Lenin's note to Rykov, Trotsky, Tsyurupa

Is it likely that Bezel has refused.1 (by virtue of the decision of the Congress of Left Socialists-Revolutionaries2 to resign from the Collegiums)? And if so, who should we appoint?

Answer by A.D. Tsyurupa

Right (but for what reasons - I don't know). I cannot name a candidate, although the matter is urgent.

A.Tsyurupa.

Reply to A. I. Rykov

I can't give a candidate, but I can give a good worker in this field - Azerlyan. He is a socialist-revolutionary, but a man of unquestionable integrity and honesty.

Reply to L.D.Trotsky

I can only renew the proposal to appoint Vankov.

Trotsky.

Note by Lenin

What do you think about the candidacy ofVladimirov? 3

Answer by A.I.Rykov

I agree on Vladimirov and propose to appoint him immediately.

Rykov

P.S. He "approximately" agrees. It should be appointed in his presence (he is here now).

V.I. Nevsky's reply

I have no objection to the appointment of Vladimirov, he is quite firm, and as a deputy I propose engineer Velichka, who has entered the service from the present day.

В. Nevsky.

Reply to A. D. Tsyurupa

I quite approve of Vladimirov, but, while supporting his candidacy, I take him away from the prodovoltaic cause: he is a member of our Collegium and a member of the Central Prodovoltaic Board. His participation in the prodovoltaic cause is very important to us.

A. Tsyurupa.

Fond 2, op. 1, d. 5777 - autographs.

April 119, 1918. The Council of People's Commissars approved the decree on the establishment of the All-Russian Evacuation Commission, the left SR V.Ya.Bezel was appointed emergency commissioner of this commission (see: Decrees of Soviet power. Vol. II, pp. 140-143, 636).

2Referring to the II Congress of the Party of Left SRs, held in Moscow on April 17-25, 1918. When discussing the tasks of the party, the main problem became the participation of party members in the work of the central bodies of Soviet power in connection with the ratification by the Fourth Extraordinary All-Russian Congress of Soviets of the Brest Peace Treaty, the conclusion of which the Left Social Revolutionary Party did not recognize. The Congress approved the position of the Central Committee on the Brest Peace Treaty and the withdrawal of Party representatives from the Council of People's Commissars and the Collegiums of Commissars, but in order to "guide the general line of Soviet policy" it favored participation in the central and local organs of Soviet power in less responsible positions.

3At the end of the meeting of the Council of People's Commissars on April 23, 1918. Lenin proposed to approve M.K.Vladimirov as commissar of the All-Russian Evacuation Commission instead of the left SR Bezel, who had refused. The proposal was accepted.