...who now preach - fools and bastards! -federation of national social-democratic parties in Russia.

Aleksinsky and Lunacharsky are influencing them. And we must now have our own Ukrainian Social-Democratic group, even a small one. Write to me if you can get acquainted and do something in this direction.

What a splendid victory in the elections to the Insurance Council! Try to lancer2* a note about it to the French socialist (or professional) press. And how "Pravda" under brother3* has become more beautiful! It is a pleasure to look at it. For the first time we see the leadership of an intelligent, understanding editor in place2.

What impression did le geste de MmeCaillaux make on you? 4*. I must confess that I can't help feeling a certain sympathy: I thought that in this environment there was only salesmanship, cowardice, and meanness. And here suddenly, the boy-babe3, leson5* gave a decisive!!! I wonder what the jury will say and what the political fallout will be. Will Caillaux go away? Will the radicals be overthrown?

A firm, firm handshake.

Your V.W.

Published - Lenin V.I. Complete Collected Works, vol. 48, p. 272; "Rossiyskaya Gazeta", No. 10, January 18, 1994.

Fund 2, op. 1, d. 3227 - autograph.

1* The beginning of the letter has not survived. The words: "... cotory... on them" are omitted in the Complete Works of V.I.Lenin.

2* Place (French).

3* - brother

4* Mme. Caillot's act (French).

5* A lesson (français).

1Elections to the Insurance Council of St. Petersburg were held on March 2 (15), 1914. The assembly of electors, by three quarters of the votes, favored the Bolshevik precept and rejected the precept proposed by the bloc of liquidators and socialist-revolutionaries. This bloc was also defeated in the elections to the All-Russian Insurance Institution: of the 57 commissioners, 82% were Pravdists.

2V.I. Lenin writes about L.B. Kamenev, who took over the editorship of Pravda in February 1914.

3This refers to the wife of Minister J. Caillot, who, in response to her husband's harassment, mortally wounded Calmette, editor of Le Figaro, with a pistol.