1920

Provide the necessary means of transport and communication (postal, telegraphic, and messenger) for the delivery of census materials and the movement of statisticians. Make available to the Gubstatburo printing presses, paper for printing census forms, stationery, and packing materials; provide premises fully equipped with fuel, lighting, and inventory. Issue an urgent order to city, volost, and village Soviet institutions for unfailing cooperation with the Central Statistical Administration and its bodies, and all persons involved in the census. No less than once a week, and more often for urgent resolution of issues, the chairman of the Gubernia Executive Committee receives reports from the heads of the Gubstatburo on the state of affairs regarding the census and the measures taken to organize its planned production. For insufficiently energetic assistance to the upcoming censuses, which are of paramount importance for the construction of the Soviet Republic, the guilty parties will be brought to trial by the Revolutionary Tribunal in a particularly expedited manner, regardless of the position they hold.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars
Lenin

Printed from the original, signed by V. I. Lenin.
23917

LETTER TO M. N. POKROVSKY

May 5, 1920

Comrade Pokrovsky!

I happened to have a conversation with Comrade Lunacharsky about the necessity of publishing a good dictionary of the Russian language. Not like Dahl's, but a dictionary for use (and learning) by all, a dictionary, so to speak, of classical, modern Russian language (from Pushkin to Gorky, roughly). To put 30 scholars or however many are needed on rations, taking, of course, those unfit for other work—and let them do it.

Lunacharsky said that he had already thought about this and that it is either being done or will be done.

Be so kind as to check if it is being done, and drop me a line*.

Yours, Lenin

* Letters by V. I. Lenin about the dictionary of the Russian language, see also in Lenin Miscellany XX, pp. 315–316.

RESOLUTION ON P. E. GUKOVSKY'S TELEGRAM*

May 6, 1920

Add that Litvinov is sending a warning in the same vein.

Resend in cipher to the military in Piter, with the instruction to not disclose it for the time being.

NOTES FOR THE MEETING OF THE PRESIDIUM OF VTsIK

May 6, 1920

The case of the Trans-Volga Military District (Samara Military District) in VTsIK.

Frunze called Ivanov (chairman of the commission that conducted the investigation in Samara) a White Guardist (Frunze is interested in exonerating himself—de): I protested, because Ivanov is a member of the Party. But Stalin said that he, Stalin, also declares that Ivanov is a White Guardist.

(Frunze has appealed and demands an investigation of the investigative commission.)

In Samara, the Gubkompart arrested the chairman of the ChK; he was transferred here, and now the chairman of the ChK states that the Gubkom was preparing a new Sapozhkovshchina**.

The ChK accuses Ivanov of being a troublemaker.

The Orgburo recalled Ratner, head of the special department of the Trans-Volga Military District (and this head, Ratner, was exposing abuses).

Avksentievsky and others are heavily implicated.

The case will be in the Presidium of VTsIK on Thursday, May 12.

* In a telegram dated May 5, the Soviet plenipotentiary representative in Estonia, I. E. Gukovsky, reported on Finland's increased military preparations and the possibility of its attack on Soviet Russia.
** See this collection, p. 341.