(Copy to Comrade Chicherin, a copy to Comrade Radek, and to all members of the Politburo)
The telegram concerning the British Labour Party reveals Krasin’s extraordinary naivety. In my view, two measures should be taken without delay: first, publish a series of articles in the press—signed by various authors—satirizing the views of so‑called “European democracy” on the Georgian question; second, immediately assign some venomous journalist to draft an exceedingly polite note from Chicherin in response to the British Labour Party. In this note, it should be stated with the utmost urgency that a proposal to withdraw our troops from Georgia and to hold a referendum there would be perfectly reasonable—and could even be regarded as emanating from individuals who have not lost their minds and have not been bought off by the Entente—if it were extended to encompass all the nations of the globe. In particular, in order to prompt the leaders of the British Labour Party to reflect upon the nature of contemporary imperialist relations in international politics, we suggest that they kindly consider, first, the withdrawal of British troops from Ireland and the holding of a referendum there; second, the same issue with regard to India; third, the same issue concerning Japanese troops in Korea; and fourth, the same issue for all countries where troops are stationed by any of the major imperialist powers. The note should express, in impeccably courteous terms, the idea that those who take the time to ponder these proposals of ours—and to examine the system of imperialist relations in international politics—may well come to understand the “interesting” character of the proposals we have made to the British Labour Party. Overall, the draft note should be an exceedingly polite—and utterly popular (at the level of comprehension of 10‑year‑old children)—mockery directed at the idiotic leaders of the British Labour Party.
I propose that the Politburo discuss whether we should send a copy of this letter to Krasin. Personally, I am in favor of doing so.
Lenin
Dictated over the telephone on December 27, 1921.
First published on January 21, 1930, in Pravda, No. 21.

Printed from the secretary’s record (a typewritten copy).