V. I.

Lenin

136

To:   THE ODESSA COMMITTEE OF THE R.S.D.L.P.

To the Odessa Committee from Lenin

Dear friends, I should like to say a few words to you about congress delegates. If you are
sending them from Russia, then my letter does not apply. But I heard that you
are thinking of giving a mandate to one of the people here. If this rumour is
true, then I would advise giving mandates to both of your candidates
here, i.e., to Josephine and Danila—one with a vote and the other
with a consultative voice (i.e., write a letter to the congress that the Odessa
Committee requests the congress to let Josephine attend with a consultative voice, as a member of the Southern Bureau and a very useful
worker in a consultative capacity, or, for example, Danila, as having an
excellent knowledge of the local areas and having worked with remarkable energy
among the Odessa proletariat). You may rest assured that the congress will grant
such a request from the Committee. Please read this letter to all the Committee
members and send me a reply. [1]

P.S. Are you taking workers into the Committee? This is essential, absolutely
essential! Why don’t you put us in direct contact with workers? Not a
single worker writes to Vperyod. This is a scandal . We need at all
costs dozens of worker correspondents. I would ask you to read this
part of the letter, too, not only to all Committee members, but also to all
Majority organisers and agitators.

Regards to everyone!

Yours,

Lenin