LETTER TO G. E. ZINOVYEV.
[December 15, 1919] To Comrade Zinoviev!
I am sending the Political Bureau’s resolution.
Two matters:
1) Peltz—urgently order 2 heavy sleighs (Kegres motor-sleighs) and 2 light sleighs for the Southern Front—urgent. Please reply.
2) Pay the utmost attention to the oil shale deposits near Yamburg.
It is of paramount importance to exert every possible effort.
•i) Do not squander or scatter the materials (barbed wire, etc.), but keep them in reserve. They will be needed—please take special note of this.
Greetings, Lepin.
Finish the article. If I don’t complete it today, do not expect a second draft.
1 The Political Bureau’s resolution of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (Bolsheviks), it seems, concerned questions related to the defense of the RSFSR.
2 Lenin completed the article “The Elections to the Constituent Assembly and the Dictatorship of the Proletariat,” intended for publication in the journal Communist International (November–December 1919), on December 16, 1919 (Works, vol. X–XIV, pp. 631–649).
“Zorit’—to ravage, to plunder, to destroy!” (an archaic Russian term). 1>а).

2SHZ
LETTER TO G. E. ZINOVYEV.
December 23, 1919 – To Comrade Zinoviev!
I have received your letter dated December 20.
O
Regarding Peter and Trotsky, please reach an agreement. It seems we must preserve and restore all defensive fortifications (they say they are already stealing wire and other materials), and devise a system of weekly mobilizations—or “alerts” or gatherings—to keep Peter constantly prepared. This requires careful and thorough consideration.
Food supplies are entirely dependent on transportation. Repair those locomotives and railcars!!
Since you’ve already taken up the issue of oil shale, that’s wonderful. But I was surprised to see that you’re writing about transporting oil shale. Oil shale cannot withstand long-distance transport—except when it comes to gas: shale yields more gas than coal. Instead, we must electrify the extraction sites themselves and establish local refineries right on site to produce petroleum from the shale.
That’s what I was told here. And I had thought that with Peter’s abundant resources, it could easily handle both the task of electrification and the process of refining into oil.
Greetings! Lenin.
NB. Could we build blockhouses to defend Peter? I’m sending a report on this topic to you and Trotsky.
Why are there so many Kegres locomotives? They say there are over 100?

P. ECONOMIC CONSTRUCTION
January 1910 – March 1920
A. INDUSTRY
March 1910 – March 1920

NOTES ON THE WORKING REPORT OF THE 3rd MEETING OF THE WORKERS OF THE MUROM CAST IRON FOUNDRY.
[March 13, 1919]
…Although our plant is small, it bears a great national responsibility. At present, we are almost the only ones in the Murom district who provide repair services for all state-owned industries in the Murom, Melenkovsky, and Sudogodsky districts of Vladimir Province, as well as in the Pavlovskiy district of Nizhny Novgorod Province… Meanwhile, despite all our efforts and concerns regarding the supply of essential fuel—not only for metal smelting, but also for the plant’s own needs—we still have been unable to secure a reliable supply of coke and firewood… If we fail to receive coke and firewood in the coming days, the plant will inevitably have to shut down—and perhaps even close altogether. As a result, repairs to waterborne transport will remain unfinished, and the necessary maintenance work on the aforementioned state-owned factories and plants will go unattended.
As for the workers themselves, despite their relatively high wages, most of them are still chronically undernourished… In our view, we, the workers of the Tor factory—who bear a task of vital national importance—should enjoy the same rations as Red Army soldiers and, in cases where food supplies in the city are insufficient, should draw upon the military reserves stored within the city…
li
★
Comrade Rudzutak! Please send me your opinion on what can be done—and what you have already done.
Leshch.
1 Comrade T. E. Rudzutak—Chairman of the Main Water Administration.

