Dear Comrades!

Your letter with a refusal to collaborate distresses us greatly. Our letter to Nevzorov (the letter to which a special "declaration" was appended for you, No. 1 of *Iskra* and the proofs of Ryazanov's article) and your letter of refusal crossed in the mail, having been sent simultaneously.

* — led by the nose. Ed.

From this alone you can see how far from our minds was the thought of removing you from the work. We ask you to forgive us for the delay — in this we are truly at fault, but do not forget that from the "indefiniteness of relations" we too are suffering no less than you. Our group's resolution not to distribute the newspaper abroad until its distribution in Russia we observed strictly, making an exception only for the closest persons, including yourselves. Until quite recently we were in complete uncertainty whether the newspaper would be distributed in Russia (even now we cannot vouch for it) — the efforts on this matter in connection with certain new negotiations (with liberal-democrats — this is a great secret for now!) consumed all our time, and therefore the decision made a couple of weeks ago to send *Iskra* No. to you was delayed in execution.

Our declaration has not yet been distributed in Russia; it was only shown there to several persons.

We repeat once more that what has occurred is the result by no means of a lack of attention, but of that indefinite and fussy position from which we ourselves have not yet emerged. We would be very glad if the misunderstandings engendered by this were eliminated and you continued as before to relate to our common cause.

With comradely greetings, Petrov

Sent from Munich to Paris

First published in 1930 in Lenin Collection XIII

Printed from the manuscript