During the 1930s, the state did not just arrest and kill people, and destroy monasteries. Although less obviously destructive, the propaganda war it waged was no less important. There was a concerted effort to discredit the Buddhist church and monks in particular, since they enjoyed widespread support among the population. The government and party were eager to portray the lamas as greedy, exploiters of the common people, interested only in their own enrichment and power.
This is the cover from a book published in 1939, entitled The question [or problem] of the lamas, that would have been part of this propaganda campaign.