[2/VI. 1918]

Comrade Ioffe! Sokolnikov and Bukharin are coming to you, and, it seems, Larin too! I am using this opportunity to give you a bit of a warning. I am sitting at a meeting of the "departing ones" (without Larin). I hear speeches against "Ioffe moving the Commissariat of Foreign Affairs to Berlin."
The frictions between you and Chicherin are sometimes exploited—more unconsciously than consciously—in the sense or direction of exacerbating these frictions.
I am sure that you will be vigilant and not allow these frictions to intensify. I have carefully followed your letters and am unswervingly convinced that these frictions are unimportant (chaos everywhere, sloppiness everywhere—in all commissariats, and the cure for this evil is slow). Patience and persistence, and the frictions will settle. Chicherin is an excellent worker, your line is entirely loyal in implementing the Brest Treaty, you already have success, in my opinion,—and from this it follows that we can easily settle the frictions.
If the German merchants seize economic advantages, understanding that nothing can be taken from us by war, we will burn everything,—then your policy will continue to be successful. We can give raw materials to the Germans.
* The manuscript breaks off here.

...we can. In an important case—send copies of your exact demands to me. Set up a direct line **as soon as possible**.
Bukharin is loyal, but he has gone to hell with "left-wing infantilism." Sokolnikov has gone crazy again. Larin is a flitting intellectual, a first-rate bungler. Therefore, be extremely vigilant with all these very pleasant and very wonderful delegates. Sokolnikov is a most valuable worker, but sometimes (and right now) he gets "taken by it" and "breaks dishes" because of paradoxes. If you do not take precautions, he will break dishes there at your place. And Bukharin—thrice so. Prenez garde! *
I hope that Krasin and Ganetsky, as business people, will help you and everything will get sorted out.
Thank you for the "attachment" to your letter. I am waiting for more. Best regards.
Yours, Lenin