RED CHINA TURNING THE SCREW HE WAS AN OBSCURE TRUCK DRIVER UNTIL 
HE WAS KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT LAST AUGUST, BUT TODAY LEI 
FENG IS RED CHINA'S NEWEST FOLK HERO . OTHERWISE CELEBRATED AS 
THE FOREVER RUSTPROOF SCREW, YOUNG COMMUNIST LEI FENG SOARED TO POSTHUMOUS 
FAME WHEN PARTY OFFICIALS CONVENIENTLY DISCOVERED A200,000-WORD DIARY THAT ESTABLISHED HIM 
AS THE CONFUCIUS OF COLLECTIVISM . BY CONTRAST WITH THE VAST 
MAJORITY OF CHINA'S PEASANTS, WHOSE RELUCTANCE TO BE HERDED INTO AGRICULTURAL 
COMMUNES IN 1958 HAS BEEN LARGELY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE NATION'S PERSISTENT 
FOOD SHORTAGES, LEI FENG ACTUALLY WAXED LYRICAL OVER SUCH SELFLESS, SOULLESS 
" SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE . " SAID HE : " 
ONE'S ROLE IN THE REVOLUTIONARY CAUSE IS JUST LIKE A SCREW 
IN THE MACHINE . A MAN HAS HIS GREATEST STRENGTH ONLY 
WHEN HE IS MERGED WITH THE COLLECTIVE . " WITH A 
MARKED IMPROVEMENT IN FOOD SUPPLIES THIS SPRING, THE GOVERNMENT HAS MOUNTED 
A MASSIVE " LEARN FROM LEI FENG " PROPAGANDA CAMPAIGN, IN 
AN EFFORT TO HALT WHAT IDEOLOGISTS CALL THE PEASANTS' " SPONTANEOUS 
TENDENCY TOWARD CAPITALISM . " TO THE DISMAY OF ENTERPRISING PEASANTS, 
THE GOVERNMENT STARTED CUTTING DOWN ON THE MINUTE PRIVATE PLOTS THAT 
THEY HAVE BEEN ALLOWED TO CULTIVATE AND TO USE AS A 
SOURCE OF INDEPENDENT INCOME . IT SEEMED ILLOGICAL, SINCE IT WAS 
THE INCENTIVE THAT HELPED BOOST FARM PRODUCTION IN THE FIRST PLACE 
. NEVERTHELESS, IN KIANGSI PROVINCE, RADIO NANCHANG EXHORTS DAILY : " 
THE COLLECTIVE MUST COME BEFORE PRIVATE PLOTS . " AT A 
COMMUNE IN KWANGTUNG PROVINCE, WHERE PEASANTS USED TO HAVE TO SUPPLY 
THE COLLECTIVE WITH 33 LBS . OF HUMAN ORDURE A MONTH, 
THEIR QUOTA HAS BEEN BOOSTED TO 55 LBS., THUS LIMITING THE 
ONLY FERTILIZER AVAILABLE FOR FREELANCE FARMING . AS AN ADDED TURN 
OF THE SCREW, PRODUCTION QUOTAS FOR COLLECTIVE OUTPUT HAVE BEEN SHARPLY 
INCREASED, IN HOPES THAT THE PEASANTS WILL HAVE TO SPEND MORE 
TIME WORKING FOR MAO TSE-TUNG AND LESS FOR TSU-FA, MEANING " 
SELF-PROSPERITY . " THE GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN MAY WELL FIZZLE, AS IT 
DID IN 1958 . SAYS ONE EXPERT ON CHINA'S AGRICULTURE : 
" IN THE DEBRIS OF THE GREAT LEAP FORWARD, COMPULSION CANNOT 
WORK . ALL THAT IS LEFT IS PERSUASION . " MOST 
PEASANTS ARE CONVINCED NONETHELESS THAT THEY ARE IN FOR A FAR 
MORE RIGOROUS EXISTENCE ; MANY EACH WEEK ARE STILL FLEEING THE 
MAINLAND . IN MACAO, WHERE HE SOUGHT REFUGE AFTER SWIMMING SIX 
HOURS ACROSS THE PEARL RIVER DELTA, A HANDSOME, HUSKYLOOKING YOUTH FROM 
KWANGTUNG PROVINCE SHRUGGED LAST WEEK : " WHAT CAN YOU DO 
? HOW CAN YOU MOVE ? IT'S LIKE A HEAVY STONE 
CRUSHING YOU . / 