NOTES ON THE TELEGRAM FROM MEMBERS OF THE BASHKIR REVOLUTIONARY COMMITTEE
[No later than November 4, 1919]
The copy of the telegram transmitted by the Ufa Provincial Revolutionary Committee serves as a striking example of a political fact—on the part of our comrades in Ufa—up to this point unable to grasp that a harsh reprimand directed at the government of the autonomous republic does not fall within the scope of their authority. The conduct of Ufa has consistently only served to fan the flames. The strife in Sterlitamak, deliberately intensified under the influence of the central authorities, inevitably leads to one-sided, biased reporting from the district level. For instance, Telegram No. JVS 265 was dispatched in direct contradiction to the statement made by VCIK representative Samoilov, who had announced that the local party committees in Ufa had resolved to undertake efforts to improve relations between the organs of both republics in Sterlitamak—and that the results would be reported without delay. At the very moment the telegram was sent, Ufa had just convened a joint meeting of the party committees in Sterlitamak, outlining a series of practical measures aimed at fostering a more constructive and harmonious atmosphere. Meanwhile, Ufa hastened to transform the seizure of free furniture hidden in the storeroom of the grain collection point into the wholesale seizure of grain collection points and commodity warehouses. We urge Ufa to refrain from interfering with the developing cooperation among local workers, to cease its displays of provincial, militant great-power chauvinism, and to commit itself to informing the central authorities only after first consulting with the representatives of the Bashkir Central Executive Committee in the CEC. Samoilov. Yumagulov.
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Bričkinoy: Investigation into the telegrams concerning the seizures—collect
See these telegrams
1) in my possession—
2) in the hands of Vladimirsky¹
3) in the custody of Krestinsky.
1 M. F. Vladimirsky served as Deputy People’s Commissar for Food in 1919.