16 (109).
24 VI [1902. Paris].

Well, I am very glad that Plekhanov has finally "humbled himself"
at least to the extent of writing a letter that he should have written a month ago. *) Still, better late
than never.
Now we can discuss further matters in more normal conditions.
Let's talk about it here. 2)
I personally am inclined to stand for separation.
Besides everything else, after some local conversations I have come to the conviction that we
need to lean heavily on the "Iskra", to put all our efforts into
making it better than before. A very, very favorable ground has now been created for
it to occupy the position of a truly guiding newspaper both for the party and for the "liberals." I judge the latter from the feedback of Insarov 3),
who has just arrived here.
He reports great success of the "Iskra" among the zemstvo members, says that, undoubtedly, it now
has the maximum influence on the public and that the struggle with "Osvo-
bozhdenie" will be very easy if we strengthen the political
character of the newspaper and, as the moderation of the calf [P. B. Struve] is exposed.
I think he's right and that, on the other hand, the glaring and obvious inadequacy
of "Zhizn" will convince everyone that there is no point in seeking a replacement for "Iskra"
with anything else. - On the other hand, conversations with Aleksandrova convinced me that the influence on party
circles is indeed very strong and that it will become finally secure if we strengthen the directly socialist element in propaganda, thereby finally dispelling
the doubts of those who fear that we are one-sidedly "democratic"...
All this requires both an expansion of the newspaper and, perhaps, some YU. O. MARTOV - V. I. LENIN.

change in the departments, for example, the introduction of a "Russian
press" section (Insarov [Lalayan] insists on this very much), expanding the "from the party" section so that it analyzes more
the tactics and agitation of local practitioners, further, the introduction of an economic section, the introduction of a permanent foreign review
and much more can be done for reform.
It seems to me that we need to quickly move to bi-weekly
publication in 1 1/2 sheets, and for this it is almost necessary to leave "Zarya"
and take one of its typesetters and some of the font with us.
By the way: after a conversation with Insarov [Lalayan], I came
to the conviction that we must immediately speak out about
"Osvobozhdenie". It seems to me that a decisive word about
its editorial statement will make a strong impression.
I will try to sketch out a short note or article by the time you arrive.
I plan to dedicate it to the development of the idea that an ex-
Marxist, assuming the role of a liberal leader, turns out to be more moderate than the liberals themselves. I want to point out our moral victory,
expressed in the fact that Struve had to finally declare himself a liberal only a year after
he protested (in Mir Bozhiy) against applying this word to him 4). Ask Vera Iv[anovna Zasulich] what she thinks about issuing such a note without waiting for the 1st issue?
And "Zhizn" in the 2nd issue is in places so buffoonish
that you don't know whether to be angry or laugh.
Olkhin [N. N. Lokhov] wrote to me that he would like to have
a meeting in Switzerland, where, they say, I will be in the summer. I answered
that I cannot be there and that, therefore, his arrival is desirable.
I just received a letter from Natasha from Zurich. You already
probably know that she was driven out of M., that the police there have been stirred up.
Regarding Brittany, Leiteisen has already inquired and wrote
to Anna Ilyinichna Elizarova] about this.
From his words, I conclude that it is very cheap there.
If Gotz 5) remains here until your lecture (it is possible that he has left), then I will inquire with him
about the places where he is located (near Boulogne). I also
find that it is better for your people to go here than for you to go to Germany ь).
Did you receive a document of this kind: the Senate case of the
27 Poltava "unreliable" zemstvo employees exiled in 98? There's a thing about it! Insarov - Lalayan] says,

