V. I.

Lenin

Dear Citizens, The editors of Proletary received a telegram today from Berlin. A
comrade asks us to inform the International Socialist Bureau that, according to
a private telegram to the Berliner Tageblatt , the Russian Government
has requested the powers to dispatch their ships stationed at Constantinople
to Odessa to help restore order in that city.

It is quite possible that the Russian Government, no longer trusting its own
naval forces, will try to make the warships of European states fight against the
Russian revolution under the pretext of defending the foreign residents
of Odessa.

Thus, there is a great danger that the European peoples may be forced to play
the part of executioners of Russian freedom. Therefore we request you, dear
citizens, to consider this question and seek the means of preventing such an
eventuality. Perhaps it would be advisable to publish in the name of the
International Socialist Bureau an appeal to the workers of all countries. The
appeal should emphasise that what is taking place in Russia is not mob rioting,
but a revolution, a struggle for freedom, that this struggle has as its object
the convocation of a Constituent Assembly, which is demanded by all progressive
parties, in the first place by the Social-Democratic Labour Party of
Russia. Perhaps such an appeal, translated into all languages, printed in the
socialist press of the entire world and distributed by every means at our
disposal, will be able to influence public opinion and frustrate the designs of
the Russian Government—designs that would be fatal to freedom.

We hope that you will let us know your opinion on this matter.

Accept, dear citizens, our fraternal greetings.

On behalf of the Central Committee of the S.D.L.P. of Russia

N. Lenin ( Vl. Ulyanov )

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