Statement of L.D.Trotsky to the Central Committee of the RCP(B)

To the Central Committee of the RCP(B)

The conditions of my work at the fronts deprive me of the possibility of constant participation in the work of the military center and the Politburo of the Central Committee. This in turn deprives me often of the opportunity to take responsibility before the Party and the workers of the Military Department for a number of steps of the center, which I consider risky and directly dangerous violations of the military system, which we have established and approved by the Party Congress.

Considering at the same time, like the majority of the Central Committee, that my further work at the front is necessary, I ask:

(a) To release me from the title of member of the Politburo of the Central Committee and of Predrevvoensov (People's Commissariat for Military Affairs),

b) to confirm me in the rank of member of the Revolutionary Military Council.

Member of the Central Committee Trotsky.

Draft resolution of the Organizational and Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) proposed by Lenin

The Organizational and Political Bureau of the Central Committee, having considered the application of T. Trotsky1 and having thoroughly discussed this application, have come to the unanimous conclusion that they are absolutely unable to accept the resignation of T. Trotsky and to satisfy his petition. Trotsky's resignation and satisfy his petition, they are absolutely unable to do so.

The org.-and the Politburo of the TseKa will do everything in their power to make the work on the Southern Front, the most difficult, the most dangerous and the most important at the present time, which Trotsky himself has chosen, the most convenient for Trotsky and the most fruitful for the Republic. Trotsky himself. In his titles of People's Commissar of War and Predrevvoensoviet, Trotsky may well act as a member of the Revvoyensoviet of the Southern Front with that Komfront (Egorov), whom he himself appointed and whom the TseKa approved.

The Org.- and Politburo of the TseKa will give T. Trotsky a full opportunity to achieve by all means. Trotsky will be given full opportunity to pursue by all means what he considers to be a correction of the line in the military question and, if he wishes, to try to speed up the Party Congress.

Firmly convinced that the resignation of Mr. Trotsky at the present time. Trotsky's resignation at the present moment is absolutely impossible and would be the greatest harm to the Republic, the Organizational and Politburo Committees of the Tsek urged Trotsky not to agitate this question any further and to continue to perform his functions, reducing them as much as possible, if he wished, by concentrating his work on the Southern Front1*.

In view of this the Organizational and Politbureau also rejects the withdrawal of T. Trotsky from the Politburo. Trotsky's resignation from the Politburo and his retention of the post of Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic (People's Commissariat of War).

Lenin. Kamenev, Krestinsky2*. M. Kalinin.

L.Serebryakov. Stalin. Stasova3*.

Published - Opposition Bulletin, No. 12-13, June-July 1930, p. 41.

Fond 2, op. 1, d. 27051, fol. 1, 5 - autographs.

1* Before this word the draft is written by V.I.Lenin, then the paragraph and the first three signatures are written by N.N.Krestinsky

2* Further signatures of M.I.Kalinin and L.P.Serebryakov are autographs.

3* Signatures of I.V.Stalin and E.D.Stasova - Stasova's autograph.

1The minutes of the joint meeting of the Polit and Orgburo are missing. There are only the minutes of the meeting of the Orgburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) for July 5, 1919, but there is no record of consideration of L.D.Trotsky's application.

See also docs. 181, 182.