V. I.

Lenin

July 26, 1904

Dear Vladimir Dmitrievich, Thank you for your letter of 23.7.04 about our
affairs. [2]
I reply point by point.

As regards general policy, I am still for an armed peace,
for retreats with protests (as we said in our talk with Nina
Lvovna in the presence of yourself and Martyn
Nikolayevich), in short, for our old tactics. Protest against every
infringement, publish, agitate, without giving them any
pretexts for the coup d’état which they desire. As to the
details of particular measures, you can judge better on the
spot.

That C.C. agents were not given any papers is the direct
fault of Boris, who was the last to leave. [3] I have already
written to Martyn Nikolayevich that I advise him to explain to the C.O. editorial board the absurdity of demanding
the papers: tell them Boris has been written to twice, there is a report about his arrest , so must we really wait six months
for a reply from Russia? Keep protesting—but de facto you will still be carrying on everything.

As regards finance, I have the feeling that we were rash
in taking on the library: it’s not luxuries we need, it’s
sustenance. Do you remember my telling you this? And the
300 francs have been spent! Please, do be careful, don’t
let yourself be carried away by the library, [4] keep your
mind on the cause as a whole .

My best greetings to Ignat. How does he feel?

I am terribly worried about Nina Lvovna. Write at once if you hear anything.

To my mind, we must issue a reply to Plekhanov (in pamphlet form, not as a leaflet, and with a short preface)
if the C.O. fails to publish it despite all our protests. And
don’t be late with this, or it will lose its interest. [5]

Every good wish, and greetings to Vera Mikhailovna and all our friends.

Yours,
N. Lenin

Write to me (and send newspapers) to Meiringen, postlagernd . [1]