17/IX.

To Comrade Rykov, Comrade Rykov! From the newspapers, I learn of the dire situation in Donbas and in Baku. What is your assessment? Should we not risk drawing upon a portion of the gold reserves? Would it not be better to let matters run their course, to leave those regions without assistance? Perhaps you could commission Smilga—or one of his deputies—to prepare a report.

* See also this volume, Document 446. Ed.

Your Lenin

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Written on September 17, 1922.

First published in 1945.

In the Lenin Collection, Volume XXXV.

Printed from the manuscript.