Date: 1905
Source: ru:LS/v18

LETTER TO G. E. ZRNOVYEV

…with outright terror—and that you (not you personally, but the Petrograd CC members—or the Pekist leaders—) have held back.
I protest most vigorously!
We are compromising ourselves: we even threaten, in our resolutions to the Soviet, to unleash mass terror; yet when it comes time to act, we stifle the revolutionary initiative of the masses—initiative that is entirely justified.
This is simply unacceptable!
The terrorists will regard us as mere paper tigers. The times demand decisive action.
We must encourage both the energy and the widespread character of terror directed against counter-revolutionaries—especially in Petrograd, where a single example can set the tone for the entire movement.
Greetings! Lenin.
P.S. Detachments and detachments: seize the victory in the re-elections!
If the Petrograd comrades can dispatch 10–20 thousand men to Tambov Governorate, to the Urals, and beyond, they will not only save themselves—but also, quite possibly, the entire revolution. The harvest is enormous; all we need to do is hold on for just a few more weeks.
1 V. Volodarsky had been involved in the revolutionary movement since 1905, joining the Bolsheviks in 1917 following the February Revolution. After the October Coup, he served as a member of the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, editor of the Petrograd newspaper “Red Gazette,” and, upon the establishment of the People’s Commissariat for Press, Propaganda, and Agitation, he was appointed Commissioner for Press Affairs. He was assassinated on June 20, 1918, while en route to a rally.
The telegram to the commanders of requisitioning detachments regarding the imposition of the strictest discipline was drafted at the initiative of V. I. Nevsky, who, in light of several telegrams reporting improper conduct by detachments in the field, had petitioned the People’s Commissariat for Food Supplies to instruct the requisitioning detachments to refrain from abusing their authority when seizing grain. At the same time, on June 25, 1918, V. Nevsky informed Lenin in writing about this matter, attaching copies of the telegrams received from the localities. In response to V. Nevsky’s report, Lenin made the following note:
“V. V. Bonch-Bruyevich, in agreement with Nevsky, should (and has) prepared a draft of the telegram.”
Apparently failing to wait for this draft, Lenin himself composed the telegram’s text and submitted it for approval to the Council of People’s Commissars on July 4, 1918 (Protocol No. 154 of the Council of People’s Commissars, Archive No. I. L. 44657).

The text of the telegram has been preserved in a typewritten copy, bearing Lenin’s handwritten corrections in ink and, in part, in pencil.
The postscript added by V. Nevsky was crossed out by Lenin, likely during a second review and final signing of the telegram. The document’s date was established according to the minutes of the Council of People’s Commissars, since it is reasonable to assume that Lenin drafted the telegram on the very day the Council of People’s Commissars convened.

ON THE IMPOSITION OF THE STRICTEST DISCIPLINE IN REQUISITIONING DETACHMENTS.
TELEGRAM TO THE COMMANDERS OF REQUISITIONING DETACHMENTS ALONG ALL RAILWAY LINES.
[July 1918]
The Council of People’s Commissars has become aware of the utterly unacceptable—and highly detrimental to Soviet power—behavior exhibited by certain requisitioning detachments. These detachments were dispatched to carry out their responsible duties along railway lines, tasked with combating rampant speculation. Commanders of the detachments are hereby instructed to maintain the strictest possible discipline within their units; for any failure to do so, or for any misconduct committed by the detachment, the commanders shall be held strictly accountable before the merciless tribunal of the Revolutionary Tribunal. Detachments are to be informed that the Council of People’s Commissars is confident that conscientious workers will never tolerate violations of the most rigorous proletarian discipline and will treat with the utmost suspicion those who, through their actions, bring shame upon Soviet power. Should any blatant hooligans infiltrate the detachments—those who refuse to obey the directives of the central authorities or their own commanders, or who disgrace the Soviet Republic through bribery paid to merchants—such individuals must be promptly arrested by their commanders and local Sovdepas alike, escorted under guard to Moscow for trial before the stern judgment of the Revolutionary Tribunal.
Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars
Ulyanov (Lenin).*
Following Lenin’s signature appears a postscript from V. I. Nevsky: “Very good—though it would be advisable to add that detachments should search the bags of merchants, but not accept bribes from them. Nevsky.” As the text of the telegram reveals, Lenin incorporated Nevsky’s suggestion and inserted the phrase: “or who disgrace the Soviet Republic through bribes paid to merchants.” Ed.

