A3 14 Refers to G. Plekhanov's article "On Demonstrations" in
D» 14 "Iskra" of January 14 (1), 1902. Plekhanov gave him a quote from
the pamphlet "On Street Disorders (Thoughts of a Military Man)." In this quote
"advice at the very beginning of the people's struggle with the army" was given to remove from
circulation the civil, police and military authorities.
3 For more details on the transitions from one stage to another see Len. coll. V.
p. 74.
Lenin's note "From a Conversation with Readers" was printed as a
of an editorial preface before S. Gusev's correspondence
in J\ë 20 of "Proletary" of 40 October (27 September) 4905' and
refers to this S. Gusev's correspondence when speaking about the "letter of a comrade".
Lenin has a note on the manuscript for the printing house;
at the top:
to the "From the Party" section at the bottom: see pp. 1 — 7 on two sheets from
« to »
•21130
FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH READERS.
October, before 10, 1905. Geneva]
We are printing excerpts from a letter from a comrade, a member of one of
the committees of our party. This comrade is one of the few
who not only correspond with the Central Organ, but also converse
about their understanding of tactics, about their implementation of it. Without such
conversations, not specifically intended for print at all, it is not
possible common development of a solid party tactic.
Without such an exchange of views with practitioners, the editors of a foreign
newspaper can never truly express the voice of the entire party.
And we are therefore printing the opinion of a comrade familiar only
with a small part of the latest literature, wishing to encourage as much as
possible a large number of comrade-practitioners to such conversations
and exchange of views on all party issues.
Lenin's excerpt from the « Vossische Zeitung» of 40 October 1905
(Abendblatt) was made by him, apparently, when collecting material
for the article "The Jena Congress of the German Social Democratic
Workers' Party" (Works, vol. VIII, pp. 235-258).

RUSSIAN FINANCES

131*
* TO THE ARTICLE <THE JENA CONGRESS OF THE GERMAN S. D.
PARTY>.
October before 10 1905 Geneva.
Note the note on the polemic des Korrespondents * der Buch
drucker ** against Bebel (speech in Jena). The printers' organ
mercilessly attacks Bebel for "revolutionary fervor" etc. for the idea
of a mass political strike, for playing into the hands of
reaction with his politics of threats and painting horrors.
«Trotz Dresden und Jena müssen unsere Gewerkschaften in
den bisherigen Bahnen der Entwiklung bieiben und prinzipiell auf
dem Boden einer rcformierischen Arbeit beharren, wenn sie überhaupt
eine Existenz haben wollen»...***
Pearls of trade unionism in politics!
The Lenin's note "Russian Finances" printed below contains excerpts from the London weekly "The Economist".
112ft
RUSSIAN FINANCES.
[October, after 11, 1905. Geneva.]
We have repeatedly pointed out that the autocratic government is becoming more and more entangled in its own affairs
(or machinations, which will probably be more accurate) in a financial
relationship. The inevitability of financial collapse is becoming more and more obvious.
Here is an interesting confirmation of this. The Berlin correspondent
of one of the most influential organs of the European financial tycoons, the London The Economist, reported on 11
October] o.s.:
"A representative of the Mendelssohn firm1 was in St. Petersburg this week
to participate in negotiations between the Russian government
and French bankers about a new Russian loan,
* - correspondent. Ed.
** - printers. Ed.
*** - "Despite Dresden and Jena, our trade unions must remain on the previous paths of development and, in principle, stand on the ground
of reformist work if they want to exist at all." Ed.

about which there has already been much talk there (much heralded). Information,
received here from apparently authentic sources, determines the sum of this* loan at 75 million pounds sterling]
(about 700 million rubles], of which France will take about half, and the rest will be offered in Germany,
Germany, Holland, England and the United] States. It is asserted
also that most of the issued obligations (of Ihc issue should be intended to cover Treasury Notes
(?? taking up the Treasury Notes?), placed in France and
Germany during the war.
“The fact that Russia is turning to the money markets in such
a conjuncture (at just this juncture), when all the major centers
are experiencing an unusually depressed state (are under un
usual pressure), this is accepted as clear evidence of her financial difficulties (straits). One version is that
that only a small part of the aforementioned amount will be
offered for subscription now, the rest will be realized
(will be raised) later, probably, at the beginning of next year.
But this only further reinforces the unfavorable impression
about Russia's need for money. That there is no enthusiasm in Germany for a Russian loan at this very moment, that
is clear in itself. Not only the conditions of the local money market,
but even more than all this, the continuation of political turmoil
(turmoil) in Russia and the apparent weakening, not to say
destruction (breakdown) of governmental authority, all these
such facts, which are valued so highly in Germany, <(assessment of which in Germany is ^> (are being weighed in a
manner), that this is a bad omen for the future subscription.))
1 On p. 224 of the book "Russian Finances and the European Stock Exchange in 1904-
1906", published by Central Archives in 1926, contains Mendelssohn's telegram
in which he informed Kokovtsev that Artur Fischel was appointed as his representative at the conference of bankers in St. Petersburg.

DISORDERLY RETREAT

№ U / U "Iskra" Lenin discovered a slight shift from the position
of the New Iskraists on the issue of the assessment of the Cadets in comparison with previous
articles by Martov, Cherevanin and Parvus, to the criticism of which
Lenin's article "Mock Elections" is devoted (Works, vol. VIII, pp. 296__
309). Lenin, most likely, in the plan printed below of the article "Disorderly Retreat" intended to dwell
on the evolution and zigzags of Menshevik tactics. But started
to arrive from mid-October 4905 news of growing events in Moscow, apparently, pushed back the topic of the New Iskraists
and the article remained unwritten.
\t
DISORDERLY RETREAT.
[October, after 13, 1905. Geneva.
Iskra L? 111 transmitting j "Liberallly betrayals".1
The sum of betrayals of constitutionalists] - democrats]
Red] Cross-boycott. 2 Universityties— for "peace" 3 etc.). Conclusion:
betrayal of constitutionalists]-democrats] in the Duma? No.
To hound constitutionalists] - democrats, as traitors in general? No.
They say and don't say.
The last Phrases: Those who see in the Duma "a result of a deal" are mistaken 4 that's how! And Stakhovich? And praise for the um[oderate-
ness] of the Moscow] congress in Novoe Vremya? There were no turns i
to the right?... but?... a tendency to betrayals.
(Is a deal not a betrayal? What a mess!)
*
= Iskra's retreat, covered by an "rearguard fight".
For agreement] with k[onstit}tsionalists] - democrats on
con[dition|s of revolution]tsionary obligations? Nihtjl**. For
elections— when? — how? — together or with k[onstitut[sionalists -
democrats]? even without them? Nihil. Puff and dregs.
Cf. Social Democrat
15. 5 There is no mention] of a full
s.-d. pr[ogram{me.
There is no clarity about supporting konstitutsionalists democrats. Were they scared by lib!eral] trade unionism *** — it's good
that they were scared of their tendency. But they didn't clearly oppose
[theirs].
* - sum of sums, total. Ed.
** - nothing. Ed.
*** The word is not entirely legible.
Closest in meaning to the word "trade unionism". Ed.