V. I.

Lenin

To:   SIDNEY HILLMAN

October 13, 1921

Comrade Hillman, I thank you with all my heart for your help. Thanks
to you an agreement was rapidly achieved on organisation
of help for Soviet Russia by the American workers.
Particularly important is the fact that the organisation of this
aid has now been arranged in respect also of (hose workers
who are not Communists. Throughout the world, and particularly in the most advanced capitalist countries,
millions of workers do not at the present lime share the views
of the Communists, but nonetheless are ready to help
Soviet, Russia, to help and feed the starving, if only some
of them, and to help the cause of restoring the economy
of the Russian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic. Such
workers repeal with complete conviction the words—and what is more important not only repeat the words but give
them practical expression in life—of the leaders of the
Amsterdam Trade Union International (unquestionably hostile to communism), namely, that any victory of the
international bourgeoisie over Soviet Russia would mean the
greatest possible victory of world reaction over the working class in general.

Soviet Russia is exerting all her strength to overcome starvation, ruin and dislocation. The financial aid of the
workers of the whole world is infinitely important for us in this respect, side by side with moral help and political
help. America, naturally, is at the head of the states where
the workers can help us, are already helping us and will
help—I am profoundly convinced—on a far greater scale.

Devoted to the cause, the energetic advanced workers of America will be taking the lead of all the workers of
a number of industrial countries who arc bringing Soviet
Russia I heir technical knowledge, and their determination
to make sacrifices in order to help the Workers’ and
Peasants’ Republic to restore its economy. Among the peaceful
means of struggle against the yoke of international finance
capital, against international reaction, there is no other
means with such rapid and certain promise of victory as
aid in the restoration of the economy of Soviet Russia.

With best greetings to all workers who are bringing aid,
in one form or another, to Soviet Russia.

N. Lenin

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