Lomov referred with extraordinary wit to my speech in which I demanded that the Central Committee be capable of pursuing a homogeneous line. This does not mean that everyone in the Central Committee should have the same conviction. To think so would mean moving toward a split, which is why I proposed to the Congress not to accept such a statement in order to give comrades the opportunity, after consulting with their local organizations, to think through their decision. I myself was in the Central Committee in such a position at the time when the proposal not to sign peace was being adopted, and I remained silent, in no way closing my eyes to the fact that I do not accept responsibility for this. Each member of the Central Committee has the opportunity to relieve himself of responsibility without leaving its ranks and without causing a scandal. Of course, under certain conditions, comrades, this is permissible, sometimes it is inevitable, but that it should be necessary now, with this organization of Soviet power that gives us the opportunity to check ourselves, to see how much we have not lost contact with the masses — in this I have doubts. I think that if the question about Vynnychenko arises, comrades can defend their point of view without leaving the Central Committee. If we are to stand on the point of view of preparation for revolutionary war and on the point of view of maneuvering, then for this it is necessary to enter the Central Committee, one can declare that disagreements have arisen from below, we have the absolute right to declare this. There is not the slightest danger that history will place responsibility on Uritsky and Lomov for not renouncing the title of members of the Central Committee. We must make an attempt to find some restraint in order to put out of fashion the withdrawal from the Central Committee. It must be said that the Congress expresses hope that comrades will formulate their disagreement through their protests, but not through withdrawals from the Central Committee, and, taking this statement of theirs into account, they will reject the removal of the candidacy of a group of comrades and will proceed with elections, inviting them to withdraw their statements.