V. I.

Lenin

175

TELEGRAM ON THE OCCASION OF THE CAPTURE OF SAMARA

Samara has been captured. The Volga is free. It would be criminal not to make use of the few days remaining
before navigation closes. It is essential to strain every
effort to deliver the maximum quantity of oil and food cargoes to the upper reaches of the Volga. This task cannot
be performed without the strictest centralisation of all
measures, and the precise fulfilment in the localities of
orders from the centre. Taking this into account, the
Council of People’s Commissars resolves, and orders the
fulfilment without fail:

(1) All vessels, rafts, etc., commandeered by various organisations shall be returned immediately to the Central Inland Waterways Board and the Central Oil Board
respectively. (This does not apply to the vessels and floating
transport already included in the Volga Military Flotilla.)

(2) The right of requisitioning vessels, rafts, etc., on the
Volga, previously granted to various organisations, institutions and individuals, is annulled. The requisitioning
of floating moans of transport required for military purposes shall henceforth take place on each occasion only by
special permission of the Revolutionary Military Council
of the Republic.

(3) All Commanders of Fronts, Extraordinary
Commissions and Soviets shall immediately take the most stringent
measures to ensure the unhindered movement of vessels and
the protection of cargoes against any seizures and delays
whatsoever.

(4) The control of the entire Volga tanker fleet and all
oil cargoes on the Volga is vested exclusively in the
Central Oil Board. (Telegraphic address: Glavkoneft , Moscow.)
All authorities, including the military and Front
Commanders, are instructed to carry out without question all
decisions of the Central Oil Board concerning the movement of
oil cargoes, and decisions of the Central Inland Waterways Board concerning vessels.

(5) The direct control of oil cargoes along the whole
Volga is vested in Comrade Tarvid, member of the Collegium of the Central Oil Board . All his instructions, and
likewise those of his agents, regarding oil are absolutely
binding on all authorities.

(6) All decisions as to requisitioning or prohibition of
dispatch of oil, etc., published up to this day, remain
in force only insofar as they do not contradict the instructions of the Central Oil Board .

(7) Most strictly confirming the aforesaid, the Council of People’s Commissars has decided to prosecute before
military-revolutionary courts all who infringe the present
decision, without regard to their posts or their Party membership. Agents of the Central Oil Board, the Central Inland Waterways Board and the Commissariat of food in the
localities are instructed to report to Moscow urgently all
actions by local authorities which interfere with the planned
work of these centres. Extraordinary Commissions will be
dispatched immediately to try the guilty and carry out the sentences.

(8) The content of the present decision of the Council of People’s Commissars is to be made known to all local
executive bodies and persons in official positions.

Lenin
Chairman, Council of People’s Commissars

Kremlin, Moscow
October 9, 1918

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