LETTER TO I. V. STALIN FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE POLITBURO OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE RCP(b), WITH A DRAFT TELEGRAM TO G. V. CHICHERIN
April 24, 1922
Comrade Stalin, for the Politburo
Rudzutak’s telegram, in which he protests against the letter sent to Lloyd George, reveals, in my view, that Chicherin has either already made—or is quite capable of making—a clear error and thereby contravening Central Committee Directive No. 103. The error lies precisely in the fact that, while achieving nothing of practical consequence, Chicherin may deprive us of the sole, highly advantageous, fundamentally important explanation—and one that will yield genuine long-term gains—for the rupture: namely, the rupture arising from our refusal to restore private property to foreign capitalists.
I therefore propose that we telephone the members of the Politburo today and send, in my name, the following telegram:
“To Chicherin, on behalf of all members of the delegation:
I consider Rudzutak’s view, as expressed in his telegram of April 22, entirely correct. I regard it as a gravely dangerous mistake to take any step or utter any phrase that might rob us of the single, most advantageous pretext for breaking off negotiations—pretext that, moreover, guarantees us complete diplomatic and commercial victory in the very near future—namely, the unequivocal assertion that we absolutely refuse to restore private property to foreign capitalists.
Let me reiterate once more: we have communicated to you the precise text of our ultimate concessions, from which we will not budge an inch. As soon as it becomes clear— LETTER TO I. V. STALIN FOR THE MEMBERS OF THE POLITBURO OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE RCP(b)
that agreement on these concessions is impossible, we authorize you to break off negotiations, while reserving two trump cards for propaganda purposes and for future diplomatic offensives:
1) The fundamental significance of the Soviet–German Treaty.
2) Our divergence on the question of restoring capitalist property.”
I ask you to inform me of the views of all, or at least the majority, of the members of the Politburo.104
We will arrange a meeting with you this evening—and if possible, also with Kamenev—at around 7 o’clock.
Lenin
First published in 1959 in Lenin Collection XXXVI

Printed from a typewritten copy