V. I.

Lenin

Dear Alexandra Mikhailovna, It will be a great pity if your trip to America finally falls
through. We pinned many hopes on this visit: for the publication in the U.S.A. of our booklet ( Socialism and War ,
which you will receive in a few days), for connections with
the publisher Charles H.
Kerr [1] in Chicago in general, for mobilising the internationalists and lastly for the
financial help which we so badly need for all those vital affairs
in Russia of which you write (and justly emphasise their
urgency, in view of the desirability of our coming closer to
Russia. The obstacles there are chiefly financial, and also
of a police nature; can one get there safely?).

If the question of a trip has been finally decided in the
negative sense, try and think over whether you could (through
connections with Charles H. Kerr, etc.) help us to publish
our booklet in English? This can be done only in America.
We are sending you the German edition of our booklet. Do
everything you can for its sale in the Scandinavian countries (it is terribly important for us to cover some of the
expenses at least, otherwise we cannot publish it in
French!).

Write in greater detail , more concretely and more frequently (if you are not going to America) about the practical
questions arising in Russia, who is raising them, how, on
what occasions and in what circumstances. All this is of
extreme importance for the publication of leaflets—a vital
question, as you rightly say. About the conference of the
Left (where we rallied well as an opposition, although we
did sign the manifesto) you will be partly informed by the delegate you
sent, [2] and partly we shall later tell you in writing.

( We are very short of cash! That is the main trouble!)

Best regards, Yours, Lenin

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Notes:
[1]
Charles H. Kerr —an American publisher of socialist literature, with
whom Alexandra Kollontai negotiated by letter on the publication in English of the pamphlet Socialism and War and Internationale Flugblätter No. 1. It did not prove possible to issue the
pamphlet in America.

[2]
An apparent reference to T. Nerman, who took part in the First
International Socialist Conference as a delegate from the
Norwegian Socialist Youth Organisation.