Artistic Appreciation

The Ministry for Stale Security in Peking has proclaimed a special campaign " Hunt for Evil Thoughts " for all of Red China. Special secret regulations were released in the form of a psychological test to be given to all school children.

The model example: the tree question. Children were led before a tree and asked: " What is a tree?"

"A tree is beautiful," one child answered: An answer resulting from aesthetic-cosmopolitan-formalistic deception, according to the regulations.

Another child answered: "A tree gives shade"—decadent-individualistic symptom of weakness, according to the regulations.

A somewhat better answer, sufficient for entrance to lower party education courses, was the following: " There is no such thing as a tree; there is only a forest."

Also very satisfactory: "The place where all exploiters should be hung."

In more advanced classes answers such as the following are required: "A tree is a product of nature which has finally become the property of the people, though it still grows wild in certain areas."

The best answer: "A hundred gun stocks for peace."