But a little later, seeing that all this had absolutely no effect on us, he began to incline towards concessions, stating that he might possibly agree to our draft as well (“Nevzorov will never agree”), but that the best thing would be a federation between *Sotsial-Demokrat*, *Zarya* and *Borba* – that *Borba* was prepared to renounce its own organ (we never believed they would be able to set up an organ) and limit itself to a series of pamphlets.

On the whole, it evidently will be possible to work with them: after some stubbornness, they will go along after all.

As for rapprochement with the Union, Ryazanov at first declared that he placed absolutely no hopes on the conference, that it was only Gurevich who was fussing with such an idea, etc. But when he learned that we do not make it a conditio sine qua non* that the Union be abolished, that we are prepared to allow, alongside the scientific organ (*Zarya*) and the political newspaper (*Iskra*), a popular miscellany or journal for workers (*Rabocheye Delo*), he changed front decisively and declared that he had long been speaking to Krichevsky about this, that he considered it the natural finale of the dispute, and that he was now himself ready to work for the realisation of such a project. – Let him work! Perhaps, indeed, unification or federation on this basis will take place – it would be an enormous step forward.

I should add that we stand, of course, for Zurich, also because Alexei would very much like to have more time to discuss all sorts of matters with you.

If the sounding of all the members of *Sotsial-Demokrat* (for an official reply to the *Borba* group) requires much time, please try, if possible, to shorten it somehow. A delay in the conference is extremely undesirable.

As to the participation of the Bund’s foreign organisation in the conference, we are thinking of rejecting it (without making it, in the last resort, a casus belli**) on the basis of point 1 of the decisions of the 1898 Congress of the Russian Social-Democratic Labour Party. (By virtue of this point, the Bund is autonomous only in questions specifically concerning the Jewish proletariat, – and consequently cannot appear as an independent party in negotiations.)  
What about your article for *Iskra*? Do you intend to contribute anything for the second issue of *Zarya*, which G. V. has, of course, told you about?

I warmly shake your hand and send you all big greetings.

Yours, Petrov

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Sent from Munich to Zurich

First published in 1925  
in *Lenin Miscellany* III

Printed from the manuscript

* – sine qua non condition. — Ed.  
** – casus belli. — Ed.