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To all People's Commissars and the head of the Central Statistical Administration. Copies to the Chairman and Secretary of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee.

28/V 1921

All People's Commissars must have the draft decree of the Council of Labor and Defense distributed and sent out in printed form, signed by Lenin and the Chairman of the Council of Labor and Defense Commission, Comrade Obolenskii (Osinskii).

This draft is being submitted to the session of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee, which opens on 30.V. 1921 at 1 p.m.

All People's Commissars are obliged to:

1) by Monday, 30.V. 1921, by 2 p.m., prepare written amendments and additions to the decree on all points, questions, and sub-questions directly or indirectly concerning the respective People's Commissariat;

2) by the same deadline, prepare a preliminary draft of questions (for the report) and sub-questions (that is, a more detailed list of particular questions for the report) for all People's Commissariats without exception, each People's Commissar for their respective Commissariat.

This is mandatory because the All-Russian Central Executive Committee will approve a general decree consisting of two parts: a) the Decree of the Council of Labor and Defense with accountability of economic People's Commissariats; b) the Decree of the Council of People's Commissars establishing accountability of all People's Commissariats without exception, not only economic but also non-economic ones.

These latter reports will comprise the final, supplementary "fifth group of questions." For each People's Commissariat, the most important questions for the report must be compiled following the model of questions No. 1 - No. 27 contained in the draft decree of the Council of Labor and Defense.

Reports will be printed in quantities of approximately 1,000 copies by each provincial executive committee and each district executive committee (the technical possibility of printing, no less than one printed sheet per month by each district, has been clarified in correspondence with Glizbum). The deadline for printing and submitting reports is envisioned at 2 to 4 times per year. The session of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee will definitively establish this deadline simultaneously with approval of the entire decree.

Each People's Commissar undertakes to present in written form, in 3-5 copies, by the above-mentioned deadline (30.V. 1921, 2 p.m.), a brief list of the most important questions that must be included in the report for the respective People's Commissariat.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars V. Ulyanov (Lenin).

Report immediately, both in writing and by telephone, with a receipt signed by each People's Commissar, or if absent, by his deputy, rapporteur, or member of the collegium.

1 June [1921]

Comrade Avansov!

You must draw up a circular to all local organs of Rabkrin concerning local economic councils.

1) Demand from yourself a personal list of all representatives of Rabkrin at all Economic Councils.

2) Notify yourself immediately of any change in the list.

3) Demand that they be either Communists or non-party members, specially and personally recommended for reliability and honesty.

4) Demand strict accountability from them, especially regarding the recruitment of non-party members and reports to them, non-party members, about the work of the Economic Councils.

Carry all this through the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee so that local authorities obey.

Lenin.

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CORRECTIONS TO THE DRAFT RESOLUTION OF THE ALL-RUSSIAN CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL ECONOMIC COUNCILS, THEIR ACCOUNTABILITY AND GUIDANCE BY THE DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF LABOR AND DEFENSE.

[Between 30 May and 30 June 1921]

The transition from the conclusion of intensive struggle on external and internal fronts to peaceful economic construction has made it possible to introduce changes in the economic policy of Soviet power. War communism has been replaced by the tax in kind, free trade in agricultural products and handicraft goods has been permitted, cooperatives have been granted greater freedom in developing economic initiative, measures have been adopted to encourage small industry; while maintaining inviolably the basic socialist forms [at the main levers] of the national economy—large industry, transport, foreign trade—every economic initiative capable of contributing to the rapid rise of industry and agriculture is encouraged [not excluding capitalist initiative, for the workers' state knows how to neutralize it through taxes and regulatory principles]...

...Recognizing it necessary to complete the network of economic councils at various levels, to establish firm mutual connection between them, and to ensure the fruitfulness of their work, the All-Russian Central Executive Committee decrees the following provision:

On provincial, district, sectional, factory-plant, volost, and village organs of the Council of Labor and Defense.

1. Regional Economic Councils are established each time by special resolution of the Council of Labor and Defense.

Note: The organization of Economic Councils of Soviet Republics in treaty relations with the RSFSR and their relationship to the Council of Labor and Defense are determined by special provisions by agreement of the Central Executive Committees of these republics...

...6. The lowest organs of the Council of Labor and Defense (Economic Councils) are recognized as village land committees; and at factories and plants—factory-plant councils. These latter are created at factory administrations and convened at the times indicated for district economic councils...

...10. Members of provincial, district, and sectional economic councils are the chairmen or heads of: the Council of National Economy, Land Department, Food Department, Labor Department, Workers' and Peasants' Inspectorate, Finance Department, Trade Union Council or Trade Union Bureau, Municipal Department, Workers' Cooperative; local specialists, economists, and technicians known for their experience may be invited to councils with advisory voice. The head of the Statistical Bureau participates with advisory voice. Representatives of other departments and institutions enter the Economic Council with decisive voice on questions within their jurisdiction.

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NOTES ON THE III SESSION OF THE ALL-RUSSIAN CENTRAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

30 V 1921

In the commission:
"we are making the executive committee presidiums lifeless"

Bareyskis' remarks against Regional Economic Councils

Vladimirskii

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To the Presidium of the Rogozhsko-Simonov Soviet of Workers' and Peasants' Deputies, Comrades K. Ukhanov and N. Borisov.

17 VII [1921]

Dear Comrades!

I thank you very much for sending the book and for your friendly letter. I read the book with interest. Undoubtedly, it will have significance for the history of the organization of Soviet power.

I am sending you a copy of the newly published law on district economic councils and the decree. I hope you will in advance involve the statistician, give him material, inspect his work, supplement it yourselves (and perhaps with essays from some other local Rogozhsko-Simonov comrades, if volunteers are found) and print in autumn a report on the contents and results of the local economic work of your district soviet. I hope that your initiative will be shown here and that your district will be among the first in developing local economic construction.

Again I thank you and send communist greetings.

V. Ulyanov (Lenin).

Moscow. Leninskaya sloboda (Simonovo), former "Dynamo" factory.

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VARIA

23-29 JULY 1921

23 VII [1921]

Through Smolyaninov: One cannot tolerate such procrastination. Achieve acceleration and check!

Lenin.

To Fotiyeva.

29 VII [1921]

I emphatically protest against the delay in printing the "decree of the Council of Labor and Defense" and demand that printing...