23663
TELEPHONE TELEGRAM TO ALL SOVIETS,
LOCATED ON THE RAILWAY LINES
SEIZED BY THE SNOW CYCLONE*
December 23, 1918

In view of the natural disaster that has struck the Republic—the snow cyclone that has seized the roads listed in the address—it is proposed that upon receipt of this all Soviets, guided by the decree of November 3 on the obligation of snow clearance, immediately dispatch all male population from 18 to 45 years of age for clearing snow drifts on line sections and station tracks.

The Commissars attached to the heads of roads indicated in the address are to introduce piecework for repair work on locomotives and rolling stock, with a deadline through January 25 inclusive, at rates and prices of 1914, increased tenfold to twentyfold.

At the discretion of the Commissars, in order to restore disrupted train traffic for food transport and the movement of military echelons and cargo, for this same period establish bonuses: first—for the successful passage of trains through depot sections, second—for the greatest number of trains dispatched and locomotives released from depots. The People's Commissariat of Railways provides detailed instructions on the nature of the bonuses introduced to restore disrupted traffic.

Chairman of the Council of Defense
V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.

* The address lists the following roads: Moscow–Vologda, Vologda–Vyatka–Perm, Moscow–Nizhny, all lines of the Kazan, Syzran-Vyazma, Ryazan-Urals, South-Eastern, Aleksandrov, Samara-Zlatoust, and Tashkent railways.

14532
TELEGRAM TO THE EXTRAORDINARY COMMISSAR
OF THE RAILWAYS OF THE SOUTHERN FRONT VLADIMIROV
December 25, 1918

I reported your dispatch to the Council of Defense on the question of influencing the Soviets for the purpose of providing them with workers for path clearance. A resolution has been adopted, which will now be communicated by telegraph under the signature of the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars, the substance of which comes down to imposing the strictest responsibility upon the chairmen of Soviets and Committees of the Poor, and ensuring that no form of payment to workers could serve as an obstacle to the success of the work. An order for the dispatch of coal to the Ryazan-Urals railway will be issued.

Oil-fueled locomotives will be dispatched depending on the use of such locomotives on other roads and on the instructions of the Chief Oil Administration regarding oil consumption. You exercise administrative and technical authority through the railway transport districts and the railway commissars.

Chairman of the Council of
People's Commissars and Council of Defense
Printed from the original corrected and signed
Lenin by V. I. Lenin.

23734
TELEGRAM TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE TEMPORARY WORKER-
PEASANT GOVERNMENT OF UKRAINE
Kursk
December 25, 1918

I request that you immediately issue an order to all political-military commissars of the Ukrainian army and to all local Soviet organizations of the Ukrainian front-line zone for the unconditional execution of the orders of the authorized representative of the Council of People's Commissars Schlichter in matters of the export of food and sugar. Urgent export is absolutely necessary.

Chairman of the Council of
Worker-Peasant Defense
Lenin

Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin.