On the manuscript of the document printed below there is an indication
from Lenin to his secretary regarding retyping the document on a
typewriter of the following content:
on typewriter on letterhead:
1) to the addressee
/
2) to me
copies:
|
3) to Avanesov
( 4) to Gorbunov *) and Smodjiannikov.
16.
8968

* LETTER TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF JUSTICE D. I. KURSKY ON COMBATING
RED TAPE THROUGH JUDICIAL MEASURES.

P. C. of J.
Comrade Kursky and his deputy, as well as all members of the collegium

3/IX [1921]

I have directed to you through the manager of affairs of the Council
of People's Commissars a statement from Professor Graftio2) with astonishing
documents of red tape3).

This red tape is especially in Moscow and central institutions the most ordinary occurrence. But all the more attention must be
devoted to combating it.

My impression is that the P. C. of J. treats this matter
purely formally—that is, fundamentally incorrectly.

It is necessary:

1) to bring this matter before the courts;

2) to achieve the public denunciation of the guilty parties both in the press
and through strict punishment;

3) to tighten up judges through the Central Committee, so that they punish
red tape more severely;

4) to organize a conference of Moscow people's judges, members of tribunals,
etc., for the development of effective measures in the struggle against red tape;

5) necessarily this autumn and winter of 1921-22 to bring 4-6 cases of Moscow
red tape before the courts in Moscow, selecting the most striking instances
and turning each trial into a p o l i t i c a l case;

6) to find at least 2-3 intelligent "experts" on red tape cases from among
the more experienced and more courageous communists (attract Sosnovsky4))
so as to learn how to p e r s e c u t e red tape;

7) to issue a good, sensible, non-bureaucratic letter (circular of the P. C. of J.)
on combating red tape.

I place this most important task on the p e r s o n a l responsibility
of the Commissar and his deputy, and request that you report to me regularly
on its implementation5).

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars Lenin.

*) Y. Y. Gorbunov (b. 1888) — manager of affairs of the Council of People's Commissars.

2) G. O. Graftio — engineer, builder of the Volkhov Project.

3) Professor Graftio's statement pointed to a series of causes that were hindering
work on the Volkhov Project. An investigation by the P. C. of J. established that Professor
Graftio had constantly demanded, written, and personally appeared at the Elektrostroi,
Glavkomgosor and other institutions, demanding both approval of the program and provision
of the necessary food supplies for the Volkhov Project, pointing out at the same time its
extremely serious significance for the Republic. Despite the fact that all responsible workers
of the named institutions recognized the striking importance of the Volkhov Project, it was
in fact still relegated to second priority, from which inevitably flowed all further
consequences—reduction of the program, cuts in rations, untimely provision of food
supplies to the Volkhov Project, etc.

4) I. S. Sosnovsky (b. 1886) — well-known journalist, was editor of "Bednost."

5) See further—letter to D. I. Kursky of January 17, 1922, p. 58.