V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:PSS/v22; en:CW/CW18;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

August 31, 1912

Dear Comrade,

I have received from you Circular No. 15 (of July 1912), in which the Chief Board of the Social-Democracy of the Kingdom of Poland and Lithuania{46} informs us of a split in that organisation.{47}

As the representative of the R.S.D.L.P. on the International Socialist Bureau, I am compelled to enter a categorical protest against this information for the following reasons:

1. The Chief Board of the S.D.K.Pi.L. declares that the Warsaw Committee “does not belong to the R.S.D.L.P., of which the S.D.K.Pi.L. is an autonomous part”.

But the Chief Board of the S.D.K.Pi.L. has absolutely no right either to decide or to declare who belongs to the R.S.D.L.P., which I represent.

The Chief Board of the S.D.K.Pi.L. itself does not at present belong to our Party, for it is not organisationally connected either with the Central Committee elected at the January Conference of 1912, which I represent, or with the opposite centre of the Liquidators (the so-called “Organising Committee”).

2. The assertion of the Chief Board of the S.D.K.Pi.L. that the split occurred “suddenly, on the very eve of the elections to the State Duma” does not correspond to the truth.

I know personally that this same Chief Board of the S.D.K.Pi.L. should have foreseen the split two years ago, when it provoked an acute conflict with its former members, Malecki and Hanecki, and removed Hanecki from the Board.

3. The declaration of the Chief Board is hypocritical:

firstly, in that it says that provocateurs have wormed their way into the Warsaw organisation, “as into all other revolutionary organisations in tsarist Russia”;

secondly, in that it says the split occurred with the “active assistance of the secret police”, although the Chief Board is unable to mention a single name, does not dare to express any definite suspicion!

What hypocrisy is needed publicly to hurl the dishonourable accusation of “assistance to the secret police” for the purpose of morally destroying political opponents, while lacking the courage to mention even a single name, to express any definite suspicion!

I am sure that every member of the International will indignantly reject these unheard-of methods of struggle.

For a number of years I have known both former members of the Chief Board of the S.D.K.Pi.L.—Malecki and Hanecki—who are openly acting hand in hand with the Warsaw Committee. I have just received an official communication from the Warsaw Committee confirming this fact.

And in the present situation I consider it my duty to bring to the knowledge of the International Socialist Bureau the enclosed protest of the Warsaw Committee of the S.D.K.Pi.L.

Since the statement of the Chief Board was sent to all members of the International Socialist Bureau, I am compelled to request you, dear Comrade, to send this statement of mine, together with the protest of the Warsaw Committee, to the representatives of all parties belonging to the International.

With Party greetings,