Today Stalin arrived, brought news of three major victories of our troops near Tsaritsyn; one victory 10 versts from Tsaritsyn, another – the destruction of 4 enemy regiments by the steppe army at Svetly Yar, which, as it turns out, was summoned by the Tsaritsyn people, and a third – near Muzga, where likewise 4 enemy regiments were destroyed. 
Stalin persuaded Voroshilov and Minin, whom he considers very valuable and irreplaceable workers, not to leave and to submit fully to the orders of the Centre; 
the sole reason for their dissatisfaction, according to him, is the extreme delay in and failure to send shells and cartridges, because of which the two-hundred-thousand-strong and excellently disposed Caucasian Army is also perishing. 
Stalin very much wishes to work on the Southern Front; he expresses great apprehension that people who know this front little will make mistakes, of which he gives numerous examples. 
Stalin hopes that in the course of work he will succeed in convincing of the correctness of his view, and does not present an ultimatum for the removal of Sytin and Mekhonoshin, agreeing to work together with them on the Revolutionary Military Council of the Southern Front, also expressing a desire to be a member of the Higher Military Council of the Republic. 
Informing you, Lev Davydovich, of all these statements by Stalin, I ask you to consider them and reply, firstly, whether you agree to have a personal explanation with Stalin, for which purpose he is willing to come, and secondly, whether you consider it possible, on certain specific conditions, to eliminate the previous friction and establish joint work, which Stalin so desires. 
As for me, I believe that every effort must be made to arrange joint work with Stalin.