V. I.

Lenin

568

To:   G. M. KRZHIZHANOVSKY

Comrade Krzhizhanovsky, copy to Comrade Smolyaninov

I am sending on to you, for your information,
G. B. Krasin’s opinion. This opinion confirms me in the view
I wrote to you about yesterday. [1] 1 fear that the convocation
of a conference was a strategically incorrect measure on
your part. It would have been more correct to demand an
opinion in writing from the solid specialists numbering two
or three, no more, for each of the three establishments
(Gosplan, People’s Commissariat for Railways, and the
S.E.C.’s Scientific and Technical Department). I believe
the task is above all to “catch out” the scientists who have
missed the foreign experience, as being idle and pedantic.
I think neither Krasin’s opinion, nor this memo of mine
should be shown to anyone. Unless your conference reaches an absolutely negative conclusion, then we should
think about who should be assigned the immediate practical
performance. Please phone me about this. [2]

Lenin

27/XII-21

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Notes:
[1]
A reference to the review by engineer G. B. Krasin of A.
Belyakov’s article “New Ways of Reviving Railway Transport”, which
was written at Lenin’s request (see this volume, Document 557).
Krasin wrote that “the use of diesel locomotives could probably
be highly fruitful” (Central Party Archives of the Institute of
Marxism-Leninism of the C.P.S.U. Central Committee).

The letter addressed to G. M. Krzhizhanovsky on December
26, 1921, has not been found.

[2]
On January 4, 1922, the C.L.D., having recognised that the
introduction of diesel locomotives was of especial importance,
instructed the Thermal Technical Institute, with the assistance of
the Technical Committee of the People’s Commissariat for
Railways and other establishments, to organise the outlining of
projects and technical specifications for diesel locomotives and “to
announce a competition for the best diesel locomotive design with
the award of a prize....” By the same decision, the State Planning
Commission, together with the Thermal Technical Institute and the
People’s Commissariat for Railways, was instructed to work
out, within ten days, “detailed terms for prizes and a competition
for subsequent extensive publication of them in Russia and
abroad” (Central Party Archives of the Institute of
Marxism-Leninism of the C P.S.U. Central Committee).