PLAN IN CHINA TO FORCE TILLAGE OF LAND

Grey River Argus, 5 October 1948, Page 5

PLAN IN CHINA TO FORCE TILLAGE OF LAND

NANKING, October 3. The Legislative Yuan has begun a detailed study of a land reform programme which promises to revolutionise China’s social structure, with the elimination of a class of people who have been the peasants’ perpetual curse —landowners. Since its introduction a week ago, the programme, based on the main theme of “land for the tillers”, has been the subject of widespread controversy. Proposed by a group of 86 legislators, the reform suggests outright distribution of all arable land in such a manner as to confine the ownership only to farmers who actually work it. The programme proposes:— (1) That all land held by owners not tilling it be redistributed to working farmers. , , (2) All State-owned farmland, except in cases otherwise specified, be redistributed on the same basis. (3) Land owned by working farmers in excess of what they can till should be also redistributed. (4) Land due for redistribution be allocated to landless farmers and owners without sufficient acreage in that orde.r .