ON THE POLYGRAPHIC DEPARTMENT OF THE ALL-UNION COUNCIL OF SOVIETS.
lil01
PLAN FOR RESOLUTION NO. SPC1.
[March 15, 1919]
1) A commission tasked with consolidating and centralizing, and, if necessary, drafting a decree.
2) Statistical reports compiled by Genii, comparing the following types of enterprises:
(1) Nationalized enterprises under the administration of the Polygraphic Department;
(2) Nationalized enterprises under the administration of individual ministries;
(3) Private enterprises;
3) Task: Increase output threefold within a specified timeframe?
4) Report due in one month?
5) Work discipline.
6) Piecework.
7) The relationship between factory committees and management boards.

The Council of People’s Commissars’ resolution concerning the Polygraphic Department of the All-Union Council of Soviets was formulated based on the above plan (Protocol No. SI K Da 267, March 15, 1919). Here is the text of that resolution: “a) We propose that the polygraphic department include, as a mandatory provision in its tariff regulations, a clause on piece-rate pay. b) Establish a commission composed of representatives from the Polygraphic Department of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions and request the Presidium of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions to appoint its own representative to the commission. The commission’s tasks: Within one week, submit a draft decree on consolidation and centralization; c) Assign the Inspection Department of the All-Union Council of Soviets—with the involvement of relevant representatives—to compile, within one month, statistical data concerning nationalized enterprises under the jurisdiction of: 1) the Polygraphic Department; 2) individual ministries; 3) private enterprises. d) Also assign the Polygraphic Department, by that same deadline, to prepare a report on increasing production, on measures taken to strengthen work discipline, and on the regulation of relations between factory committees and management boards.”

ON THE NATIONALIZATION OF THE PAVLOVSKAYA ARTISAN COOPERATIVE I1.
April 9, 1910.
a.
Remind me at the SNK under Rykov2.
o.
Comrade Rykov! Is it true that the Presidium has decided to “nationalize”? If so, how exactly?
Leshch,

INDUSTRY

b.
With 7 and 0 in mind, Lexak dr o v] ya e: send a reply to the States.
1 On March 9, 1919, A. Stange, Chairman of the Factory-Enterprise in Pavlov Posad, wrote to Lenin, requesting that he order a suspension of the planned nationalization of the Pavlovskaya Artisan Cooperative—according to his information, such a move was being considered by the All-Union Council of Soviets.
2 A. I. Rykov—Chairman of the All-Union Council of Soviets.
40S3
NOTES ON THE THESIS OF A. Z. GOLZMAN *.
[April 25, 1919]
3. With regard to wages, this policy manifested itself in the support of the so‑called “egalitarian” tendency—seeking to narrow the gap in wages not only between workers and technical staff within enterprises, but also between skilled workers closely tied to the factory and workers who were largely transient and non‑permanent elements within the factory.
4. The “egalitarian” tendency in wage policy, which has deep roots among the working masses, is explained—at least in the present period—primarily by the fact that, encountering little resistance from enterprise management bodies, unskilled workers tend to increase their earnings by mechanically raising fixed tariff rates.
5. At the same time, skilled and highly skilled workers—who, in factories, often play the role of the enterprise’s intellectual core and typically serve as a reserve for expanding administrative and technical personnel—are striving to increase their earnings through enhanced labor productivity.
6. This explains why it was precisely the layer of skilled workers who first advanced—and first began to implement—the slogans: “high wages for high output,” as well as the slogans promoting incentive-based (piece‑rate and various forms of bonus) wage systems.
7. The struggle between these two tendencies—on the one hand, the tendency among semi‑peasant elements in production to pursue parasitic increases in earnings, and on the other hand, the tendency among the technical avant‑garde within enterprises—has, until recently, been resolved in favor of the former tendency, thanks to the “worker-oriented” policies of the authorities, who were reluctant to oppose—

