V. I.

Lenin

414

To:   THE FOREIGN LITERATURE COMMITTEE [1]

Forlitcom

Forlitcom’s report shows that it has managed to do virtually nothing as yet.

The main task that Forlitcom should set itself is to have
the special libraries in Moscow, Petrograd and the major
cities of the Republic concentrate in their hands one copy
each of all the latest technical and scientific (chemistry,
physics, electrical engineering, medicine, statistics, economics, etc.) magazines and books for 1914–1921 published
abroad, and to have regular receipt of all periodicals arranged. I shall appraise the whole of Forlitcom’s work
primarily from the standpoint of the actual fulfilment of
this assignment.

By the way:

a) the report says that Forlitcom has decided to transfer
all credits from all the departments to Forlitcom’s account.
Has this decision been carried out? How much credit has
been received from each department?

b) Page 3 of the report says: “The boxes with scientific
and technical literature tended to contain a mass of what was absolutely not important or remarkable in any way—
fiction and expensive de luxe editions, purchased no one
knows whom for (for private persons) as a personal favour.”
This is an incredible outrage and a crime. What has
Forlitcom done to punish the guilty persons? Let me know
at once the names of the guilty persons and how they have
been punished.

V. Ulyanov (Lenin )

Chairman, C.P.C.