V. I.

Lenin

222

To:   F. E. DZERZHINSKY

21. XII. 1918

To the Vecheka

Comrade Dzerzhinsky, I enclose a complaint.

Please find out without fail who is responsible for this
red tape ( no reply from 3.XII to 20. XIII! Yet the decree
is dated 21. XI!!! ) and prosecute. [1] Such a disgraceful thing must not be allowed to go unpunished. Apparently there
are saboteurs in the office.

Further, you must appoint a person to take charge of the speedy, immediate transfer of the warehouses.

Report what you have done.

Greetings, Yours, Lenin

---
Notes:
[1]
This refers to the transfer to the People’s Commissariat for Food
of warehouses of industrial and handicraft products, which
were at the disposal of the All-Russia Extraordinary
Commission (Vecheka). The transfer was to have been made
in pursuance of the decree on the organisation of supplies
for the population adopted by the Council of People’s Commissars
on November 21, 1918. On December 3, 1918, the Food
Commissariat asked the Vecheka to turn over the warehouses to the Chief
Board for Distribution of Products, but up to December 20 this
request remained without reply. On December 20, the Food
Commissariat applied to the Council of Defence concerning this
matter.