[Between 11 and 14 March 1921]

Comrade Tsyurupa. I need the following information tomorrow by 12 noon:
1) The quantity of grain and grain-fodder issued to the population, by months for 1919–1920 – three columns: food grain (prodkhleb), potatoes, and grain-fodder.
2) The quantity of grain collected by the Food Commissariat: a) by net surplus-appropriation and b) for milling; totals for 1920–1921 (for the available months so far).
3) The number of gubernias (and their quotas) that have fulfilled the surplus-appropriation (1920–21) up to a given month at 100%, and up to a given month at 75%.

Tell Seppiu² or whoever is in charge of this with you that if I do not receive it by 12 o’clock with the signature of the responsible person, I will have them locked up.

P. S. Two more things: 1) have there been any other grain collections for “services” apart from milling**,
2) are there any data on free prices (in grain) for salt, etc. (remember, I asked you about this long ago).

Lenin

¹ During the work of the commission that prepared the theses for the congress on replacing the surplus-appropriation system with a tax, Lenin inquired of Tsyurupa about the state of the grain-fodder balance. Lenin’s letter to Tsyurupa, with a request about the distribution and procurement of grain in 1919–1920, was written by Lenin no earlier than 11 March, as can be seen from a reference of the People’s Commissariat of Food, which provided data up to 10 March inclusive. This and the following document, “Calculation of the Annual Grain Requirement in the Republic,” represent the rough work done by Lenin, apparently in preparation for the resolution and report on the tax in kind.

The statistical table “On the Supply of Grain-Fodder to the Population,” sent by A. Khalatov, is printed in the appendix.

² Seppiu V. I. — was in charge of the grain-fodder department of the People’s Commissariat of Food.