V. I.

Lenin

49

To:   G. V. PLEKHANOV

12.VII. 02

Dear G. V., Your article received. [1]

Many thanks for revising it. I have sent it to London just now. As regards
Berg’s article, V. I. believes it could very well go next to yours, but in
my opinion it would-be better to hold it up until later. We shall ask Berg.

Write to me in London, for I don’t know how long I shall be
here. Still, I’ll be staying here at least a week, and in case you write
within this time, here’s the address:

M-me Leguen (pour M. Olinoff)
Loguivy (par Ploubazlanec).
Côtes du Nord.
France.

Why didn’t your trip to Brussels come off? [2] Is the conference not going to take place? At any rate I hope to
see you in London. I don’t think much of L. Gr.’s plan to substitute for the London meeting a trip by Berg and myself to Switzerland
for 10–12 days (sic!) to see some new arrivals from Russia. Really, how
can anything worth while be accomplished in 10–12 days? For we have to get
to know the arrivals thoroughly and individually, and besides we have much
to talk over among ourselves. And we cannot afford to stay long in
Switzerland (there’s work to be done). Lastly, the newcomers must (if they
are Iskra supporters) make a study of all (or part) of our
correspondence with Russia, and this can be done only in London. Without
such a study of our correspondence the meeting would be point less and all
but useless. Because of all these reasons I am strongly for a meeting in
London.

Best regards, Yours....

P.S. In my opinion, unity with the Union crowd is out of the question
now: they are insolent and were very offensive towards Berg in
Paris. [3] Perhaps he will forward to you my letter setting forth in
detail why it is necessary to be firm and extremely cautious with them. Our
affairs in Russia are now very much on the upgrade, and here are the Union
people threatening to display independence! God forbid....

Somehow Zarya is still stuck. Dietz jokes that it isn’t fated
to come out!

---
Notes:
[1]
The reference is to the article “Criticism of Our Critics”, published
later in Zarya No. 4.— Ed .

[2]
Probably a reference to G. V. Plekhanov’s trip to attend a meeting of
the International Socialist Bureau.

[3]

Y. 0. Martov (Berg) conducted talks in Paris with members of the Union
of Russian Social-Democrats concerning the formation abroad of a section of
the Organising Committee to prepare for the convocation of a Party
congress, as envisaged in the decision of the Belostok conference.