V. I. Lenin

The Second Congress of the R.S.D.L.P.

JULY 17 (30)–AUGUST 10 (23), 1908

SPEECH ON THE ATTENDANCE OF THE POLISH
SOCIAL-DEMOCRATS AT THE =
CONGRESS {1}

JULY 18 (31)

I do not see any weighty arguments against an invitation. The Organising
Committee has taken the first step in bringing the Polish comrades closer to the
Russian. By inviting them to our Congress we shall take a second step in the
same direction. I do not see this producing any complications.

| Vtoroi ocherednoi syezd R.S.D.R.P . Polny tekst protokolov , Central Committee publication, Geneva, 1904 | Printed from the text of the book |

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Notes:
{1}
The question of the representatives of the S.D.K.P. and L. attending
the Second Congress of the R.S.D.L.P. was first raised on the initiative of
the Iskra Editorial Board in a letter sent by the Organising
Committee for the Convocation of the Second Congress of the R.S.D.L.P. to
the S.D.K.P. and L. Committee Abroad on February 7, 1903.

The terms on which the Polish Social-Democrats could be united with the
R.S.D.L.P. were discussed at the Fourth Congress of the
S.D.K.P. and L. which was held from July 11 to 16 (24–29), 1903. The
Congress formulated a number of terms for a possible merger, one of them
being the demand for a change in the formulation of the R.S.D.L.P.’s
Programme clause on the right of nations to self-determination.

When the Second Congress of the R.S.D.L.P. opened, its delegates had no
knowledge of this decision. The committee to deter mine the composition of
the Congress end verify mandates, in its report to the Congress on July 18
(31), read out a letter from the Polish Social-Democrat A. Warski
(A. S. Warszawski), which it had at its disposal. But the letter did not
clarify the relations the Polish Social-Democrats wanted to establish with
the R.S.D.L.P. The committee decided to invite the Polish Social-Democrats
to attend the Congress with voice only. A. Warski and J. Hanecki arrived at
the Congress on July 22 (August 4) and Warski announced the decision of the
Fourth Congress of the S.D.K.P. and L. concerning the terms for unification
with the R.S.D.L.P. A special committee was elected to examine these terms.

The point on the right of nations to self-determination, raised by the
Polish Social-Democrats, was discussed in the Programme Committee. No
minutes were taken, but the notes made at the third sitting of the