LETTERS
DICTIONARY
OF THE
RUSSIAN
LANGUAGE
MAY 1921
6 V [1921]
Comrade Litkens! During the meeting, I forgot to ask you to check how things stand with the [COMM.] of the scientists compiling a dictionary (short) of the contemporary
Pushkin
Gorky)
Russian language.
I agreed on this long ago, many times, with Pokrovsky and
Lunacharsky.
Is it being done? What exactly?
Find out and write exactly.
With com. gr. Lenin.
[May 9, 1921]
Comrade Litkens! [The attached, i.e.] Your letter (regarding the dictionary) is precisely incorrect.
You are putting the administration on Pokrovsky instead
of
freeing him from administration.
administrators — to order them to search for papers (was there a resolution? Whose? When? Who is responsible?).
2) if "the matter has not progressed," find out why (if it is because of rations—how many?—then may be we will postpone until autumn)
With com. gr. Lenin.
P. S. I recall that Pokrovsky repeatedly told me, but he does not
administer.
That's the crux of it! May be you will wait for Pokrovsky to leave on vacation and then look for the papers*?
May 19 [1921] (Take advantage of Pokrovsky's vacation, so as not to burden
him with administration)**, to begin work on compiling a Russian
dictionary of the Russian language.