V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:PSS/v48;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

19/XII.

Dear Friends,  
The news that the liquidators have included “cultural-national autonomy” has finally roused our indignation! No, there is a limit to everything! People who have destroyed the Party now want to destroy the programme as well. Even where the arch-conciliator Plekhanov stops, they do not stop. This cannot be allowed. It is intolerable and...* We must organise resistance and protest at all costs. An ultimatum must certainly be presented: let us have a speech, [let] them read that abomination, cultural-national autonomy, etc.! Exert every effort to achieve this, even if only from five (better five who stand by the Party’s policy than six who vacillate between the Party and its liquidators).

Both the vile resolution on No. 16, and the despicable insertion of cultural-national autonomy, and the pretension to “meddle” in the question of newspapers clearly show that there can be no room for illusions about “peace” with such people.¹⁴⁹ By these steps they have started a war. It is necessary systematically to consider the war and wage it energetically. For this, besides what has been indicated above, two steps are necessary:

(1) to submit written protests signed by five, with the threat of an appeal to Party organisations—on all the above-mentioned and other similar questions;

(2) to meet here, five or six of us (this must be achieved!) and finally decide on our behaviour.

A draft text...: “We, the undersigned, declare that the faction’s decision on Yagello, the resolution on him, the decision to insert cultural-national [autonomy] are so contrary to all decisions of Party congresses that we disclaim responsibility for these decisions, declare them anti-Party, reserve the right to appeal to the Party organisations, and warn that by such decisions the faction is entirely abandoning the path of Party loyalty.”

It is clear that the Seven will go further along the liquidator path.

We must hasten with the organisation. Write in more detail about *Den*? How are finances? How is the literary section? We sent a special letter asking that No. 1 or No. 3 (or both together, best of all) bring us the listed books.

* The manuscript of the document is partially destroyed. Here and below several words are illegible. Words in square brackets have been restored according to the sense. *Ed.*

We earnestly request that this be done. We will cover the expenses... to hand over Falinsky’s booklet, and we are being abused.
2. Did No. 3 receive the money from Vienna? This is for Vetrov.
3. Could we somehow find out whether Vetrov received our letters? We wrote to him many times care of the editorial office, and not a word in reply. Is it really impossible to obtain an address for letters?

P.S. They ask me to add: it is your right to take books from the library... For two weeks.