16 (29). I. 1918

The Russian subject Samuel Hatkin (Samuel Hatkin), who lived in Riga in 1906 and became acquainted there with Platten, who vouches for him, requests permission to enter Russia.

I ask you to grant him entry.

Lenin

[20 January (2 February) 1918]
Petrograd, Sunday.
(Folkets Dagblad Politiken Bureau.
Telegram received with delay).
Yesterday in the afternoon Lenin received your correspondent and had a lengthy conversation with him.
He reported that for two days already Smolny has had no contact
with Brest-Litovsk. No information has been received from there during this time. T R O T S K Y sits there as if in the Peter
fortress. This proves that the Germans want to hide something.
Certainly, the internal situation in Germany must be critical. It is possible that by such behavior they also want to influence the Russians, but they are mistaken. Trotsky will not allow himself to be seduced by such methods. We too will take measures to change this situation.
Regarding the internal situation in Russia, Lenin was especially full of hope.
On the Don we are masters of the situation. Kiev is ours. We have just received news that Orenburg has been taken by Bolshevik forces and that the Cossacks under General Dutorov's command have suffered a heavy defeat. Forty Cossack regiments have declared war on Kaledin. One fine day he will possibly be delivered here as a prisoner. From the military point of view, therefore, we have superiority everywhere in the country. Even sabotage by the bourgeoisie is receding. The organization of all groups of employees has just decided to begin negotiations with Smolny for the purpose of resuming work at all state enterprises. In addition to this, work is being conducted on the nationalization of the means of production. Very recently the leather industry was nationalized, just as the metallurgical industry had been nationalized before; they are managed jointly by workers and capitalists with the decisive influence of the former. And the grain question is beginning to clarify itself. Yesterday a Siberian delegation was at Smolny, which promised effective support from Siberia, where there is grain in abundance. Yesterday two whole railway trains with grain, rice, and other foodstuffs arrived from Siberia. Opposition from the Mensheviks and right Socialist-Revolutionaries is becoming less and less significant. At the large Congress of Soviets they were in a dwindling minority. Their best forces will apparently gradually go over to us, as some of them did earlier. What is especially important to note from the results of the Congress of Soviets is that the overwhelming majority of the Russian people supports the revolution.
Regarding Finland, Lenin expressed his satisfaction with the revolution. All southern Finland is in the hands of workers. Tampere, which was reported to have been taken by the White Guards, at least still on Saturday remained in the hands of the Red Guard. In Oulu, on the other hand, the White Guards inflicted a defeat on the Reds. The White Guard, which appears to be partially headed by German officers, has also declared war on the Bolsheviks.
There are also good reports from Romania.
News that the king has been overthrown has of course not yet been confirmed, but it is not impossible that this has actually happened.
Yes, we will soon finish with the small states, said Lenin with his good-natured, sarcastic smile. If only everything goes well in Germany after that.
In conclusion, to the correspondent's question about his health, Lenin replied that he feels splendid, despite the enormous burden of work, which leaves him almost no time for sleep.
I have only one dream, he said, to rest for even half an hour.
Printed from the newspaper "Folkets Dagblad Politiken"
Translation from Swedish