Note: from October 21, 1901

79.
21/X — 01 [Munich].

Dear G. V.! I sent you a few days ago No. 1 of *Neue Zeit* with an article by Engels*) on the program. I think it will be of interest to you for your work — that is, the drafting of a program project. — Then today we are sending you proofs: after reviewing them, please send them as quickly as possible directly to Dietz with the inscription "Druck fertig!"²)

I have gathered some materials for the internal review³) and in a few days will get down to it seriously (I'm not feeling well at the moment: something like influenza after the trip⁴)). Since after this work I'll need to occupy myself with *Iskra*, and then with a pamphlet that I've been putting off for a long time, I simply won't have time for the program, and my only hope is in you.

Would you advise us whom among the French to write for letters from France? (DanevichGurevich, probably, will decline.)

Pressing your hand firmly. V. Lenin.

*) F. Engels's article in *Neue Zeit* (1891, Jan. 20, Vol. 1, p. 5): "Zur Kritik des Sozialdemokratischen Programmentwurfs" — "On the Critique of the Draft Social-Democratic Program."

²) Druck fertig — ready for printing.

³) Vladimir Ilyich is speaking of materials for an article which he prepared for Nos. 2–3 of *Zarya* under the heading "Internal Review." (See Lenin. Collected Works, Vol. V, pp. 70–114.)

⁴) Trip to Zurich to the "unification congress of émigré social-democratic organizations."

At the June Geneva Conference, it was decided to convene a special congress in the autumn of 1901 to unite all Russian social-democratic organizations abroad. On 4/VIII, Yu. Martov informed P. B. Axelrod that "the congress is being postponed" (see "Letters of P. B. Axelrod and Yu. O. Martov," Letter 16, p. 51). On 9/VIII (No. 65), G. V. Plekhanov asked Vladimir Ilyich "when do we wish to arrange a general congress." From Letter 70 it is evident that a dispute arose over the location of the congress. The editorial board of *Iskra* wanted the congress to take place in Zurich, or at worst in another place in Switzerland; the "Economists" insisted on Paris. On 25/VIII Axelrod wrote to Vladimir Ilyich (this letter we have not included in the present correspondence as it concerns the personal affairs of P. B. Axelrod) that he was awaiting an answer about "the time of arrival of guests" and expressed himself in favor of the full possibility of organizing this congress precisely in Zurich.

This dispute dragged out the convening of the congress, as is evident from Lenin's letter to Axelrod (No. 72). The date for convening the congress was finally set for mid-September and was postponed again (Axelrod's letter No. 75). The congress took place in Zurich on October 4–5.

No agreement between the two wings of the party was reached; the "*Iskra* men" broke off negotiations with the "Economists" and united in the "Foreign League of Russian Revolutionary Social-Democracy."