LETTER TO V. V. KUYBYSHEV.
19. IX. 1921
Comrade Kuibyshev1!
I have just had
Rutgers2, Calvert3 and Haywood4, representatives of a group of American working colony, wishing
to take the Nadezhdinsky factory and a number of enterprises in the Kuznets
kom basseine.
They ask that their representative (with an interpreter)
personally be at the STO on Friday. I think this should be allowed.
Then I draw your attention and ask you to inform all members of the committee and subcommittee of the following:
(1) Nadezhdinsky factory, in their opinion, is economically and
technically linked to a group of enterprises in Kuzbass, because it
will give tractors to their agricultural farms; tractors and
all kinds of other selsko -agricultural tools for peasants;
repair of machines for enterprises of their group in Kuzbass [etc.],
equipment of water transport, connection with Siberia, etc.
(2) In Kuzbass, they are taking 12,000 desyatins of land and a number
of enterprises, wishing to create a large and complete economic
whole.
(3) They are asking for only 300,000 dollars in cash. A different
opinion is a mistake.
(4) They want, in addition, bread and clothing, so that they can
quickly move the necessary construction work immediately. It is necessary
to start this very winter, so that they can manage to do it by spring 1922.
(5) They emphasize that they will create a firm administration
of their working group; and the entire group (3000 - 6000 workers)
will be selected from the best workers, mostly young and un
married, practically studied the corresponding production,
living in climatic conditions similar to Russian (Canada
or the north of the United States).
(6) They want direct dependence from
STO.
Something like an autonomous state trust from a working
association.
By the way. They say that here in the "emigrant house" live 200 Amerikan lumberjacks. Mostly
unemployed. Longing for work. Send up to 30 of them to Na-
dezhdinsky factory and 15 to Kuzbass immediately, giving them full equipment
and food, and they will immediately begin construction of wooden barracks. (And then all 200 will go). They ask very much to hurry with
sending.
They say that Gerbel (? I didn't quite understand the English pronunciation)
from the Promburo of the Urals gave them his consent to their plan
orally, and the Siberians (Sibpromburo) in writing.
Russian-speaking workers will take 10 - 15%. Can be more.
Please take all this into account.
Pr. STO V. Ulyanov (Lenin).
*
I
1 V. V. Kuibyshev is the secretary of the Central Committee of the RCP (b).
2 S. Yu. Rutgers is a Dutch engineer, communist. In 1921, together
with V. Haywood, he organized the "Autonomous Industrial Colony of
Kuzbass" from American workers and engineers, which he headed until
1927. The following four years, R. spent in Holland on party work, since May 1930, he returned to the USSR again. Currently working
in TsKK — RKP.
8 Calvert is an American worker, a member of the organization "Industrial
Workers of the World" (IW W). In 1921, he was delegated by a local group
of IW W to the Profintern Congress. In 1921, he participated in the organization of the Autonomous Industrial Colony in Kuzbass. After signing
the agreement in the STO with a group of American workers, he was sent to New York
to organize a committee for recruiting and equipping working groups ..
Subsequently, he withdrew from the revolutionary movement.
4 V. D. Haywood is one of the most prominent and popular leaders
of the revolutionary wing of the American labor movement, was one of
the leaders of the syndicalist organization "Industrial Workers
of the World" (IW W). After the October Revolution, X. joined the American
Communist Party and joined the Comintern. In 1921, together with S. Yu. Rutgers-
som organized in the Soviet Republic the "Autonomous Industrial
Colony Kuzbass". Died May 18, 1928 (see Memoirs of V. Haywood
in the journal "The Struggle of Classes" Л» 1, 1931, pp. 89 - 99).