YU. O. MARTOV - V. I. LENIN
that 3 copies of this case (very interesting, by the way) were
intended for "Osvo6[ozhdenie]", "Zhizn" and "Iskra", with
the copy for the latter being given first of all. He passed it to the
St. Petersburg] Committee, which stated that it would send it with
the next opportunity. Now Insarov brought a copy for "Zhizn."
Learning that we had not yet received it, he gave me that copy
to make a copy. I am afraid that it will already appear in No. 1 of "Osvobozhdenie", so I prefer not to print it in its entirety,
but only in excerpts, in the Feuilleton or chronicle, with commentaries 7).
The lecture is scheduled for Friday, the 27th (there is no room
on Saturday).
We now live not on Glaci^re, but on rue de l'Estra- pade, 3, 4th floor door en face. Leiteisen will try to meet you, so wait a little on the platform, but in case
he oversleeps, here is a plan for you.
P. S. Unfortunately, Rafailov has left and you will have to deal
with Rubanovich alone 8), who may again (as at my lecture) shy away from debates. Rusanov 9) does not even deign to participate in them. It would be good if you
could get some sleep during the day on Thursday before leaving, because it takes quite a lot of strength to speak
in a large hall. In any case, if you decide to leave tomorrow (Wednesday), which would be
best, let me know by telegram (M-r Leiteisen, rue de l'Estra-
pade 3) Arrondissement У (Quartier de la Sorbonne).

*) On June 23, Lenin received in London a letter from G. V. Plekhanov of
June 20, written by the latter at the suggestion of V. I. Zasulich and making it possible to liquidate without rupture and division of the "Iskra" and "Zarya"
the conflict that arose in connection with Lenin's article on the agrarian program
and served as the main topic of the above letters of Martov, Potresov and Lenin.
Lenin apparently immediately informed Plekhanov about the letter
to Martov in Paris. Plekhanov's letter and Lenin's reply are printed in "Lenin-
sky Sbornik" III, pp. 429-434.
2) See note 1 to letter 10.
®) Insarov — Lalayan, Isaac Khristoforovich ("Columbus"), the oldest
social democrat; in the early 90s a member of N. E. Fedoseev's circle in Kazan;
in the late 90s and early 900s a member of the Yekaterinoslav Social Democratic Committee and the Yuzhny Rabochiy group. In 1900 Lalayan
conducted negotiations with Lenin on the convocation of the second party congress. In April
1900, he was arrested along with other members of the Yekaterinoslav
Committee and exiled to Siberia. In 1902, with money received
by L. V. Filippova-Nevskaya from E. A. Nemchinova, "Mouse" (Lalayan's wife—

LENINSKY SBORNIK
Praskovya Ivanovna) organized the escape of I. X. Lalayan from the place of exile,
after which Lalayan came to I. G". ,Azh;elrod. During the era of the Second Congress
and the first revolution, he played a major role in the Bolshevik ranks. In 1908
he was tried in St. Petersburg in the case of the Bolshevik military organization
and received hard labor. After serving his hard labor, he lived in a settlement. He now lives
in Moscow.
4) Martov is referring to Struve's article "Against Orthodox Intolerance," published in the journal "Mir Bozhiy" in 1901,
reprinted in Struve's collection "On Various Topics."
5) M. R. Gotz, who wrote and spoke under the name M. Rafailov, one
of the leaders of the Socialist-Revolutionaries, who, together with V. M. Chernov, led
"Revolutionary Russia" and spoke at foreign meetings in defense of the party's program and tactics.
в) It is a question of Vladimir Ilyich's meeting with his mother and sister
and of replacing Vladimir Ilyich's trip to Germany with their arrival in France.
See note 1 to letter 10.
7) The document Martov writes about was not published in "Iskra".
8) I. Rubanovich is an emigrant, a populist, one of the leaders of the party of social revolutionaries, its representative in the International Socialist Bureau.
9 Rusanov N. S. — Tarasov, populist, contributor to the "Vestnik Narod-
noy Voli", editor of the organ of the Social Revolutionary Party published abroad
"Vestnik
Russian
Revolution", emigrant.
Under the names
N. Kudrin and V. Podarsky collaborated in "Russian Wealth", where he waged
a systematic polemic with the Marxists.