V. I.

Lenin

52

To:   THE UNION OF RUSSIAN SOCIAL-DEMOCRATS ABROAD [1]

To the Union of Russian Social-Democrats

In reply to the letter of the Union of Russian Social-Democrats to the League
of Russian Revolutionary Social Democracy, received by us on February 4, 1903,
we hasten to inform the Union of Russian Social-Democrats that we entirely,
share its opinion as to the need to form a foreign section of the Organising
Committee in Russia. It is true that we cannot at all agree with the opinion of
the Union of the R.S.D. that the Organising Committee “wrongly or
inaccurately ascribes its origin to private initiative”, for the
O.C. refers directly to the decision of the conference (the O.C. was in fact set
up in fulfilment of such a decision). Moreover, the O.C. was formed by
organisations which took part in the conference. The fact that the O.C. has not
straight away and without inquiring the opinion of the remaining Party
organisations declared itself an official Party body is, in our view, evidence
of the Organising Committee’s correct understanding of its tasks, and of
its tact and caution, which are so important in a serious Party matter.

It should be said at once, though, that we do not attach any great importance
to our above-mentioned disagreement with the Union of the R.S.D.; on the
contrary, we have every hope that this disagreement will be easily dispelled
with the development of the Organising Committee’s activity.

Farther, we would consider it inexpedient, even not quite lawful on our part,
“to proceed immediately to constitute a foreign section of the
O.C.”, unless there was a direct invitation from the O.C. in Russia. We
have been informed that the O.C. has already written to the Bund in Russia and to the
Union of the R.S.D. Abroad. We do not have the text of either letter. In any
case, it follows from the above that the O.C. in Russia is already taking steps
in this direction. It would hardly be wise on our part to begin to act without
waiting for the result of these steps of the Organising Committee.

We consider it our duty to bring the letter of the Union of the
R.S.D. immediately to the notice of the O.C. in Russia and at the same time we
shall communicate to the O.C. our opinion of the desirability
of the O.C. in Russia immediately setting up its foreign section. We would suggest waiting for a reply from the O.C. in Russia. If, how ever, the comrades of
the Bund Committee Abroad and of the Union of the R.S.D. consider that, before
receiving this reply, it would be useful to arrange a private meeting
of representatives of the Bund Committee Abroad, the Union of the R.S.D., and
the League of Russian Revolutionary Social-Democracy, we would not, of course,
refuse to take part.

The League of Russian Revolutionary Social-Democracy