V. I.

Lenin

526

To:   THE MEMBERS OF THE POLITICAL BUREAU, C.C., R.C.P.(B.) [1]

Krestinsky and L. B. Kamenev

To the members of the Politbureau:

I am against summoning Stalin. He is cavilling. The
Commander-in-Chief is quite right: first of all we must
defeat Denikin, then pass to a state of peace.

I suggest replying to Stalin: “The Politbureau cannot summon you at present, as it considers that the most
important and urgent task is to achieve final victory over
Denikin, for which you must step up reinforcements to the
Caucasian Front with the utmost energy.”

Lenin

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Notes:
[1]
Stalin wired Lenin on February 18, 1920, that he disagreed with
the order of the Commander-in-Chief to detach units of the
Ukrainian Labour Army for reinforcing the front and asked to be
summoned to Moscow to clear the matter up. On February 19, a
telegram in reply signed by Lenin was sent to Stalin worded
according to the text quoted in the present note.