LETTERS OF THE ERA OF “ZVEZDA” AND “PRAVDA”
We may enter into agreements within the Duma itself, seeking to guide and lead these factions—but to conceal their liquidationist tendencies, their lack of character, and their utter lack of principle would be nothing short of a crime.
We must support and expand the campaign against the “Seven.” Now that the liquidationist “Luch” is expanding (clearly funded by the liberals, since it runs a monthly loss of 1,000 rubles and has a circulation of only 12,000 copies), we must intensify tenfold our campaign to aid the six working-class deputies, to encourage subscriptions to “Pravda,” and to promote the expansion of “Pravda.” We must directly engage factory workers in the struggle for “Pravda,” demanding that they subscribe in greater numbers, wresting each factory away from “Luch,” so that competition among factories can arise over the number of subscribers to “Pravda.” The victory of party spirit is the victory of “Pravda”—and vice versa. We must launch such a campaign: increase “Pravda’s” circulation from 30,000 to 50–60,000, raise the number of subscribers from 5,000 to 20,000, and pursue this goal with unwavering determination. Only then can we expand and improve “Pravda.”
Your observation about the absence of intellectuals is entirely correct. They will not be present anyway—they will be replaced by “Pravda,” by illegal literature. Until technical means are available, you should publish at least hectographed resolutions and leaflets. It is essential to produce a weekly edition of 30–60 copies of P.K.’s hectographed resolutions, formatted as directives; we could always correspond using these resolutions. Think carefully about this. Such measures will strengthen our underground work, reduce the number of casualties, consolidate our propaganda efforts, and more.
The resolution of P.K. against the “Seven” is superb. Could it really not even be hectographed³? This is absolutely indispensable. It is precisely campaigns like this that we need. Let us try to send articles for “Izvestiya.” Please let us know the deadlines. Also, please tell us the size of “Izvestiya” and the length of the articles⁴.
L[epin]
1 The collaboration between Plekhanov and Dnevitsky in “Pravda” triggered a series of attacks in “Luch” directed against them—and against “Pravda” itself.
In “No. 56 of ‘Pravda,’ ” dated March 21 (March 8), 1913, Plekhanov published an article titled “On the Question of the Split Within the Social-Democratic Fraction of the Fourth State Duma.” In response, “Luch” (No. 65, dated April 1 [March 19]) published Vanо’s article, “A Sad Phenomenon.”
But concerning the same article by Plekhanov, “Luch” (No. 59, dated March 25 [March 12]) included “A Letter from Workers to G.V. Plekhanov,” followed by a series of resolutions opposing Plekhanov’s intervention in “Pravda.”
8 See the collection “The Communist Party of the Soviet Union (6): Resolutions and Decisions of Party Congresses, Conferences, and Plenums of the Central Committee,” published in 1932—Resolution “On Relations with Liquidationism and on Unity,” p. 223.


3 At the February meeting of the St. Petersburg Committee, a resolution was adopted that welcomed the six working-class deputies and declared their political line to be “correct”; the resolution also pointed out “the non‑partisan nature of the actions of the seven deputies who supported the liquidationist ‘Luch’” (see “Social Democrat,” No. 31, June 28 [June 15], 1913). Apparently, this resolution was never issued as a leaflet by the PC.
4 At the February meeting, the PC resolved to publish “News of the PC of the RSDLP,” outlining the content of the first issue—but the publication ultimately failed to materialize.