To Comrade Smolyaninov, I request that you read my letter on the reverse side and process it through the Council of Labor and Defense [STO] (with the Council of National Economy's [Gosplan's] conclusion) with maximum speed in 2-4 days.

5/8.

Lenin

N.B.:

For speed of processing, do the following:

1) make 2-3 copies. Send one immediately to Krzhizhanovsky with a request to provide his conclusion by Tuesday;

2) distribute immediately to members of the Council of Labor and Defense [STO], ensuring that they read quickly and make their own notes right here, immediately;

3) by telephone ask members of the Council of Labor and Defense whether they agree to submit the preliminary draft to the commission: Krasin + Avanesov + Bogdanov (or his special proxy).

Lenin

I consider the plan correct and subject to immediate approval. Perhaps some clarifications and additions are desirable, for example:

1) provide circulating capital in gold, but only from our export proceeds for 1921, obligating this same group to accelerate the realization of this export;

2) define the "lease" territory for this group more precisely, taking predominantly or even exclusively the far north (this is more convenient for us, as it will spare us from sending food supplies there; this is more convenient politically, as favorable conditions for workers — up to 50 kopecks in **gold**!! — will provoke less envy and conflicts among other workers);

3) define more precisely the group's obligations: to fulfill not less than *such-and-such a program (both productive and export in 1922 and especially in 1923);

4) oblige the "group" to try to observe the interests of electrification (purchase more foreign equipment for electric stations, utilization of sawdust, etc.) — the interests of fuel supply to Russia (fuel branch lines; increase in delivery of fuel, firewood to Moscow, etc.);

5) grant the group what it requests in the area of financial and material independence.

5/VIII. 1921. Lenin

* Not « — not less than. Ed.

First published in 1959 in Lenin Miscellany XXXVI

Printed from the manuscript