NOTE TO M. P. FRUMKIN.

NOTE TO M. I. FRUMKIN

NOTE TO M. I. FRUMKIN1.
26/VI [1921]
Comrade Frumkin!
I have read your proposals.
1. I agree. We will submit it to the Politburo today. Only let us elaborate the addition: "to instruct a small commission: Lezhava, Khinchuk, Frumkin + ?? to immediately elaborate a plan to cover this sum (100) with a special export FUND, raw materials, timber, etc. and to carry out this coverage strictly, with a weekly report.
To call:
special coverage of an emergency] expense.
2.

With communist greetings, Lenin.

1 Lenin has in mind the following resolution of the commission consisting of A. M. Lezhava, L. M. Khinchuk, P. L. Voikov and M. I. Frumkin on the purchase of grain abroad in connection with the famine: "Recognize the need to purchase grain on foreign markets in the amount of 30 to 50 million poods, depending on the final results of this year's harvest. Proceed with the purchase of this grain immediately. The purchase should be carried out at an accelerated pace, however, so as not to violate the interests of the RSFSR in terms of price increases, Freight, etc., as well as with the calculation that

1/3 of this grain arrived before the closing of navigation,
and the remaining
2/3 upon the opening of the next navigation.
A credit in the amount of 100 million rubles for the purchase of this grain must be opened regardless of previously allocated credits for any import operations.
In urgent order release currency for the purchase of 10 million poods
of grain.
The People's Commissariat for Foreign Trade should entrust the purchase of grain in the Manchurian market to Centrosoyuz.
A. M. Lezhava, M. Frumkin, L. Khinchuk."
The following notes were made by Lenin on the resolution:
"Two additions: 1) a report on the execution and progress of this operation weekly from Lezhava + Frumkin + Khinchuk 2) sent to Frumkin."
* On July 25, according to the report of A. M. Lezhava, the Politburo of the Central Committee adopted a decision on the purchase of food abroad and on the creation of an export Fund to cover the costs of importing food.

LETTERS ON THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FOREIGN
TRADE
5 - 6 JUNE 1921
I.

5/VI [1921]
Comrade Frumkin!
I blame both you and the NKVT (disgrace!) for the ridiculous story of the FUND FOR the South-East Economic Soviet. You only whined, but you should have submitted more precise proposals to the STO in IV: 1) Calendar program for sending gold such-and-such; 2) Wool such-and-such, etc.

And you have been whining from April to VI.
Now we must finish what has not been finished.
Submit to the STO by Wednesday (I can appoint a commission
tomorrow 6/VI - it can be appointed by agreement of the People's Commissars) a most precisely developed calendar program of detailed measures.
Agree on the same with Khinchuk
8 (it seems he knows trade. No one in the Comprod knows).
Write to me immediately, do you vouch now that you will do it sensibly and what exactly.
Will you be able to sensibly organize trade with Constantinople]? Or will you run into
"Ancona"
6 again? into speculators, swindlers (and bankrupts: there are a lot of them in Constantinople) and disgrace only yourself and the entire "barter operation" of the South-Eastern Economic Soviet?
The South-East Economic Soviet1 should develop more initiative, but also be more responsible.
(If you are not going there again, call Beloborodov
7 or Kaganovich
8 by direct line and tell them everything I am writing to you;
finally, get sense and verification by deed).
Let the South-East Economic Soviet not whine, but submit business proposals to the STO in a timely manner and not be late
with supervision over their execution.
I await a letter.

With communist greetings, Lenin.

LETTERS ON THE WORK OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FOREIGN TRADE

II.

6 VI 1921
Comrade Lezhava*.
Things are awfully bad with the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade.
While you were sick, Krasin once again tried his weak side: too much self-confidence, sometimes bordering on adventurism. "Everything will work out for me, I will succeed in everything."
He has such a trait.
And, despite his "luckiness" and dexterity, and skill, and art, I would not vouch that someday he will not run into a big scandal and a crashing departure because of this.
It can't be like that. Krasin was here, saw that you were sick and did
nothing.
They left Voikov alone, who is clearly not suitable, or rather:
cannot cope.
In the STO 3/VI it almost came to a collapse
9. The STO on 23/III/21 decreed that the NKVT is obliged to deliver 7 million [millions] of gold to the South-East Economic Soviet by 15/IV.
10.
Nothing has been done. Voikov refers to statements allegedly heard by him
from Krasin that it is impossible to trade with Constantinople; there is supposedly a den of thieves there.
If Krasin said so, then Krasin will someday be brought to trial for this. Krasin was obliged either to strictly implement
the STO resolution of 25/III, or to submit to the Central Committee on the abolition of this
resolution] of the STO, or to satisfy the South-East Economic Soviet otherwise, not through Constantinople (this with an emphasis on "luck").
He did neither one, nor the other, nor the third, Krasin violates the law and ruins all the work. It can't be like that.
I ask you:
1) send a copy of this (or the original) to Krasin.
2) talk personally with Frumkin and Khinchuk.
3) personally check the implementation of the STO decisions, without relying on Voikov.
4) think seriously about replacing Voikov with Taratuta or Paikes or whoever else you want, a sensible and executive person.
As for Serebrovsky and Baku, I am now extremely afraid that
the NKVT will repeat the story of the South-Eastern.
* Printed from a typewritten copy. Editor.