Having expended considerable effort on correcting the transcription of my speech, I am compelled to address an urgent request to all comrades who wish to record my speeches for publication.

The request consists in this: never rely on stenographic or any other recording of my speeches, never chase after recording them, never publish transcriptions of my speeches.

Instead of transcriptions of my speeches, if there is any need for it, let reports about them be published. I have seen in the newspapers reports of my speeches which have been satisfactory. But I have never once seen any reasonably satisfactory transcription of my speech. Why this occurs, I do not presume to judge — whether from excessive rapidity of my speech, or from its improper construction, or from something else — but the fact remains a fact. Not a single satisfactory transcription of my speech, neither stenographic nor of any other kind, have I ever seen.

A good report about a speech is better than a poor transcription of a speech. Therefore I request: never publish any transcriptions of my speeches.

17. IV. 1919.