V. I.

Lenin

13

To:   THE EDITOR OF PRAVDA

Dear Colleague, I have received your letter about the “pressing matter”
and, I confess, read it with a sorrowful feeling. It shows
quite clearly that there is between us not enough of the
mutual understanding that in a “pressing matter”, as in
any serious matter, is most essential.

And the matter is really serious and—I agree with you— pressing (not in the sense of a few days, of course). In order
to get mutual understanding on this, we ought to meet:
this would cost four or five days and 11 + 11 + 15 + 10 = 47
rubles all in all....

All that I can do at present to meet your request, I am
doing. I am sending you an article “On the Election
Platform”. [1] You will see clearly, I hope, what my views are
from this article.

As regards altering it, I must lay down special conditions
(usually I don’t make any, as you know, relying entirely
on a comradely, collective and not pettifogging attitude).
But on this occasion these special conditions are essential
for me, because the question is one of vast importance,
a radical question of principle.

I can agree only to (1) eliminating the subhead and (2)
minimum corrections for the censorship (only!!) in three or
four places, correction of individual words, and nothing more at all .
If even then you can’t print it either in Pravda or in Nevskaya Zvezda, return the article, I need it. To
eliminating mention of the liquidators I cannot agree.

The essence of the whole question is that the liquidators
are setting a trap: “let’s have an open platform” (while
privately the liquidator thinks: I will sign anything in an open platform). And that is true, the liquidator will
sign anything in an open platform!! And it will be not a
platform, not a serious affair, but philistine chatter, a list
of “reforms”, a competition with the liberals on their own
ground, because every liberal (up to and including
Trubetskoi) will at present, six or eight weeks before the
elections, put his name to anything !! The liberals and the
liquidators will sign anything, if only they can get elected to
the Fourth Duma.

One must grasp the essence of the question, the principle
involved, and not be afraid of somewhat “unusual”, “ unsuitable” (for Pravda ) expressions, polemics, etc. The
workers in their mass will understand very well the spirit of
the thing (“no cutting up”)—and that is the whole point.
All will understand why inventing open platforms in
Third-of-June Russia, six or eight weeks before the elections,
is ridiculous, stupid, philistine, even scoundrelly. And
that is the essence.

Such an article printed as a feature in Pravda , even in
small type, will at once take up a position, and kill the
adventurism of the inventors of open platforms. It will
kill the demagogy of their “say openly what you believe
in”. Used not Katkov in just the same way to ask: “Say openly that you recognise the autocracy”?

Much has devolved on Pravda in the elections, and much will be required of it. It would be a scandal if Pravda were
ridiculed from the left for drawing up open platforms.
Pravda has in practice the position of leader. That position
must be defended honourably. It should say clearly, calmly
and firmly: against the liquidators. And at once the whole
gang of these petty liberals will be killed. Let them put
forward their own list: they won’t dare, because they will
be completely disgraced!! I await a speedy reply.

With greetings, Yours,
V. Ulyanov