V. I.

Lenin

32

To:   P. B. AXELROD

May 3, 1902

Dear P. B., The other day I sent you a “letter for
K.”, [1] without adding a single line from me as I was extremely busy.
I hope you will forgive me?

I should like to have a few words with you now about the article on the cut-off
lands. [2]

I corrected it, taking into account all the suggestions and demands of the high
collegium. Now it is being sent to G. V. to be forwarded on to you : don’t forget to ask him for it should he delay
it (Dietz’s printing-press is standing idle!). Berg is satisfied with my corrections, but he has informed me that the
strongest objections to the article came from you. If it does
not disturb your work too much—please write and tell me
the cause of your dissatisfaction. I am very interested in
this. (If you are writing an article, please don’t drop it
for my sake, as this conversation is not a “business” one,
but largely post festum .)

I find it difficult, for instance, to understand your insertion
“... the heavy oppression to which the peasantry is subjected...” (of the survivals of serfdom). Firstly, it is
superfluous, as it adds nothing to the thought . Secondly,
it is inaccurate (it is not only the peasantry that they
heavily oppress; moreover their harmfulness does not lie
only in the “oppression” of one or other social stratum).

The programme has already been sent for copying and will appear as the leading article in Iskra No. 21. The question whether or not I should write a criticism (per mated by the high
collegium) I have not yet decided, for I want to read the programme in
print over and over again “at leisure”, and at present I have not
yet fully recovered from the stunning effect of
London. [3]

How are L. Gr. and Boris Nikolayevich? How is the former’s work
progressing? And how is the health of the latter? We are counting on him very shortly (most probably ), and may he, therefore, recover fully and
quickly.

With warm greetings and best wishes for your health, Yours...

P.S. Inform B. N. that in Voronezh about 40 people have been arrested (it is
said), and a letter received today gives the names: “Karpov, Lyubimov,
Korostenev, Kardashev, Butkovsky, Makhnovets and Gubareva, the last four were
released without being interrogated. In Uf a there have been eight raids and two
arrests: Boikov and Sazonov, students.” The Voronezh people were arrested
(April 1) apparently “on orders from St. Petersburg—Kiev”
(sic!). That is the entire content of one direct letter to us.

In general, there have been arrests galore! It is almost certain that
those arrested include our Nadezha, whom you saw and recognised both in Zurich
and among us—yes, yes, the very same! It’s a very bad business!

N.B . Get L. Gr. to send immediately the issue you received of
Pridneprovsky Krai [4] containing blank spaces.

---
Notes:
[1]
Unidentified.— Ed .

[2]

“ The Agrarian Programme of Russian Social-Democracy” (see present edition, Vol. 6).— Ed .

[3]
Lenin here refers to Iskra’s removal from Munich to
London. p. 100

[4]
Pridneprovsky Krai (Dnieper Region)—a scientific, literary,
political and economic daily, published in Ekaterinoslav from 1901. p. 100