RESPONSE FROM P. P. BRYUKHANOV TO V. I. LENIN

NOTE FROM A. D. TSURUPE ON STRENGTHENING THE WORK OF HARVESTING DETACHMENTS.
Tsurupe.
[August 8, 1918] *
We must now devote all our efforts to ensuring that, in practice, the two decrees—on harvesting detachments and on collective trains—actually merge and give rise to truly effective harvesting units.
What needs to be done for this?
1) Issue instructions: in collective trains, there should be—at least—one representative from each professional union.
2) Develop and strengthen Section 7 of the decree on collective trains***
3) Ensure that these units are properly aligned—in practice, in terms of strength—with the requisitioning detachments…
4) Assign no more than two counties from among the best districts to each unit, and thoroughly cleanse them of any remnants of old practices.
The note from I. L. Bryukhanov constitutes a response to Lenin’s proposals for strengthening the work of harvesting detachments, as outlined in A. D. Tsurupe’s note (see the preceding document).
11790
RESPONSE FROM N. P. BRYUKHANOV TO V. I. LENIN
ON STRENGTHENING THE WORK OF HARVESTING DETACHMENTS.
To V. I. Lenin.
[After August 8, 1918]
As for the specifically designated harvesting detachments, this task—by mutual agreement—is overseen by the People’s Commissariat for Land Affairs. Information on their activities is provided by the comrade from the Department of Agriculture. I can only say that, based on my observations from meetings with representatives of workers’ organizations, I have not noticed any particular eagerness among workers to actively participate in the harvest.
* Date written in A. D. Tsurupe’s own hand. Ed.
** See pages 131–132 and 129–130. Ed.
*** See page 130. Ed.

Regarding collective trains, Nevsky informed me today that ten trains are being organized, all destined for Saratov Governorate. I now intend to discuss with Nevsky the fact that train assignments should be determined not according to the preferences of individual detachments, but rather in accordance with the directives of the People’s Commissariat for Food Supplies.
The fact that railway workers are demanding trains everywhere is—unfortunately—a consequence, in part, of Nevsky’s somewhat careless telegram, which directly contradicts our own instructional telegram. We propose that only large professional organizations—namely, All-Russia and regional centers, provincial councils of trade unions, district, provincial, or regional federations of Factory and Workshop Committees—as well as the Railway Trade Union Councils and the line-level councils of trade unions—should be recognized as legitimate bodies authorized to form and organize detachments. By adopting this approach, we believe we can ensure that our detachments are composed of the most capable and reliable personnel. Meanwhile, on August 8, Nevsky sent a telegram along the railway lines, stating literally: “By decree, the right is granted to organized detachments—selected from among skilled workers, artisans, and office employees at each individual major station, across multiple stations, within workshops, along specific sections, or throughout entire districts—to travel to grain-producing governorates in order to procure grain.” This is nothing short of a genuine invitation to foster merchant-based operations; one cannot expect much in the way of discipline, conscientiousness, or meaningful assistance from detachments composed primarily of railway workers.
I only received Nevsky’s telegram (with this quotation) today, and I will be discussing it further with Nevsky.
Our food supply agencies have already received instructions on how and where to dispatch detachments, and how to guide their work once they arrive at their destinations—these instructions were issued as early as the 7th of the month (I sent you a copy). Comrade Tsurupe is currently conducting negotiations with the trade unions and, together with them, is working out organizational measures. I know that scouts—messengers dispatched by the professional council—have already been sent to numerous districts within specific counties of Oryol, Voronezh, and Chernihiv Governorates. Some of these scouts have already returned with valuable reports and information from the field. Tsurupe can provide more detailed accounts of their findings.
The work of the harvesting detachments—and indeed, the entire effort to extract grain—is concentrated primarily in two counties of Kursk Governorate, in two counties of Oryol Governorate, in two counties of Saratov Governorate, and in…

LETTER TO P. P. BRYUKHANOV

two counties of Samara Governorate, as well as in Voronezh Governorate. T. Vladimirov is currently surveying the rich, hope-filled lands of Tambov Governorate—though I will refrain from speaking at this time about the unfortunate fate of those detachments cut off from us in Kazan and Vyatka Governorates.
N. Bryukhanov.