V. I.

Lenin

278

To:   L. B. KAMENEV [1]

12. III. 1919

Comrade Kamenev, The bearers are comrades from Sarapul Uyezd, Vyatka
Gubernia.

They have brought us and Petrograd 40,000 poods of grain each. This is such a remarkable feat that it ,fully
deserves quite special congratulations. The comrades, by
the way, ask to be put in touch with the trade unions.
Please arrange as soon as possible for them to make a report
in the Soviet. A paragraph about it should also be given
to the press. Please phone me when you get this note, and
then send the bearers to Schmidt and Tomsky.

Greetings, Lenin

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Notes:
[1]
On January 29, 1919, the Second Congress of Soviets of Sarapul
Uyezd, Vyatka Gubernia, adopted a decision to collect grain in
all villages of the uyezd as a gift to Moscow and Petrograd, The
Congress decided that the gift of 40,000 poods of grain for Moscow
“be dispatched and presented personally to our dear and beloved
leader, Comrade Lenin”. Lenin’s note was written following his
reception of the delegation of Sarapul peasants who had
accompanied the train-load of grain. It was written, apparently, not on
March 12 as indicated in the document, but on March 11, 1919.
This is borne out by the following circumstances. Already on
March 12 Pravda No. 55 reported that Kamenev, speaking at a
plenary meeting of the Moscow Soviet on March 11, said: “I
received a letter from Comrade Lenin who had been visited by
representatives of Sarapul Uyezd, Vyatka Gubernia, who had brought
40,000 poods of grain as a gift to Moscow. These delegates are
present at this meeting.” The mistake about the date is also
evident from the fact that on March 12 Lenin was in Petrograd,
where he addressed a meeting of the Petrograd Soviet in the
Taurida Palace (see present edition, Vol. 29, pp. 19–37). Lenin
himself, speaking on March 13, 1919, at a meeting in the
People’s House in Petrograd, said: “Only a few days ago a
delegation of peasants representing five volosts in Sarapul Uyezd
came to see me” (ibid., p. 47).