V. I.

Lenin

501

To:   M. N. POKROVSKY

Dear Editor, I am so scared by the ridiculous and incredible loss of an
absolutely innocuous manuscript that I am afraid even to mention
your name.

I am afraid that my letter, too, has been copied. I asked there, that
if it was inconvenient to take the usual pseudonym (V. Ilyin), to use
N. Lenivtsyn. Now we shall have to use another: V. I. Ivanovsky, let us
say.

I advised there (if the word “imperialism” is so “horrifying”) to
change the title, sag, to: “The Peculiarities of Contemporary
Capitalism”.

Now this will have to be changed again: “Latest Economic Data on
Modern Capitalism” or something like that.

The titles (chapter headings) to be deleted (when sent to
Russia). Perhaps even the chapter headings should be changed? It could be
done.

I would ask you to keep the present format (which is what I was asked
to do). No cuts can be made without breaking it up.

( Unless we throw out whole chapters at the end? So that I can use them
in another place? This at the very worst of worsts! I am all for no cuts.)

Please leave the notes, they are important (especially
No. 101 [1]

),

and the literature too should be indicated, for in Russia you have
students and suchlike people who read.

Your editorial changes and improvements, of course, I shall accept with
pleasure.

My best regards, Lenin