, and realized that only the Communist Party of China can truly serve the country and the people, put the interests of the country and the nation first, and be the hope of Chinese people...... and I resolutely support it.
After listening to me, he then asked me, "So, would you like to join the Communist Party?" When I heard his question, my eyes couldn't help but moisten, and I said very excitedly: "I wanted to join the party for a long time, but since I returned to Guisui in 1934, I have been looking for the party everywhere and not being able to find it, so I have sought the truth from reading progressive books and periodicals, and with the revolutionary enthusiasm of young people, I have engaged in some progressive cultural activities and anti-Japanese salvation work. I've wanted to ask you this question for a long time, but I didn't dare to open my mouth ....... ”
Comrade Pan Jiwen finally said: "Okay, I also know about your situation, I can introduce you to the party, let's talk next time." "I returned to the newspaper office with a sense of joy. However, before Comrade Pan Jiwen could talk to me again, Guisui fell, and in the retreat from Baotou to the backset, he was scattered by the pursuing enemy, Pan crossed the river to the meander, and I went to Shaanba. As a result, the line of organizational relations was broken again.
Since talking with Comrade Pan Jiwen, I have felt some spiritual sustenance and have worked more energetically. However, after a few days, the news on the Suidong front became worse and worse, and after the enemy captured Datong, Fengzhen and other places, he continued to advance westward along the Pingsui Road.
On 10 October, the Japanese army and the puppet Mongolian army had already arrived in the area of the Dahei River in the south of Guisui City, and they came into contact with our army, and the fighting was very fierce. Citizens watched from the streets, inquiring about the news. Horse-drawn wagons were also seen constantly transporting wounded soldiers to civilian hospitals and other places.
At that time, the troops in Suiyuan included the Seventh Division of the Kuomintang Cavalry, the Advance Army of Ma Zhanshan, the newly formed Seventh Brigade and the Ninth Brigade, the Third Provisional Division, and several regiments of the National People's Militia, and no less than 30,000 or 40,000 troops, but their combat effectiveness was not strong, and their command was not uniform.
I remember that day Comrade Wang Yiran wrote an editorial entitled "The Last Stand." At two or three o'clock in the middle of the night, we finished sending the manuscript, just lay down in our kimonos, fell asleep in a hazy way, and were awakened by the rumbling sound of cannons, we hurriedly got up, went to the printing workshop and waited for the workers to print the newspaper, the sky was already dawning, we were ordered, everyone took the newspaper and distributed it, while walking to the station, along the way, many citizens stood in front of the door in confusion and looked around, asked us for newspapers, and asked about the war situation.
We arrived at the station, and at dusk, the personnel of the headquarters and part of the troops withdrew and took the train to Baotou together. The Japanese invaders also entered the city that night and fell to Guisui.