V. I. Lenin

A Concession on the Great Northern Railway {1}

Draft Decision for the C.P.C.

1) The C.P.C. finds the direction of the railway and its
general plan acceptable; 2)considers a concession to representatives of foreign
capital generally, as a matter of principle, permissible in the interests
of developing the country’s productive forces; 3)considers the present concession to be desirable and its
implementation a practical necessity; 4)to speed up a practical and final decision on this
question, its sponsors to be asked to produce evidence of their declared
contacts with solid capitalist firms capable of handling this job and
shipping the materials; 5)an ad hoc commission to be directed to submit a final
draft contract within a fortnight; 6)the Military Commissariat to be instructed within a
fortnight to give its findings from the strategic and military point of
view.

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Notes:
{1}
The question of granting a concession to build the Great Northern
Railway was discussed at a meeting of the C.P.C. on February 4, 1919. The
Council adopted Lenin’s motion with certain amendments.

Accordingto the project of the concession’s sponsors the new line was to link the Oh with Petrograd and Murmank via Kotlas. No
contract for this railway was concluded.