AND NOTE TO E. M. SKLYANSKY

Secret. Make 2 copies and send one to Comrade Sklyansky with this note:

Comrade Sklyansky! From this it is evident that they are shifting the blame from the sick head to the healthy one. There must not be a single combat-capable unit against Mamontov: this is outright disgrace and complete negligence on the part of the Revolutionary Military Council or complete oversight.

Measures must be taken more energetically!

Lenin

To Sklyansky. Review it yourself to ensure everything is secret*.

Addition: The railway workers say that our units against Mamontov are afraid to climb out of the railway cars.

By sending such units, the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic is bringing shame upon itself.

* The text "To Sklyansky. Review it yourself to ensure everything is secret" was crossed out in the manuscript, apparently by E. M. Sklyansky. —Ed.

Written at the end of August 1919

First published in 1942 in Lenin Miscellany XXXIV

Printed from the manuscript