Paris, October 30, 1911

To: Frau Clara Zetkin (Zündel)
Wilhelmshohe bei Stuttgart.

Esteemed Comrade!

Since Comrades Fr. Mehring and K. Kautsky have laid down their duties as arbiters, the arbitration agreement has lost its force. The third arbiter—that is, you—no longer has the right to render an arbitration decision.

Consequently, as of November 1, 1911, at the latest, the monies held in your custody (as well as monies not yet expended by third parties who possessed authorization from the three arbiters—namely, the Technical and Organizational Commissions) cannot, by law, remain in your custody and under your control. By law, you must return these monies to the person from whom you received them, that is to say, to me.

I request that you send these monies to the same bank that sent them to you, namely, the "Comptoir National d'Escompte," agence V, avenue d'Orleans, 85, Paris, current account of Mr. Ulyanov.

I also request that you take the necessary steps to ensure that the aforementioned third parties return to you immediately the monies that have not yet been expended by November 1, 1911.

I earnestly request that you be so kind as to send me your reply by telegraph (I shall, of course, pay all expenses), so that by noon on November 1, 1911, I might know whether you are ready to return the monies to me. If I receive no reply, I shall be compelled to take your silence as a refusal and to proceed with the matter through legal channels¹.

With comradely greetings, etc.

Signature: Ulyanov (Lenin)

Translated from the German

¹ The present document was also typed in French. At the end of the document there is an appended note: "I have in my possession an official notification certifying that Citizen Zetkin received this letter on October 31, 1911."