Protocol Record
Протокольная запись
Date: 1917
Source: PSS vol 31
Translated by: AI (Claude)

I cannot agree with comrade Nogin. I think that we have here a political fact of extraordinary importance, which obliges us to begin an energetic campaign against Russian and Anglo-French chauvinists who did not accept the proposal of this Borgbjerg to participate in the conference. We must not forget the essence and background of this whole story. I will read to you precisely what was reported in "Rabochaya Gazeta" about Borgbjerg's proposal and I will note that behind this whole comedy of a supposedly socialist congress is hidden the most real political step of German imperialism. German capitalists through the intermediary of German social-chauvinists are proposing to social-chauvinists of all countries to come together for a conference. That is why we must unfold a big campaign.

Why are they doing this through socialists? Because they want to deceive the working mass. Gentlemen diplomats are subtle people: to say this thing directly is impossible, but it is necessary to send a Danish Plekhanov. We have seen German social-chauvinists abroad hundreds of times, we must expose them.

(Reads an extract from "Rabochaya Gazeta" No. 39 of May 8 (April 25) 1917.)

"The editor of the central organ of Danish social-democracy 'Socialdemokraten' Borgbjerg, on behalf of the united committee of the three Scandinavian workers' parties (Denmark, Norway, Sweden), conveyed to the Executive Committee of S.R. and S.D. an invitation addressed to all socialist parties of Russia to an international socialist conference. Having, thanks to Denmark's close proximity to Germany, the possibility of communicating with German social-democrats, mainly from the 'majority' faction, comrade Borgbjerg acquainted the meeting with those conditions on which official German social-democracy considers it possible to conclude peace and which its representatives will bring to the conference.

These conditions are as follows:

First of all they declare their agreement with those provisions that were adopted by Scandinavian and Dutch socialists at the 1915 conference, i.e., recognition of the right of self-determination of nations, obligatory international arbitration court and demand for gradual disarmament. Then on their own behalf they add that German social-democracy will insist that:

1) all lands seized by Germany and her allies be returned;

2) Russian Poland be granted full freedom - to declare itself independent or join Russia;

3) Belgium be restored as a fully independent state;

4) likewise should be restored as independent states Serbia, Montenegro and Romania;

5) Bulgaria would receive the Bulgarian areas of Macedonia, and Serbia - free access to the Adriatic Sea.

As for Alsace-Lorraine, there would be thinkable a peaceful agreement concerning the correction of the Lorraine border; concerning the Posen Poles - the Germans will seek to grant them cultural-national autonomy."

There cannot be a shadow of doubt that this is a proposal of the German government, which does not make such steps directly and which needs the services of Danish Plekhanovs, because German agents are no good for such services. That is what social-chauvinists exist in the world for, so that they take upon themselves such services. Our task is to expose this background, which they hide, before the whole world on behalf of 70,000 workers of the proletarian party assembled at the conference. It is necessary to print a detailed resolution, translate it into foreign languages and give a worthy answer so that these gentlemen do not dare to thrust themselves into the socialist party. (Reads the draft resolution.)

Socialist newspapers are silent this morning. They know perfectly well where the dog is buried. They know that silence is golden. Only "Rabochaya Gazeta" publishes an article without any evaluation: on the one hand, one cannot but admit, and on the other hand, one must confess...

The Russian government, like no one, can have no doubt that this is, indeed, an agent of the German government.

If we are constantly being shouted at about the liberation of Alsace-Lorraine, then these gentlemen must be reminded that here it is simply about the pocket, for there are enormous riches there, and German capitalists are fighting with French ones over who will grab more. It is profitable for them when Plekhanovs say that this is a sacred cause - to liberate Alsace-Lorraine. When German social-chauvinists therefore speak of peacefully correcting the borders of Alsace-Lorraine, read: peaceful division of plundered booty between French and German imperialists.

I must also add: I forgot to point out the fact that German representatives of the "center" - Kautsky, Haase, Ledebour - went to this conference. This is an extremely disgraceful fact for them. English and French socialists are not going to this conference. This indicates that Anglo-French chauvinists, who are supposedly socialists, are in fact bourgeois agents, because they contribute to the continuation of imperialist war, despite those enormous efforts being made through the intermediary of Borgbjerg by the German socialist majority, because undoubtedly the German government through Borgbjerg is saying: the situation is such that I must give you your booty (German colonies in Africa). This is confirmed by the fact that Germany's position is most desperate, to wage this war now is a hopeless affair, the country is on the verge of ruin. That is why they are saying that they are ready to give up almost all the booty, for they nevertheless strive to snatch something in the process. Diplomats communicate with each other magnificently, and bourgeois newspapers, when they write about foreign affairs, befuddle the people with phrases.

Undoubtedly, when English and French social-chauvinists said that they are not going to the conference - they already knew everything: they went to their foreign ministry, and they were told there: here is the background, and we do not want you to go there. So, and only so, the matter stood.

Let us see, if Russian soldiers receive this resolution - and this, it seems to me, should be done on behalf of 70,000 members of our party - then they will indeed begin to understand the whole trick that was hidden from them. They will then understand that Germany cannot continue conquest war any further, and that it is only a question of strangling, of robbing Germany to the end. To deny that Borgbjerg is an agent of the German government is impossible.

That is why, comrades, I think that we must expose this comedy of a socialist congress. All these congresses are nothing but comedies covering deals of diplomats behind the backs of popular masses. We must say the truth once and for all so that it is heard at the front by soldiers and workers of all countries. And our campaign about such proposals will be, on the one hand, an explanation of our proletarian line, and on the other, such a mass demonstration as has not yet been. That is why I would ask you to adopt this manifesto if possible, deliver it to the Executive Committee, translate it into foreign languages and print it tomorrow in "Pravda."

First published in 1921 in the Collected Works of N. Lenin (V. Ulyanov), volume XIV, part II
Printed from the typed copy of the protocol record