The Foreign Collegium of the Central Committee of the RSDLP resolves to adopt the proposal put forward by Comrade Robert Grimm regarding the return of emigrants wishing to return to their homeland via Germany{50}.

The Foreign Collegium of the Central Committee notes:

(1) That negotiations were conducted by Comrade R. Grimm with a member of the government of a neutral country—Minister Hofmann—who deemed it impossible for Switzerland to intervene officially, solely because the British government would undoubtedly regard such intervention as a breach of neutrality, given that Britain is determined not to allow internationalists to pass through its territory; (2) That Comrade R. Grimm’s proposal is entirely acceptable, since freedom of passage is guaranteed regardless of political orientation, irrespective of one’s stance on the question of “defense of the fatherland,” on whether Russia should continue the war or seek peace, and so forth; (3) That this proposal is grounded in a plan to exchange Russian emigrants for Germans interned in Russia—and that emigrants have no reason whatsoever to refrain from agitating for such an exchange within Russia; (4) That Comrade R. Grimm has conveyed this proposal to representatives of all factions within the political emigration, stating on his own behalf that, under the current circumstances, this is the only viable path—and that it is fully acceptable given the prevailing conditions; (5) That we have done everything in our power to persuade representatives of the various factions of the necessity of embracing this proposal and of the absolute impermissibility of further delays; (6) That, regrettably, representatives of certain factions are advocating for continued delays—a decision which we cannot but regard as profoundly mistaken and as inflicting the gravest harm upon the revolutionary movement in Russia.

Based on these considerations, the Foreign Collegium of the Central Committee resolves to inform all members of our party of our acceptance of the proposal and of the need for immediate departure; to invite them to register those who wish to travel; and to transmit a copy of this resolution to representatives of the other factions. Zurich, March 31, 1917.

Published in 1917 in the leaflet “Minutes of the Meeting of Members of the RSDLP Party United Under the Central Committee, April 8, 1917.”

Printed from manuscript.

The first page of V. I. Lenin’s manuscript “Farewell Letter to the Swiss Workers.” – March 26 (April 8), 1917 (Reduced).