NOTES ON A LETTER FROM THE SPECIAL AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE
FOR FUEL OF OCTOBER 4.

[October 4, 1921]
Dear Vladimir Ilyich, Forgive me for taking up your time by addressing you with a semi-official letter. I am forced to do this by the colossal inertia that I have had to overcome in my work on fuel in Glavtop and NKPS. The attached copy of my letter to Glavtop serves as an illustration. Back in July, I began to draw everyone's attention to the coming fuel crisis... However, no one paid due attention to my instructions. My attempt to find at least a partial solution for Moscow by exploiting the Upper Mologa region and using the Northern Fuel Mainline (the complex of roads of the Savelovskaya, Upper Volga, a section of the North-Western, and a section of the Rybinstroy) did not receive a response either in Glavtop or in NKPS ... The work of the specially authorized representative of the Council of Labor and Defense can only be useful if he has the right to really influence GUT and NKPS on behalf of the Council of Labor and Defense, as a person not affected by departmentalism. In the existing situation, the specially authorized representative, not having connection with the Council of Labor and Defense and not having the ability to move departments from inertia, is a relay link, a mediator. This is confirmed by my experience for 27 1/2 years on the fuel front, first as deputy authorized representative of the Council of Labor and Defense, and then as a specially authorized representative. As a result of this, I ask for your order to release me from this position and to finally abolish it.

At the same time, considering that my proposal on the Upper Mologa region still deserves attention, in which Comrade V. A. Avanesov agrees with me, I ask you to appoint me as a specially authorized representative of the Council of Labor and Defense to bring the Northern Fuel Mainline into a state suitable for operation, to monitor its completion and operation and the removal of firewood to Moscow (there are 17-20,000 cubic meters of ready firewood). I guarantee delivery to Moscow of up to 18,000 wagons of firewood during the winter. The draft mandate for me is with Comrade V. A. Avanesov.

My work is known to Comrades V. A. Avanesov, F. E. Dzerzhinsky, G. I. Lomov, A. V. Eiduk 1, I. T. Smilga, S. Messing 2, N. V. Krylenko, E. M. Sklyansky 3.

I would ask you to receive me for a personal report.

With comradely greetings, V. Delgaz.

1 A. V. Eiduk — member of the Collegium of the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs.
2 S. A. Messing — Chairman of the Moscow Cheka.
3 E. M. Sklyansky — Deputy People's Commissar for Naval Affairs and Deputy Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic.