6 May 1919

To Comrades Stalin, Sklyanski, and Dzerzhinski for a report to the Council of Defense.

Lenin

* The author of the letter, pointing out the swelling of staffs in soviet institutions, among other measures for reducing the number of officials, recommended "obliging the State Control at the center and all its organs locally not to approve appropriations for salaries according to pay warrants without the presentation of: 1) a certificate of years of service, 2) when of conscription age, the mandatory attachment to the warrant of a certificate of appearance for military conscription." These measures, in the author's opinion, could have resulted in the release of considerable cadres of officials who could then be directed to the army or to service its needs.

# TELEGRAM TO THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE COUNCIL OF DEFENSE, BELOBORODOV

Kozlov

To the Revolutionary War Council of the Southern Front for immediate transmission to Army Headquarters IX
to Beloborodov—representative of the Council of Defense
or wherever he may be

6 May 1919

I am extremely surprised that in your second telegram there is not a word about the progress of the matter entrusted to you*. Acceleration is absolutely necessary. Make haste and push everyone. Report in more detail.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars
Lenin

# TELEGRAM TO THE CHAIRMAN OF THE PETROGRAD SOVIET

7 May 1919

Drezen, the representative of the Central Supply Administration** in Petrograd, has received the commission, on the basis of a decision of the Council of Defense, to inspect the warehouses of all departments and to utilize the military property stored in them. Render him every possible assistance, force the matter to be carried out more energetically, ensure precise execution following the Moscow model***.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars
Lenin

** Central Supply Administration of the Red Army.
*** The speech concerns the suppression of a White Guard uprising of Cossacks on the Don. See the present collection, pp. 121, 122.
*** Printed from the original signed by V. I. Lenin. The words "following the Moscow model" were added in his handwriting.