V. I. LENIN — TO G. SAFAROV
To ZURICH. *
Dear G[eorgy]!
[July 20, 1913, Bern.]**
I know nothing about the conference.1 You must decide for yourselves.
The treatment of N[adezhda] K[onstantinovna] is dragging on, and I will remain here for another two weeks—or perhaps even longer. I’m not entirely sure yet.
The Ukrainian’s article is truly excellent.2 The most important thing is that he is a true intellectual. In our wretched times, such individuals are exceedingly rare—and all the more precious—so it is absolutely essential that both you and Yuriy get to know him better, establish a genuine rapport with him, and truly come to understand this man.
The article does not so much require stylistic corrections (that is a minor matter) as it calls for clarifications from the author. He ought to write yet another article.
I am writing about this on the following page;*** please read it, you and Yuriy, and decide for yourselves whether to publish the Ukrainian’s work—or whether it would be better if you were to summarize it for him instead.
Best regards, N. Lenin
! -
1 We are referring to the Second Conference of the Foreign Organizations of the RSDLP Bolsheviks, held from August 3–8, 1913, in Bern, where Lenin delivered a report on the situation in Russia (see Police Department File No. 5, 1913, report dated August 5/18, 1913).
2 It has not been established who the Ukrainian is or which particular article is being discussed.