[February 22, 1920]

Kharkov to Manuilsky
Headquarters of the South-Western Front
February 22, 1920
Sapronov is wrong, for before shifting the center of gravity to
the middle peasant, one must first, that is, before that, organize
the poor peasants. This is absolutely necessary to do, and it would be best
to do this not in the form of Committees of Poor Peasants, but in the form of Soviets,
composed exclusively of poor peasants and middle peasants, with special measures
on our part for the protection of the interests of the poor peasants and for the collection
of grain. I asked you about transport, because the main task
now is to accelerate the transport of troops and finish off Denikin. We must mobilize
the workers for this and at all costs quickly bring many troops and retake Rostov. I ask Stalin to answer me
whether he is taking all measures.
Lenin