V. I. Lenin

The delay in endorsing the instructions concerning food
parcels from the army {1} is an outrageous and intolerable piece of red tape.

It is necessary to ascertain who the culprits are and generally have this case investigated, first, in order to establish
responsibility, second—and most important of all—in order to work out practical measures to make a repetition of this impossible.

I therefore order the institutions listed below, who were
to have taken care of the speedy enforcement of the law on food parcels, to immediately, rigorously and carefully investigate the cause of this
red tape by collecting all relevant documents and questioning all persons
concerned and submit to the C.P.C. on Tuesday their reports together
with their proposal of practical measures for eliminating red
tape.

The institutions are:

Secretariat of the C.P.C. and Council of Defence

Central Committee of the Food Army

Food Commissariat

Military Commissariat

Commissariat for Post and Telegraph.

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Chairman, Council of People’s Commissars

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Notes:
{1}
The Council of Defence on May 24, 1919, passed a decision allowing Red
Armymen of frontline units operating in the rich grain producing districts
to send food parcels to their families in the famine-stricken areas. The
Council ordered the Central Committee of the Food Army to submit not later
than June 1 a draft of detailed instructions for the implementation of this
decision. The draft was endorsed by the Council of Defence on July 23,
1919.