6/8. Saturday.

т. Chicherin

Received your letter of 5/8 about the second conversation with Neumann, I conclude: (Kopp +) Neumann are blackmailing us. Insolent and intolerant.

We must put an end to it.

I propose a tentative plan:

(1) another conversation between you and Neumann1: You cut it off abruptly. Only a fool can interfere in our relations with Kopp and in the role of Stomonyakova. We don't talk to such fools. Don't you dare say another word about it!

(2) Only a fool does not realize that it is profitable for us (and for those Germans who want to overthrow the Versal peace and not to be servants to Antanta) that Stomoniakov should cover his tracks.

(3) If the treaty has not yet been concluded, the Germans are entirely to blame, for they are dragging things out. Their business is to draft the treaty, to bring coal and bread to Petrograd.

(4) We will still tolerate their red tape, but not for very long.

(5) We will give the port of Petrograd to the English if the Germans do not sign our treaty with them in the shortest possible time and do not find a false Dutchman.

If they do, we will give the port to this Dutchman for the price of a-1 (a = English price).

6) After the conversation you write a letter to Neumann in this spirit (so that he will not dare to twist you; you will send a copy to all the leaders of this affair in Germany by courier). The letter is straightforward: whoever wants an alliance against England, we are for him. Whoever is in favor of red tape, to hell with it. You can sign the letter with a pseudonym: "Katerina".

We must teach them a lesson!

Your Lenin.

P.S. Of course, we are in favor of military-industrial plans, but conspiratorially. And a treaty immediately.

Fond 2, op. 2, d. 1328 - autograph.

1See also doc. 297.