X
the aspirations of unskilled laborers with a firm industrial program.
X The author forgot—
14. With regard to management methods themselves, >
he notes that the dictatorship of semi‑peasants and unskilled laborers led
1) to the adoption of the veche principle of voting in technical and adminis-
trative matters related to production, and 2) to the outright rejection of scientifically grounded organizational principles—principles that emphasize the rational use of machinery and human labor, requiring systematic training and learning. And they……
learn.
To combat these phenomena—or, more precisely, to counter the complete economic decline and the growing political discontent with Soviet power—it is first and foremost necessary to resolve the question: which elements in production are we intending to rely upon?
X Rely upon
17. This question must be resolved exclusively—
by the masses, trained not in the sense that we will rely on industry—
but rather by turning to the industrial elements of the working class, those connected with production and striving for new, improved methods.
21. All tendencies that undermine production—
the agrarian elements—must be countered by industrial programs and methods employed by the advanced layers of workers; the authority of Soviet power must be reinforced through the position of these advanced workers. When their position is firmly established, the demands of unskilled laborers will naturally subside.
22. To implement the measures outlined in the preceding
58, the following preliminary steps are required:
1.
Abolish the principle of majority rule and the practice of consensus in enterprise management,
with 2 “comps—
2. Establish sole management of the factory by a director—
(a director who, while bearing overall responsibility before the main council of the enterprise,
also assumes periodic (once every 1–2 weeks)
reporting obligations to the factory management, to the workers, without a vote.)
3. Grant the right to dismiss employees without prior approval from any authority whatsoever. Of course, the dismissed worker retains the right to appeal—but appeals may be directed only to the local branch of the trade union.
4.
Introduce bonus systems linked to the director’s accountability, provided, however, that bonuses are calculated from the savings achieved in the cost of production—savings generated through increased labor productivity.

INDUSTRY

5.
Extend the principle of bonus pay not only to workers, but also to all lower, middle, and upper (management) administrative and technical staff—both within the factory grounds and in central institutions. . . .
23.
Since industrial elements in production have become dispersed in the course of implementing the principles outlined in the previous 83 (see §§ 1–15)—to re‑attract them back to enterprises, the following preliminary measures are necessary:
1. Increase the wage gap between skilled and highly skilled workers on the one hand, and unskilled laborers on the other.
2. Introduce special bonus payments for improvements in production methods and work processes.
3. Strengthen the recruitment of junior administrative and technical staff from among highly skilled workers (adjusters, indicators, designers, foremen, and the like), offering them additional compensation.
24. Since the revolution not only dispersed skilled workers but also brought an end to the recruitment of new cadres, it is necessary to organize apprenticeships in factories on new foundations—rewarding, on the one hand, those who send their children to enterprises for training with state subsidies; and rewarding, on the other hand, the workers and masters whose expertise determines the success of apprenticeship programs.
da
This
This is yes, yes
This is yes
In my view, the practical conclusions are mostly acceptable. The author simply forgot that “unskilled laborers” must be taught—and encouraged—more cautiously, with the influence of the advanced workers carefully tempered.
25/IY.
Leshch.
Comrades Rykov, Tomsky, Schmidt!2
Please read it and share your thoughts, even if just in a few words.
25/1 \.
Lenin.

Golzman’s theses are titled: “Toward the Struggle for the Restoration of the Native Economy.” Lenin noted on the document’s text: “Golzman—metallurgist.”
A. Z. Golzman—member of the Presidium of the All‑Union Central Council of Trade Unions.
*
M. P. Tomsky—Chairman of the All‑Union Central Council of Workers’ and Peasants’ Defense; V. V. Schmidt—People’s Commissar of Labor.

NOTE TO V. Y. CHUBARY 1.
[May 12, 1919]
Sormovsky Plant:
So, before the war, the plant produced
20–30 locomotives per month under Kerensky.
3–4 after October 25, 1917.
2 locomotives per month.
Is that right?
And how much bread ration did each worker receive per day?
From 15 to 30 pounds per month?

Written by Lenin during a meeting of the Defense Council, while discussing V. Y. Chubary’s report on the mobilization of workers and employees of the Sormovsky Plant.