V. I. Lenin

Proposals Concerning the Work of the Vecheka {1}

Tobe headed by Party members who have been in the Party
for not less than two years. {2}

Regulationson the Railways

Cheka {3} to be revised.

Confirmthe right of trade union and Party organisations to act as guarantors.

[
Stricter measures and capital punishment to be applied to informers
giving false information.

Theright to act as guarantors to be given to People’s Commissars
against the signatures of two Board members.

Theright to take part in investigations to be granted {4} etc.

[
In introducing the registration of technical personnel and of the
intelligentsia in general, a warning should be issued that those who do not
register lose the right to receive certificate of guarantee.

The Vecheka department dealing with complaints and requests to expedite
cases should be expanded immediately.

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Notes:
{1}
In the course of a discussion of the work of the railways at a meeting
of the Council of Defence on December 1, 1918, a commission was set up to
deal with questions relating to the activities of the transport department
of the Vecheka. The commission, chaired by Lenin, held its first meeting on
December 3. This rough draft was probably made by Lenin during the
meeting. All points of these proposdis with the exception of the two last
paragraphs were later crossed out by Lenin. The commission’s decisions were
formulated on the basis of Lenin’s proposals.

{2}
This refers to the leadership of the boards of the gubernia and railway
Chekas.

{3}
On the basis of Lenin’s proposals the commission decided to instruct
the People’s Commissariat for Railways together with a representative of
the Vecheka to revise the regulations governing the Transport Department of
the Vecheka in respect of non-interference by the Vecheka in the
commissariat’s technical and management functions. On the question of the
relationships between the Vecheka, the Railway Cheka (Transport Department
of the Vecheka) and the Commissariat for Railways see the draft decision of
the Council of Defence (pp. 127-29 of this volume).

{4}
By decision of the commission the right to participate in judicial
investigations through their delegates was granted to the People’s
Commissariats and the Party Committees of the R.C.P.(B.).