V. I.

Lenin

416

To:   G. Y. ZINOVIEV

I am sending Pannekoek’s article. [4] I strongly advise giving it the enclosed editorial
tailpiece (which should be forwarded to the author). [1]

I am sending a rough plan of the pamphlet (return it). [2]

I suggest that we sit down (both of us) immediately, and think over every
sentence, reword, condense and—publish it in Russian (for the
anniversary of the war). And then in three other languages.

I think two purposes can be served:

1) A Vademecum for Russian Social-Democrats, agitators and “leading
workers”. A clear, popular, precise summary of all arguments. A
clear summing-up: correctness of the expulsion of Nasha Zarya , the
struggle against it and against the Organising Committee+Chkheidze
[Vademecum for elections to the Duma ].

2) A precise statement for the people abroad: a political step
for welding the III International more serious than a dozen talks and
meetings with a dozen Grimms, Zetkins and suchlike
Klatsch-Weiber [3] in trousers and skirts.

Answer without delay. If you agree, we shall discuss the plan in still greater detail , and then divide the subjects.

3) The O.C. riffraff will be induced to come forward with a platform of
“their own”, but they have nothing of their own!

Could you send me cuttings of Hamburger Echo gems ? A gem in Wiener Arbeiter-Zeitung : a letter from Russia that
Axelrod is making concessions to the “opportunists”. [5] I shall send it to you .

APPENDIX TO LETTER

From the editors . We fully agree in all essentials with
Comrade A. Pannekoek’s excellent article, but find its last lines too
pessimistic. We have the rank and file behind us: the opportunists, social-chauvinists and Kautskians have a minority,
often a negligible minority consisting of officials, aristocracy, petty
bourgeois and philistines. Given correct tactics against the opportunists,
i.e., if they are expelled and a consistent struggle waged against them, we
shall have the support also of the big organisations, of the legal and
illegal apparatus of the revolutionary party.