2 3 4 

The "fusion" of trade union and industrial apparatuses, the excessive "appointment-ism" and "administration" widely practiced by G. Pyatakov led to acute discontent among the workers. An attempt by the board of the coal industry to remove workers' supply from the hands of the trade unions and transfer it to the junior administrative staff provoked a protest from the trade unionists, who believed that only their control ensured that workers received products and that they were fairly distributed. In a response telegram to Lenin, G. Pyatakov defended his point of view, and Lenin turned to Artyom for a review. In a letter of July 10, Artyom, on the issue of worker supply, spoke out in favor of the trade union point of view.
• Mezentsev headed the Southern Bureau of the Central Committee of Miners from February to July 1921, and Yunov was a member of the Southern Bureau.

LETTER

GLAVUGOL.
To Glavugol v.s.i.h.*
July 20, 1921

Please let me know without delay the status of the purchase of coal-cutting machines abroad for the Donbass.

Comrade Smolyaninov informed me that from his telephone conversations with Comrade Grigoryev he established that Glavugol has some doubts about the proven expediency of the widespread use of coal-cutting machines in coal mining, or at least that the production EFFECT which Comrade Pyatakov expects from the use of coal-cutting machines is exaggerated.

I ask you to communicate with complete accuracy and definiteness Glavugol's point of view on the expediency of using coal-cutting machines in coal mining in the Donbass and the impact on increasing production that their use can have.

Also, please report where it is possible and where it is best to buy coal-cutting machines — in Germany or ENGLAND, and how soon this can be done.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars: