**Source: PSS vol 49**

**17/30 August 1917**

Dear Friends!

With great difficulty, after long weeks of a forced interruption, it seems possible to restore correspondence. Of course, for this to succeed fully, you must make every effort and work hard at organising it from your side.

The despicable campaign of slander raised by the bourgeoisie concerning the alleged espionage or complicity in it of Ganetsky, Kollontai and many others is, of course, a vile cover for the offensive against the internationalists by our brave "republicans", who wish to "profitably distinguish" themselves from tsarism by slander.

(1) I read somewhere in the Russian newspapers that Ganetsky and Radek are publishing denials. I don't know if this is true. But it is necessary. We need, firstly, for Radek to write to Paris and obtain the minutes of the last Parisian (of the various factions of the RSDLP) trial of him. About this trial, Lunacharsky, castigating the vile slanderers, already wrote some time ago in *Novaya Zhizn*. But this is not enough. We must try to obtain the minutes, or at least the full verdict of the court, and if it is impossible to publish it, have it typed in several copies and sent here. If it is impossible to obtain the minutes or the verdict, it would be desirable to obtain at least a written account of the trial from one of the Parisians who took part in it, and to publish at least a small pamphlet in Russian (there is a Russian printing house in Christiania), in order to refute the vile slanders documentarily. Even if only a few copies of the pamphlet can be smuggled in, extracts from it must appear in *Arbeiterpolitik*, *Politiken*, *Demain*, etc.

(2) It is equally necessary for Ganetsky to refute the slanderers documentarily by publishing as soon as possible a financial report of his trading and his "dealings" with Sumenson (who is this person? Heard of her for the first time!) and with Kozlovsky (it is desirable that the report be verified and certified by the signature of a Swedish notary or several Swedish socialists, members of parliament). It is also necessary to print the text of the telegrams (in the Russian newspapers, in *Russkaya Volya*, in *Bez Lishnikh Slov* and others, there already was something, but probably not in full) and to analyse and explain each one.

Against this vile Dreyfusade, against this slander, we must fight by publishing a pamphlet, and as quickly as possible, sparing no labour, trouble, or money, in order to brand the slanderers and, if possible, help those arrested on the basis of this vile slanderous accusation.

(3) What is the financial situation of the foreign bureau appointed by our Central Committee? After the July persecutions, it is clear that our CC cannot help (so I think, at least). Write whether you managed to collect anything through the Swedish Left, and whether the bureau will continue to exist. And the bulletin? How many issues have been published, and in what languages? Did Guilbeaux have all the issues? Do you have a complete set of *Demain*? Was the bulletin delivered to America, North and South? Write about all this in more detail.

(4) By the way. I don't remember who told me, but it seems that Moor appeared in Stockholm after Grimm and independently of him. That the scoundrel Grimm, as a "centrist" Kautskyite, proved capable of a vile rapprochement with "his" minister does not surprise me: whoever does not break decisively with the social-chauvinists always risks falling into this vile position. But what kind of man is Moor? Is it fully and absolutely proven that he is an honest man? that he never had, and does not have, any direct or indirect dealings with the German social-imperialists? If it is true that Moor is in Stockholm and if you are acquainted with him, I would very, very much ask, earnestly ask, insistently ask you to take every measure for the strictest and most documentary verification of this. There is no place here, i.e., there should be no place, for even a shadow of suspicion, reproach, rumours, etc. I very much regret that the "Zimmerwald Commission" did not condemn Grimm more severely! It should have been stricter!

(5) I was and remain absolutely against participation in the Stockholm conference. I must note that I am writing this entire letter personally on my own behalf, for I have had no opportunity either to consult the CC or even to communicate with it. Therefore, when replying to me in particular detail, attach to your letter an official, detailed, businesslike, documentary report from you (as the whole bureau) to the CC, and I will forward it.

So, I am absolutely against participation in the Stockholm conference. Kamenev's speech (have you seen *Novaya Zhizn*? you must subscribe to it) I consider the height of stupidity, if not vileness, and I have already written about this to the CC and for the press. Fortunately, Kamenev spoke only for himself and was disavowed by another Bolshevik.

I consider participation in the Stockholm conference, and in any other conference together with the ministers (and scoundrels) Chernov, Tsereteli, Skobelev and their parties, a direct betrayal, and I will come out in the press with this opinion against anyone. If in the "Zimmerwald Commission" (judging by the report of the social-chauvinist Rozanov) it was possible almost to reject or half-reject Stockholm, that is very good. But "almost" and "half" are no good at all, and this whole "semi"-social-chauvinist Zimmerwald Commission, dependent on the Italians and Ledebourites who desire "unity" with the social-chauvinists, is a most harmful institution.

(6) We are making a great, unforgivable mistake in delaying or postponing the convocation of a conference of the Left for the foundation of the Third International. Precisely now, precisely when Zimmerwald is so shamefully wavering or forced into inactivity, precisely now, while there still exists in Russia a legal (almost legal) internationalist party with more than 200,000 (240,000) members* (which nowhere else in the world exists during the war), precisely now we are obliged to convene a conference of the Left, and we shall be outright criminals if we are late in doing this (the Bolshevik party in Russia is being driven more and more underground from day to day).

Money for the conference can be found. There is the possibility of publishing several issues of its bulletin. There is a centre for it in Stockholm. There is a French "support" (*Demain*) and an English one (the Socialist Labor Party of America; its delegate, Reinstein**, was in Petrograd the other day and will probably be in Stockholm) – however, besides the S.L.P. (Socialist Labor Party of America), there is also an English support, both Tom Mann in England and the minorities there in the British Socialist Party***, and the Scottish socialists, and *The International* in America****.

It would be outright criminal to postpone the convocation of a conference of the Left now.

