Comrade Krasin!

I do not agree with you. Lezhava is a most agreeable comrade, but he has fully demonstrated his weakness.

We need a different collegium (Politburo), and in it a triumvirate: You + Frumkin + Radchenko, because you are often away, and power must be in Russia. And you are besides a diplomat. But the dirty work, cleaning out the crooks, maintaining order, striking and tearing [into people] for non-compliance—you do not conduct that. Leadership is your responsibility, but for dirty work we need solid people, not Lezhava. They will learn.

Your Lenin

Written 20 March 1922

Published for the first time from the manuscript