Z.Kh., 1921
Comrade Gorbunov!
Comrade Beloborodov, chairman of the South-Eastern Regional Economic Council, brought a report on the extremely poor state of affairs.
The STO is not responding to inquiries.
The People’s Commissariat for Foreign Trade lacks authority and is excessively constrained in its independence, and so on.
It is necessary to investigate this matter and adopt a series of decisions at the STO and the Central Committee.
I propose forming a commission?
Stalin (if he cannot attend, he may be replaced by Comrade Ordzhonikidze, a member of the Central Committee).
Radchenko (to serve as deputy commissar of the Foreign Trade Commissariat) and Beloborodov (to be contacted through Zalutsky, at the Kremlin), and that should suffice.
I request that you telephone Stalin and the members of the STO and inform me of the outcome tomorrow, October 4, so that I may finalize tomorrow the appointment of the commission and its terms of reference.
Voroshilov is expected.