V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:PSS/v45;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

TO THE PRESIDIUM OF THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF NATIONAL ECONOMY
To the Presidium of the Supreme Council of National Economy—Comrade Bogdanov
Copies:
To the State Planning Commission—Comrades Krzhizhanovsky and Pyatakov
To the People’s Commissariat for Finance—Comrade Vladimirov
To the Presidium of the All-Russia Central Executive Committee, Deputy Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars Comrade Kamenev, and Comrade L. B. Krasin

Comrade Krasin has sent me a letter in which he reports on the major successes of a group of engineers headed by Comrade Gubkin. With persistence bordering on the heroic, and with negligible support from state bodies, this group has developed from nothing not only a thorough scientific survey of combustible shales and sapropel, but has also learned to produce practically various useful products from these minerals, such as ichthyol, black varnish, various soaps, paraffins, ammonium sulphate, etc.

In view of the fact that, according to Comrade Krasin’s testimony, these efforts provide a solid foundation for an industry which, in a decade or two, will yield hundreds of millions for Russia, I propose:

1. Immediately to ensure financial support for the further development of these efforts.

2. To remove and henceforth to eliminate all obstacles hindering them, and

3. To award the said group of engineers the Labour Order of the Red Banner and a substantial money grant.

Kindly inform me in writing of the results through the Secretary of the Council of People’s Commissars, Comrade Gorbunov. Should any obstacles arise, inform me immediately through him.

Chairman of the Council of People’s Commissars and of the Council of Labour and Defence,
V. Ulyanov (Lenin)