V. I.

Lenin

The Sixth (Prague) All-Russia Conference of the R.S.D.L.P.

JANUARY 5–17 (18–30), 1912

THE ABSENCE OF DELEGATES FROM THE NON-RUSSIAN NATIONAL
CENTRES FROM THE GENERAL PARTY CONFERENCE

Recognising that it is extremely important to strengthen the unity of
the Social-Democratic workers of all the nationalities of Russia, and
considering it absolutely imperative to establish unity with the
non-Russians in the localities and to strengthen the ties between the
national organisations and the all-Russia centre, the Conference at the
same time is compelled to place on record that:

(1) Experience has conclusively proved that in the Party we cannot
tolerate a situation where non-Russians working in total isolation from
Russian organisations have chosen to set up a federation of the worst type
and—frequently regardless of whether they wanted to or not—placed key
Russian organisations in such a position that without non-Russian national
centres, which for all practical purposes do not concern themselves with
Russian affairs, the R.S.D.L.P. was unable to effect very essential and
important Party work.

(2) During the past year one of the non-Russian national centres (that
of the Bund) openly co-operated with the liquidators and tried to bring
about a split in the R.S.D.L.P.; others (the central bodies of the Latvians
and the Polish S.D.) at the decisive moment kept aloof from the fight
against the liquidators who are trying to destroy the Party.

(3) The pro-Party elements in the non-Russian organisations, in the
first place all the worker members of the Party, knowing what is going on
in the Russian organisations, are coming out resolutely in favour of unity with the Russian illegal Social-Democratic
organisations, in favour of sup porting the Russian Organising
Commission, and in favour of fighting the liquidationist trend.

(4) The Central Committees of the three national organisations were
invited three times (by the Organising Commission Abroad, the Russian
Organising Commission, and the delegates to the Conference) to attend the
Party Conference, and every facility has been provided for them to send
their delegates.

In view of all this, and considering it inexpedient to suspend the
activity of the R.S.D.L.P. because of the reluctance of the non-Russian
national centres to send delegates to the general Party Conference, the
Conference places the entire responsibility for the failure of the non-Russians to attend on
their central bodies. At the same time the Conference instructs the Central
Committee of the R.S.D.L.P. to work unremittingly for unity and the
establishment of normal relations with the non-Russian national
organisations affiliated to the R.S.D.L.P.

The Conference is confident that, in spite of all obstacles, worker
Social-Democrats of all the nationalities of Russia will work in harmony
and fight shoulder to shoulder for the cause of the proletariat and against
all the enemies of the working class.

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