V. I.

Lenin

244

To:   V. A. SMOLYANINOV [1]

1

Comrade Smolyaninov:

I very much fear that Lezhava’s optimism is groundless .
Ask for the facts and check them. Do the checking personally and twice . Then have a direct-line talk with
Chutskayev and Ivan Nikitich Smirnov. Otherwise I will not
believe that the matter has been secured .

11/VII.

Lenin

| Written on July 11, 1921 | |
| --- | --- |
| First published in 1932 in Lenin Miscellany XX | |
| Printed from the original | |

2

Comrade Smolyaninov:

This is a matter of exceptional importance and urgency .
You are responsible for its execution. Press on with it in
every possible way. Krasin will be here on 13/VII. Place
before the C.L.D. before 13/VII.

11/VII.

Lenin

| Written on July 11, 1921 | |
| --- | --- |
| First published in 1959 in Lenin Miscellany XXXVI | |
| Printed from the original | |

---
Notes:
[1]
The notes to V. A. Smolyaninov were written in connection with
the fitting out of the Kara expedition to deliver goods to the
mouth of the Ob and the Yenisei in Siberia for commodity exchange
with a Swedish company. S. Y. Chutskayev, Deputy
Chairman of the Siberian Revolutionary Committee, in a telegram to
Lenin on July 8, 1921, expressed doubt concerning the successful outcome of the Kara expedition, in view of L. B. Krasin’s
cancellation of the agreement with the Swedes and the purchases
of goods from the British.

On July 14, 1921, on Lenin’s assignment, V. A. Smolyaninov,
together with L. B. Krasin, wrote a reply to Chutskayev
informing him of the measures taken to ensure the expedition,