V. I. Lenin

To The All-Ukraine Congress Of Soviets [1]

I welcome the opening of the All-Ukraine Congress of
Soviets.

One of the most important problems which the Congress has to solve is
that of uniting the republics. The proper solution of this problem will
determine the future organisation of our machinery of state, the glaring
defects of which were so vividly and strikingly revealed by the recent
census of Soviet employees in Moscow, Petrograd and Kharkov.

The second problem to which the Congress must devote special attention is
that of our heavy industry. To raise the output of the Donbas and of the oil
and iron and steel industries to pre-war level is the fundamental problem of
our entire economy; and we must concentrate all our efforts on solving this
problem.

I am firmly convinced that the Congress will find the correct solutions
for these problems, and with all my heart I wish you success in your
work.

Lenin

December 10, 1922

Endnotes

[1] The Seventh All-Ukraine Congress of Soviets was held in Kharkov on December
10-14, 1922. One of its principal decisions, adopted on the basis of a
report delivered by M. V. Frunze, was on the union federation of the Soviet
republics. Lenin's telegram was read at the opening session on December
10. The congress elected Lenin an honorary member of the All-Ukraine Central
Executive Committee and sent him a telegram of greetings in reply.