1919

excessive demands from central authorities without relation to the actual needs of the localities and any verification on the ground, which had the direct consequence of unproductive diversion of labor, clogging of transport, return of many harvesting detachments and the need to compensate such unused detachments with both wages and food at the expense of the People's Commissariat for Food.

Particularly indiscriminate and excessive demands were made by the Saratov, Samara, and Ufa provincial food committees, in particular, the Saratov Revolutionary Committee, from which demands for tens of thousands of workers were received, but in fact, only a few thousand were used. It was discovered that the district authorities were so unaware of the dispatch of harvesting detachments that the arrival of detachments caused inquiries about their purpose, clearly indicating a lack of minimal coherence and communication in this event between the provincial centers and the districts.

Drawing particular attention of local authorities of Soviet power to the experience of the past harvest campaign, the Council of Workers' and Peasants' Defense demands henceforth extreme caution and accuracy when requesting labor for any reason and warns of the strictest accountability henceforth for persons guilty of submitting unverified requests for labor that do not correspond to actual needs.

Chairman of the Council of Workers' and Peasants' Defense

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Printed according to the original, signed by V.I. Lenin.

TELEGRAM TO THE REVOLUTIONARY MILITARY COUNCIL OF THE 5TH ARMY
copy TO THE REVOLUTIONARY MILITARY COUNCIL OF THE EASTERN FRONT*
October 21, 1919

Frumkin conveyed to me your thoughts about the uselessness of the Eastern Front. Repeat more precisely. We desperately need command personnel.

* On the margins of the original, written by V.I. Lenin, there is his note: "all in cipher."

Then report how much troops you can give and when to the Southern Front given the offensive that has begun with you.

Chairman of the Council of Defense
Lenin

TELEGRAM TO THE REVOLUTIONARY MILITARY COUNCIL OF THE WESTERN FRONT*
October 21, 1919

Reports are coming in about the fraternization of Polish soldiers with ours. Check more precisely and report what measures you are taking to completely neutralize deceivers or enemy tricks, so that only completely useful people or commissars participate in the fraternization. Report everything known to you about the mood of the Polish soldiers.

Chairman of the Council of Defense
Lenin
24783

TELEGRAM TO PROVINCIAL FOOD COMMITTEES
October 21, 1919

The reporting data from the field on the procurement of oilseeds paint a dire picture in the near future for the supply of vegetable fats to the Red Army. Old stocks are exhausted. State oil mills are idle due to the complete absence of seeds in them. We propose that local food authorities pay the most serious attention to the procurement of oilseeds, and take all measures for increased procurement along with other grains.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars
Lenin

Printed according to the original, signed by V.I. Lenin.

* On the margins of the original, written by V.I. Lenin, there is his note: "all in cipher."