**January 31, 1922**

January 16, 1922
*Personally*
*Confidential*

Comrade Unshlikht, Cheka and Comrade Fomin, People's Commissariat of Railways
Copy to N. P. Gorbunov

Recently I had occasion to familiarize myself personally with the condition of the Cheka's motor-draisines, which apparently stand under the joint administration of the Cheka and the People's Commissariat of Railways. I believe that motor-draisines (I understand the Cheka has 2 of them) in the Moscow junction are absolutely necessary both for the Cheka and the People's Commissariat of War for very rapid assignments, dispatch of extremely urgent and extremely secret small detachments (5-10 men) and so forth.

The condition in which I found the motor-draisines is worse than bad. Utter neglect, semi-destruction (much has been stolen!), complete disorder, fuel apparently pilfered, kerosene mixed with water, engine operation unbearably poor, stoppages every minute, movement execrable, delays at stations, ignorance of station commanders (apparently having no idea that the Cheka's motor-draisines should have the status of special cars, move with maximum speed not in the sense of speed of travel — these machines are apparently "Soviet," that is to say, very poor — but in the sense of minimum delays and red tape, with military precision), chaos, sloppiness, utter disgrace. Fortunately, traveling incognito in the draisine, I was able to hear and did hear frank, truthful (not official-honeyed and false) accounts from employees, and from these accounts I saw that this is not an isolated case but the entire organization is equally scandalously conducted, with complete breakdown and incompetence.

For the first time I traveled on the railways not as a "dignitary" setting everything and everyone in motion with dozens of special telegrams, but as an unknown person traveling with the Cheka, and my impression is — hopelessly depressing. If such are the procedures in this special small cog in the mechanism, standing under the special supervision of the Cheka itself, then I can imagine what must be happening generally in the People's Commissariat of Railways! The breakdown there must be incredible.

I propose: immediately appoint, by agreement between the Cheka and the People's Commissariat of Railways (perhaps also involving the People's Commissariat of War, if it has motor-draisines?), a responsible person closely involved in the actual work, not a dignitary. This person shall strictly answer for negligence.

Issue a brief, militarily composed instruction concerning the Cheka's draisines, their secret and rapid movement, maintenance in proper order, fuel storage, movement without delay over the Ring Railway, over the junction, and everywhere, etc. To the instruction add, among other things, that upon the request of N. P. Gorbunov (who will do this only with my consent) the motor-draisine is to be provided punctually and moved wherever he directs.

Report in detail on implementation to N. P. Gorbunov, Manager of the Administrative Department of the Council of People's Commissars.

Upon Gorbunov I also place the responsibility of checking implementation from time to time, that is, making surprise trips on the motor-draisine, recording the number of minutes for all operations (summons, movement, stoppages, etc.) and inspection.

Chairman of the Council of Labor and Defense V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

*Published incompletely in 1945*

*First published from the manuscript*

*First printed*
*in Lenin Miscellany XXXV*
*Published in full*