V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:LS/v13;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

V. I. LENIN — TO C. HUYSMANS 1
IN BRUSSELS.
[End of March 1912. Paris.]

Dear Comrade Huysmans, I thank you for sending the Parisian “resolution”. 2

As I have already written to you, the Conference of the R.S.D.L.P. condemned the liquidators and the various émigré groups which are introducing disorganisation into our Party and represent nothing in Russia. On the one hand, it is precisely such groups that voted in Paris for the said resolution. According to the old adage, all the condemned have the right to revile their judges for 24 hours. The signatories of the resolution have made ample use of this right, and perhaps even abused it.

On the other hand, there are groups which were invited to the Conference but did not wish to take part in it. Now they are “protesting” and trying to convene another conference, calling the gods to witness that they stand for unity. This is a very original way of achieving unity! Let us see whether they will create anything serious in Russia. As easy as it is to vote for resolutions of protest in Paris, so difficult is it to accomplish anything real in Russia. And certainly it is not Paris, Vienna, etc., that have the right to speak in the name of Russia.

In any case, the signatories of the Paris resolution are a bit hasty when they begin to talk of a “split”. To establish the existence of a split, one must establish the existence of two—at least!—Central Committees in Russia. So far this is not the case.

As for Citizen Plekhanov, the Central Committee communicated the resolutions of the Conference to him more than a month ago. He has not deigned to reply. Thus I am at this moment completely ignorant as to whether Citizen Plekhanov is mandated (and by which Central Committee) to be a member of the International Socialist Bureau.

If you, dear comrade, are more fortunate than I, i.e., if you receive a reply from Citizen Plekhanov, I hope you will be kind enough to communicate it to me. 3

With fraternal greetings,

Yours entirely, N. Lenin

[Translation.]

Dear Comrade Huysmans, I thank you for sending the Parisian “resolution”. 2

As I have already written to you, the Conference of the R.S.D.L.P. condemned the liquidators and the various émigré groups which are introducing disorganisation into our Party and represent nothing in Russia. On the one hand, it is precisely such groups that voted in Paris for the said resolution. According to the old adage, all the condemned have the right to revile their judges for 24 hours. The signatories of the resolution have made ample use of this right, and perhaps even abused it.

On the other hand, there are groups which were invited to the Conference but did not wish to take part in it. Now they are “protesting” and trying to convene another conference, calling the gods to witness that they stand for unity. This is a very original way of achieving unity! Let us see whether they will create anything serious in Russia. As easy as it is to vote for resolutions of protest in Paris, so difficult is it to accomplish anything real in Russia. And certainly it is not Paris, Vienna, etc., that have the right to speak in the name of Russia.

In any case, the signatories of the Paris resolution are a bit hasty when they begin to talk of a “split”. To establish the existence of a split, one must establish the existence of two—at least!—Central Committees in Russia. So far this is not the case.

As for Citizen Plekhanov, the Central Committee communicated the resolutions of the Conference to him more than a month ago. He has not deigned to reply. Thus I am at this moment completely ignorant as to whether Citizen Plekhanov is mandated (and by which Central Committee) to be a member of the International Socialist Bureau.

If you, dear comrade, are more fortunate than I, i.e., if you receive a reply from Citizen Plekhanov, I hope you will be kind enough to communicate it to me. 3

With fraternal greetings,

Yours entirely, N. Lenin

1 C. Huysmans—Secretary of the ISB.
The letter is dated by the mention of the resolution adopted on March 12, 1912.
2 This refers to the resolution of protest against the All-Russian Prague Conference, adopted at a meeting of a Social-Democratic conference of various trends in Paris on March 12, 1912 (see above, pp. 201-202).
3 Simultaneously Lenin sent an official statement to Huysmans (see Lenin’s Works, Vol. XV, p. 432).