TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE RSDLP. DECEMBER 10, 1903

his expulsion of the Southern Workers from the party, up to vile insinuations about Schweizer),
and the Central Committee, and the entire majority. Plekhanov directly says that the quintet in the Central Organ is not afraid of any
Central Committee. The attack on the Central Committee is going on both here and in Russia (letter from St. Petersburg about the
trip of Martynov). The question has been posed sharply. If we miss the time and the slogan for the struggle,
then complete defeat is inevitable, firstly) due to the desperate struggle of the quintet in "Iskra," secondly) due to the failures of our people in Russia. The only salvation is a congress. Its slogan: the struggle against the disorganizers. Only on this slogan can we catch the Martovites,
attract a broad mass, and save the position. In my opinion, the only possible plan
is this: not a word to anyone about the congress yet, complete secrecy. To move all forces, all and everything, into the
committees and on tours. To fight for peace, for the cessation of disorganization, for subordination
to the Central Committee. To strengthen the committees with our people with all our might. To catch
the Martovites and Southern Workers on disorganization with all our might, with documents, with resolutions against the disorganizers, the resolutions of the committees must fly to the Central Organ. Then to push people into shaky committees. The conquest of committees in the name
of the slogan: against disorganization — this is the most important task. A congress is necessary no later than January, therefore, get to work more energetically, we will also move all forces. The goal of the congress: to strengthen the Central Committee and the Council, and perhaps also the Central Organ by either a troika (in case we manage to wrest Plekhanov, which is unlikely), or a sextet, into which I will enter in the event of an honorable peace for us. The worst: their Central Organ, our Central Committee and Council.

I repeat: either complete defeat (the Central Organ will hound us) or immediate preparation
for a congress. It is necessary to prepare it first secretly for a month, then in three weeks to collect the demands from the committees and convene a congress. Again and again: this is the only salvation.

Written on December 10, 1903
Sent from Geneva to Kiev

First published in 1929
in Lenin Miscellany X

Printed from the manuscript