V. I.

Lenin

28/XI.

Comrade Tsyurupa, My plan has matured:

In addition to the post of Deputy Chairman of the Council of Labour and Defence held by Rykov (with the right of casting vote in
the Council of People’s Commissars) the post of second deputy chairman of
the C.L.D. is instituted on equal terms. Tsyurupa is appointed to this post
and released from the Food Commissariat.

The rights of these deputies: a casting vote in the C.P.C. and the
C,L.D.; the chairing of the meetings in the absence of the
chairman. All the rights of C.P.C. chairman as far as participation in all
boards and institutions is concerned, and (inter alia) the right to give
instructions in regard to the practical work (subject to immediate
execution) to People’s Commissars and to members of their boards,
etc. (with the knowledge and consent of the commissars of the government
departments concerned) on questions pertaining to the integration and direction of the economic commissariats’ activities.

That is how I conceive the official decision of the All Russia Central Executive Committee . [1]

The task is to integrate and improve the economic work AS A
WHOLE, especially in connection with and through the State Bank
(trade) and the State Planning Commission .

To make a first-hand study of the specific features and work
of all the economic commissariats and an acquaintance with all the members of their boards and a number (10-100) of local and regional
top workers in this field.

To personally attend important board meetings of the respective commissariats, the State Planning Commission, the State Bank,
Centrosoyuz, etc . and check personally , at the choice of the Deputy Chairmen of the C.L.D., those functions which
are considered most vital or of special topicality.

For how long these posts will be, “we shall see”: perhaps 3-4 years,
perhaps 30 years.

One of the objects is to develop a highly trained type of
instructor-inspector to check and organise all economic work at
all economic institutions centrally and locally.

The deputy chairmen conduct their work through the apparatus
of the existing commissariats, having only the Managing Department of the
C.L.D. as their own body (4-5 C.L.D. business managers with 1-2 assistants
and 1-2 secretaries to each assistant).

The business manager of the C.L.D., his assistants and secretaries form
the sole single staff of the C.L.D. as a whole and of both its deputy chairmen.

Let me have your reply not later than

WEDNESDAY . Return this.

With communist greetings, Lenin

To members of the Politbureau: I have received A.D. Tsyurupa’s consent
to this tentative plan and ask all the members of the Politbureau
to read it. I want to put it before the Politbureau tomorrow, 1.XII.

Lenin

30.XI.

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Notes:
[1]
This part of Lenin’s letter was a draft for the Pclitbureau. The
latter’s decision, adopted on December 1, 1921, on Lenin’s report, stated
that “Comrade Tsyurupa shall be relieved of the post of People’s Commissar
for Food and appointed Second Deputy Chairman of the C.L.D with a casting
vote in the C.L.D. and the C.P.C., the appointment to be endorsed by the
Presidium of the A.C.E.C.” (Central Party Archives of the Institute of
Marxism-Leninism of the C.C. of the C.P.S.U.). A similar wording was used
in the decision of the A.C.E.C. confirming the appointment of
A. D. Tsyurupa to the post of Second Deputy Chairman of the C.L.D. (see
Izvestia No. 272, December 3, 1921).