Comrade Ioffe!

Sokolnikov and Bukharin, and it seems, Larin too 106, are on their way to you. I am taking this opportunity to give you some advance warning. I am sitting in a meeting of the “departing” (without Larin). I hear speeches objecting to the idea that “Ioffe is moving the People’s Commissariat of Foreign Affairs to Berlin.”

The friction between you and Chicherin is sometimes exploited—more unconsciously than consciously—in ways that aggravate or tend to aggravate this friction.

I am sure you will be on your guard and will not allow this friction to be aggravated. I have followed your letters closely and am absolutely convinced that this friction is minor (chaos is everywhere, carelessness is everywhere—in all commissariats—and this evil is slow to be cured). Patience and persistence, and the friction will be smoothed out. Chicherin is an excellent worker, your line fully and loyally implements the Brest Treaty, you already have successes in my opinion—and therefore it follows that we can easily smooth out the friction.

If the German merchants see the economic benefits, realizing that they cannot get anything out of us by war, that we will burn everything—then your policy will continue to succeed. We will be able to supply the Germans with raw materials. In an important case—send copies of your precise demands to me. Set up a direct wire as quickly as possible.

Bukharin is loyal, but has gone off the deep end into “leftist foolishness” to an appalling degree. Sokolnikov has lost his bearings again. Larin is a vacillating intellectual, a first‑class blunderer. Therefore, be extra vigilant with all these extremely pleasant and most splendid delegates. Sokolnikov is an extremely valuable worker, but sometimes (and precisely now) something “comes over him” and he “breaks the dishes” for the sake of paradoxes. If you do not take precautions, he will break a lot of dishes there at your place. And Bukharin—three times as much. Prenez garde!*

I hope that Krasin and Ganetsky, as practical business people, will help you and that the entire matter will work out.

Thank you for the “supplement” to your letter. I am expecting more. Best greetings.

Yours,

Lenin

P.S.

NB: Among the Russian Bolsheviks taken prisoner by Germany (Zivilgefangene**) was Popov from Brussels, captured in Belgium. Could he be found and taken into service? 107

P.P.S. By courier—not by mail—try to send the enclosed to Switzerland 108.

* At the top of the document, V.I. Lenin wrote: “If it is not possible to convey this at once by telephone to Petrograd, then by direct wire.”—Ed.

** Civilian prisoners.