V. I.

Lenin

146

To:   L. D. TROTSKY

30/ IV.

Comrade Trotsky:

I have read Shatunovsky’s pamphlet, White Coal and Revolutionary Petrograd . [1]

Very weak. Nothing but rhetoric. Not the least bit of sound matter.

The only business-like hint is on page 15:

“ Outstanding hydraulics specialists believe it will take
no more than eight months to see the real fruits of this
great endeavour.”

Who is a specialist? We have none (I have asked
Krzhizhanovsky: there are none). Shatunovsky has undertaken
to write of what he knows nothing about (that’s
Krzhizhanovsky’s assessment). Apart from this unsubstantiated
remark, there’s nil in the whole pamphlet.

Let Shatunovsky give proof and set out business proposals. Otherwise, the idle talk remains what it is.

Yours,

Lenin

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Notes:
[1]
Lenin sent G. M. Krzhizhanovsky Y. M. Shatunovsky’s pamphlet
on April 24, 1921. On the cover Lenin wrote: “Comrade
Krzhizhanovsky! Your opinion? Return with your opinion. I shall send
it to Zinoviev.” On p. 14, Lenin marked off these words: “To
have electric power within a few months in order to start the
remaining plants”, and made this remark: “This looks like the gist.
How many mouths? How much power? Is this possible in practice?” On p. 15, Lenin marked off the author’s words about the
opinion of hydraulics specialists arid wrote: “Which? When and
where has this been printed?” (Central Party Archives of the
Institute of Marxism-Leninism of the C.P.S.U. Central Committee.)
On the question of possible measures to restore the economy
of Petrograd, Lenin sent an inquiry to the Chairman of the

Petrograd Soviet, G. Y. Zinoviev, on May 3 (see this volume,
Document 147).