V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:LS/v24
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

NOTES ON A TELEGRAM FROM THE COMMANDER
OF THE 11th CAVALRY DIVISION¹

[Not earlier than November 3, 1919]

In the days of the incredible strain on our fighting forces of the Southern Front, which are advancing victoriously, the most serious threat is the chaotic state of railway transport at the points: Kozlov—Riazhsk, Kozlov—Griazi. No measures against railway sabotage, which at times borders on treason, are effective. A vicious circle has arisen: one railwayman shifts his duties onto another, mutual insubordination, trains standing for several days before the semaphore. There was a case when a railwayman, sent to open the semaphore, simply went to sleep. All this makes it almost impossible to carry out urgent operational assignments....
*
To Krasin²: What have you done?
Have you ordered an investigation?
The text of the telegram is on two pages. Sending the telegram with his note (above the text of the telegram) to Krasin, Lenin numbered the pages of the telegram, marking on the first page: see p. 2. The underlinings in the text of Krasin's reply were made by Lenin.
*
² L. B. Krasin — Chairman of the Extraordinary Commission for the Supply of the Red Army and People's Commissar for Railways (from the autumn of 1919).