factory committee, but in the craft trades? You stand for professional circles, and your opponents—? I did not understand what they stand for. Unfortunately, I also do not know what these old professional "councils" were? when did they exist? how were they formed? how did they combine Social-Democratic and professional work? Not being acquainted with the practical side of this practical question, I do not venture to express myself for the moment. Perhaps further letters will acquaint me more closely—then we shall see. One must know from experience and be cautious in making changes, that is true. But what this has to do with economism is unclear to me. Is it not the case that in factory committees they also speak predominantly about factory (likewise professional) interests? However, no one objected to the proposition that the factory committee should be the lowest cell of the Social-Democratic organization. What matters are the conditions of life, the conditions of meetings, the conditions of encounters, the conditions of joint work, for the lowest cell must function with special vigor, frequently, regularly. Finally, is one single type of organization obligatory here? Would it not be better to have various types, in order to adapt to different conditions and accumulate richer experience?

Thank you for the letters. Continue—we so rarely receive news of the workaday side of the work (the most interesting side).

Lenin

In the journal

Written 8 April 1905

Sent from Geneva to Odessa

First published in 1925

*Proletarskaya Revolyutsiya* No. 7

Printed from the manuscript