TO THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FOOD SUPPLY
November 6, 1922

I am informed that grain is arriving at the bulk storage points in large quantities in a damp state due to a rainy summer. Concerns are arising that it may easily heat up and lose its economic utility.

I request that you inform me whether this corresponds to reality and whether appropriate measures have been taken to preserve the harvested


grain, and also—who is personally responsible for overseeing this on an all-Russian scale.

Gleb Maksimilianovich* informs me that a major threat to the food tax consists in the standing idle of a considerable quantity of foodstuffs, reaching up to 10,000 cars at points of arrival—Moscow, Petrograd, Samara, Rybinsk, Yaroslavl, Kostroma and other points, explained by the lack of warehouse facilities at destination points and general delays in unloading.

The rerouting of cargo from one point to another has, as it were, not yet yielded favorable results, since cars after rerouting continue to stand for weeks at other points awaiting unloading while waiting for containers and warehouse facilities.

In connection with the overflow of warehouses, there is now apparently coming about a particularly dangerous moment.

I request that you inform me of the current state of affairs with grain unloading and what measures the People's Commissariat of Food Supply is taking to accelerate it.

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

Printed from the original, signed by
V. I. Lenin.

9973