29/IV.

Comrade Dzerzhinsky!

Ivan Ivanovich Skvortson-Stepanov has arrived (from a tour of inspection of localities). He reports: a grave threat to transport—both rail and water.

First, the bagmen are taking over completely.

Second, Soviet bureaucrats on the railways are sending dozens of cars everywhere for "commissions." Pretext: official business. In reality: they engage in bagman-ism. The Soviet bureaucrats feed themselves.

Railway employees are, it seems, entirely bagmen. Speculators. Urgent measures must be taken. Drop a line or two regarding this matter.245

Your Lenin

Written 29 April 1921

First published in 1959 in Lenin Miscellany XXXVI

Printed from the manuscript