First version of the letter

Gosodin Hoover.

Mr. Colonel Haskell is bringing you a message of interest to both of us, and I thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart for agreeing to consider this message and to weigh favorably the proposal (or so far the suggestion) of Mr. Haskell.

In accordance with Mr. Haskell's wishes, the whole matter will remain strictly confidential until his decision.

Respectfully (?)

Lenin1*.

Fond 2, op. 1, d. 26327 - autograph.

Note to the members of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) and the second version of the letter

Gaskell repeated to me the proposal which he had made conditionally to t. Kamenev. I expressed my full agreement and showered him with compliments. Fulfilling Gaskell's request, I want to give him the following letter and ask the members of the Politburo and t. Chicherin to give their opinion2*

Mr. Hoover

Dear Mr. Hoover

Mr. Colonel Gaskell3* has conveyed to me that you would, under certain conditions, agree to move to Russia and devote yourself to work on its economic reconstruction; I welcome this proposal with extreme interest and thank you in advance for it4*, repeating what I told Mr. Gaskell, namely, that help from a country with opposite principles of economic order5* would be especially desirable and pleasant for us.

In accordance with Mr. Gaskell's wishes, the whole matter remains strictly confidential until6* your decision.

Respectfully

Lenin7*.

Fond 2, op. 1, d. 26328, l. 1 - original.

1* The last paragraph and signature V.I.Lenin wrote at the second reading.

2*The words: "to say ... opinion" - crossed out, apparently Lenin intended to change the end of the note (see: Lenin V.I. Complete Collected Works, vol. 54, p. 312).

3*V.I.Lenin crossed out the text of the first version: "a message of interest to both of us is in your hands, and I thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart for agreeing to consider this message and to weigh favorably the proposal (or still an assumption) of Mr. Gaskell"

4* Further V.I.Lenin crossed out: "as".

5* Forwarded by V.I.Lenin from: "building".

6* The words: "According to... to" - by V.I.Lenin were first crossed out and then restored.

7* In the upper right corner of the sheet L.A.Fotieva wrote: "Strictly secret", and under the text the date: "22/XI 22 y."

1At a meeting of the RSFSR Council of People's Commissars on November 21, 1922, Lenin received a note from L.B. Kamenev recommending that he receive the ARA commissioner Colonel W. Haskell, who was leaving for America; Lenin replied, "I agree to a date with Haskell. The time is 11 1/2" (V.I.Lenin. Biographical Chronicle. Vol. 12. M., 1982, p. 493). The meeting took place on November 22; the conversation included the question of the possibility of the U.S. Secretary of Commerce G. Hoover coming to Russia. Apparently, after the meeting, Lenin sketched the first version of the letter, but immediately wrote a second version, which, along with his note, sent to the members of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) and G.V.Chicherin for review. Chicherin sent the following reply on the same day: "November 22, 1922. Dear Vladimir Ilyich, it seems to me undesirable that you should write to Hoover yourself. It would be too great a sensation. You yourself should not get involved in it. You could tell Haskell that you did not think it possible to write instead of the Commissar. It would be better if I wrote the letter.

In essence, it seems to me necessary to send Hoover a letter in the spirit of your project" (AVP RF, f. 04, op. 52, p. 8, d. 131, l. 14).

The responses of the Politburo members have not been found. For the last version of Lenin's draft letter, see: Lenin V.I. Complete Collected Works, vol. 54, с. 311-312).

The letter to Hoover was sent on November 28, 1922, signed by Deputy Commissar for Foreign Affairs M.M.Litvinov.