* 17 daily newspapers; total weekly circulation 1,415,000 copies; 320,000 per day.
** I have no idea what kind of bird this is. According to the newspapers, he greeted the "unification congress" of the Mensheviks!! So a suspicious bird.
*** – British Socialist Party. *Ed.*
**** – *The International*. *Ed.*

It would be immensely stupid to "wait" for a "large" number of participants and to be "embarrassed" that for now there are "few". For such a conference now will be an ideological force, regardless of the number of participants, whereas later it may be silenced.

The Bolsheviks, the P.S.D. [Polish Social Democrats], the Dutch, *Arbeiterpolitik*, *Demain* – this is already a sufficient nucleus. It will certainly be joined, if we act energetically, by a part of the Danes (Trier and others who left the party of the scoundrel Stauning), a part of the Swedish youth (against whom we are sinning by not leading them, for they must be led), a part of the Bulgarians, the Left in Austria ("Franz"), a part of Loriot's friends in France, a part of the Left in Switzerland (*Jugend-Internationale*) and in Italy, and then the Anglo-American elements of the movement I have already named.

The resolutions of the Bolshevik Conference (24-29 April 1917) and their Congress (VII.1917: see the resolutions in *Novaya Zhizn*)*, the draft of the new programme of this same party – this is already a sufficient ideological basis (adding *Vorbote*, *Tribune*, *Arbeiterpolitik*, etc.) to come before the whole world with clear answers to the questions of imperialism and with an accusation against the social-chauvinists and Kautskyites.

It is necessary to convene such a conference immediately, create a provisional bureau for it, print its appeal and draft resolutions in three languages for transmission to the parties.

I repeat once again: I am deeply convinced that if we do not do this now, we will make this work terribly difficult for ourselves in the future and terribly facilitate an "amnesty" for the traitors to socialism.

(7) The ministerialism of the Russian Menshevik-"Zimmerwaldists" must be used especially to put an ultimatum to the Zimmerwald movement in general: either a break with the Brantings, Huysmans & Co., or we walk out immediately. Incidentally: is *Arbeiterpolitik* conducting a campaign against Zetkin and against the Braunschweiger *Volksfreund* for the fact that these scoundrels, for intriguing purposes, whitewashed

* Refers to the resolutions of the Seventh (April) Conference and the Sixth Congress of the RSDLP(b) (see "The CPSU in Resolutions and Decisions of Congresses, Conferences, and Plenums of the CC", 7th ed., Part I, 1954, pp. 335-353 and 372-389). *Ed.*

and supported the Russian Mensheviks, Chkheidze & Co., who turned out to be ministerial scum like Sembat, Renaudel, Thomas & Co.?

Has even Mehring not yet understood all the vileness of Chkheidze, Tsereteli, Skobelev & Co.?

(8) It is necessary to arrange the forwarding of your letters here – I hope to receive immediately a letter as detailed as mine (otherwise I do not agree to the correspondence) – and literature: at least from the middle of June, complete sets of *Arbeiterpolitik*, *Demain*, *Kampf* (Duisburg), *Weekly People* (S.L.P.), *Leipziger Volkszeitung*, *Neue Zeit*, *The Call*, and others. Spartacus, publications of Loriot and his friends, *Avanti!*, and so on and so forth. To begin with, at least send clippings.

(9) You must send here, as far as possible weekly, firstly, articles for the provincial and Petrograd party press (reviews of the Left movement abroad, facts, facts, facts); secondly, leaflets (of 4-8-16 pages) for publication as small pamphlets. Summaries of facts about the collapse of the International, about the disgrace of the social-chauvinists, about the disgrace of the Kautskyites, about the growth of the Left movement: at least 4 pamphlets on each of these topics, of 16-32 pages. Facts and facts. There is hope of publishing this. Reply immediately whether you can undertake it. When sending by our method (there can be no question of legal sending now), I think it does not matter what language to write in.

(10) I hope you have a complete set of *Pravda*. You subscribe to *Novaya Zhizn*. If you do not have *Rabochy i Soldat* (closed down), *Proletarskoye Delo* (Kronstadt) and *Sotsial-Demokrat* (Moscow), then write immediately, and I will send them as soon as the new route is established, which is being tried for the first time with this letter.

P.S. 18 August. Have just received Nos. 1, 2, 4 of the new newspaper *Proletary*, the Central Organ – it will, of course, soon be closed down. I will try to send them to you. I am sending Nos. 1-7.

20 August. I still have not managed to send the letter off, and probably will not succeed very soon. So it turns into something like a diary instead of a letter! Nothing can be done about it. You must have a lot of patience and persistence if you want at all to communicate with the internationalists in the "freest" imperialist republic.

Today I learned from *Izvestia* that *Izvestia of the Stockholm Information Bureau of the Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies* is being published weekly in Stockholm. Try to send complete sets of all Stockholm publications. We see nothing.

25 August (7 September). It seems I may manage to send the letter off tomorrow. Make every effort to arrange delivery from your side. Be sure to reply immediately, even if briefly, to the address (inside your country) which will be communicated to you by the comrade who gives you this letter (or his friend). He will also give you the cipher; by way of experiment I am writing a few words in this cipher and ask you to reply to them in the same cipher*.

P.S. Also write a pamphlet, 16-32 pages, about the secret diplomatic treaties of Russia: briefly, accurately, facts, facts. Such-and-such a treaty on such-and-such a date, month, year, content such-and-such. A list of treaties. A summary. Shorter and more factual. Reply whether you will undertake it, and when you will send it.

I conclude: for God's sake, immediately a conference of the Left, a bureau of the Left, a bulletin of the bureau, and appoint a second conference in 2 (1½) months.

Greetings! Lenin

Sent from Helsingfors to Stockholm

First published in 1930 in the Lenin Miscellany XIII