V. I.

Lenin

Comrade Bukharin’s report in
Spartak [1] about the “narrow” congress that is to be called to adopt a programme
shows how pressing this matter is.

It really is an urgent matter.

Our Party is ahead of the other internationalist parties; this
is a fact now.

And it is in duty bound to take the initiative, to come forward
with a programme answering questions about imperialism.

It will be a scandal and a shame if we do not do this.

I propose that the Central Committee resolve that:

“ Every Party organisation immediately appoint one or several
committees to draft the programme; they, along with all
theoreticians or writers, etc., should give precedence to this
matter, and present either drafts of their own, or changes and
amendments to other drafts, not later than within three to seven
days.”

This is perfectly feasible, given perseverance.

It will take a couple of weeks to collect and print the drafts
or circulate them to the main organisations in typewritten
form.

Then we must immediately announce the calling of a narrow
congress (one delegate to 4,000 or 5,000 members)
in a month from now —for the purpose of adopting the programme.

Our Party must come forward with a programme— that is the
only way we can promote the cause of the Third International in
deeds instead of words.

Everything else is empty phrases, empty promises, and postponement to the Greek calends. Once we take the initiative,
we shall speed up work on all sides, and only then shall we
prepare the programme of the Third International.

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Notes:
[1]
Spartak (Spartacus)—theoretical journal of the Moscow Regional
Bureau, Moscow Committee and (beginning with issue No. 2)
Moscow District Committee of the R.S.D.L.P.(B.), published in
Moscow from May 20 (June 2) to October 29 (November 11), 1917.