V. I. Lenin

Source: ru:PSS/v53; en:CW/CW42;es:MT
Translated: machine translation (DeepSeek) from the Russian; AI-translated.

AND INSTRUCTION TO THE SECRETARY

Have 6 copies made and sent to

1) Radek
2) me
3) Trotsky
4) Kamenev
5) Stalin
6) spare copy
Comrade Zinoviev
13/VIII—1921

Obviously, it is impossible in Russia to set up a bureau properly for the correct collation and selection of data on the international working-class movement. We have neither the people, nor the libraries, etc., for this.

I propose to set up such a bureau in Germany. Hire one director (from among Communists incapable of work, or better still, from among non-Communists) plus two assistants (+ 2-3 typists).

Allocate a definite sum for this per month. Try to set it up legally under the name of, say,

something like *Zeitungskorrespondenz*—supplying articles and material to newspaper offices.

It is, of course, possible to find three Germans (knowing English, French, Italian and Czech—enough for a start). Radek, I remember, even had some people in mind.

This bureau, if we succeeded in finding efficient workers and securing them by contract (intellectual workers in Germany are in need, and we could attract good forces), would carry on for us systematic scientific work in collecting literary and especially newspaper material and processing it on the two fundamental and main questions:
A) international imperialism;
B) international working-class movement.

As collaborators of this bureau (and as literary consultants) we would find (with Radek and with Radek’s help) probably two or three dozen Communists doing journalistic work in all countries of the world.

Such a bureau would work primarily in German (at present, undoubtedly the most international language for the continent of Europe); and at the first opportunity we would supplement it by publishing translations into French and English. It would be easy to arrange translations into Russian at once: we would simply, by state means, commission two or three bourgeois professors to do this, so as not to divert Communist forces to purely executive work.

On both the indicated questions (A and B) the bureau should systematically follow all international literature, especially newspapers, and compile lists of valuable books and newspaper articles on the questions.

The most important thing here would be to detail and group these questions correctly;—to draw up a rational list of these questions and their grouping, to be supplemented in good time according to the demands of the moment.

Then—for books and very rare, only especially important (1 in 100 or, perhaps, 1 in 500) newspaper

articles—compile a review of no more than 3-10 lines, so that one can immediately see what to look for or what is given in the corresponding book or article.

Literary consultants could compile such reviews (or rather: not reviews, but indications of content) easily, if the German centre organised this and paid the writers.

Further, the bureau should keep a summary of the main information from newspapers and a selection of newspaper clippings (at least for a start in 3-4 copies: one—on the spot, one—to Moscow, one—as a spare).

We would compile (with the help of the consultants and Radek at their head) a list of topics, for example:
—shades and controversial questions within communism;
—shades and controversial questions within and around communism
(II½

I think that with proper organisation this bureau would yield a certain income, for its bulletins would be bought by certain newspapers and libraries as important informational material.

But, of course, this income would at best cover only a small part of the expenses. We can and must take the expenses upon ourselves. For us all the material will serve directly the cause of public education and the organisation of agitation and propaganda.

Such a bureau can and must be set up. It is capable of being of great benefit.

Without it we have neither eyes, nor ears, nor hands for participation in the international movement—and we do this haphazardly, finding ourselves (as regards information) dependent on whoever is nearer, whoever is at hand, whoever happened to read, happened to drop in, happened to tell, etc.

* and anarchists);
—shades and controversial questions also within the trade-union movement;
—elections and their statistics (or their results) for comparing the strength of trends in the working-class movement;
—history of outstanding strikes and “incidents” (demonstrations, “actions”, speeches, etc.), etc.

* This refers to the centrist II½ International. *Ed.*