V. I.

Lenin

Genève, le 18. I.

1905 [1]

Dear Comrades, We are unable to call a meeting of the Editorial Board to answer your inquiry,
and I therefore take the liberty of answering you myself. The Zurich group of
Bolsheviks asks “what our attitude is to the Central Organ and the Central
Commit tee; whether we consider them as existing legitimately but operating
illegitimately and are in opposition to them, or whether we refuse to recognise
them altogether as Party centres.”

It seems to me that your question savours somewhat of casuistry. The
announcement of the newspaper Vperyod [4] and the first issue (“Time to Call a

Halt!” [2]

),

together with my Statement and Documents , [3] would seem to have answered this question in substance. The leading centres (the Central Organ, the Central Committee,
and the Council) have broken with the Party, sabotaged the Second and
the Third Congresses, duped the Party in the most brazen way, and usurped their
snug jobs in a truly Bonapartist manner. How can one speak here of the
legitimate existence of the centres? Is a swindler the legitimate owner of the
money he has pocketed on a forged note?

It seems strange to me that the Zurich Bolsheviks should still be puzzled, after
this question has been thrashed out again and again. That the centres did not
want to submit to the Party has been proved conclusively. Then what are we to do? Convene the Third Congress? They have deceived us on that score, too. One
thing remains—to break with the Mensheviks as completely ,
as quickly, and as definitely (openly, publicly) as possible, and to convene
our own Third Party Congress, without the consent of the central bodies and
with out their participation, to begin immediately (without waiting
for this centre either) to work with our own Party centres, the Editorial
Board of Vperyod , and the Russian Bureau elected by the Northern
Conference.

I repeat: the centres have put themselves out side the Party. There is
no middle ground; one is either with the centres or with the Party. It is time
to draw the line of demarcation and, unlike the Mensheviks, who are splitting
the Party secretly, to accept their challenge openly. Yes, a split, for you have
gone the whole hog with your splitting. Yes, a split, for we have exhausted
all means of delay and of obtaining a Party decision (by a
Third Congress). Yes, a split, for everywhere the disgusting squabbles with the
disorganisers have only harmed the cause. We have received letters from
St. Peters burg saying that things have taken a turn for the better since the
split, that one can work without squabbles, with people whom one trusts. Is not
this perfectly clear? Down with the Bonapartists and the disorganisers!

Let us know whether you are satisfied with this answer.

It is essential that the groups of the Majority abroad close their ranks. Write about the issue
immediately to the Berne comrades (Herrn Kazakow, Bäckereiweg, 1.
Bern). They are already at it and will answer you better than I can. We must
tackle the matter more energetically. Correspond with all the groups, spur them
on in regard to money and material, initiate groups in new places, etc.

We likewise have begun to feel much better since we broke decisively with the
Minority. We heartily wish you, too, a speedy riddance of them.

I clasp your hand, Yours,

N. Lenin

P.S. Please give my special personal regards to Meyerson. How is he
getting on? Does he feel better?

I am angry at Steiner—tell her it’s disgusting; she promised to
write about Nikolayev by Christmas, and we’re nearly at the end of
January!

The Berne group has undertaken to unite the Bolsheviks abroad, under
the leadership of the Bureau, of course. Ask the Berne group for
their letter to us on this question and the answer of the Geneva
group.

---
Notes:
[1]
Geneva, January 18, 1905.— Ed .

[2]
See pp. 85-39 of this volume.— Ed .

[3]
See present edition, Vol. 7, pp. 529-39.— Ed .

[4]
Refers to the notice announcing the publication of Vperyod;
the announcement was printed in leaflet form, December 1904, by the
Bolshevik publishing house of Social-Democratic Party literature in
Geneva, headed by V. Bonch-Bruyevich and N. Lenin.