Date: 1917
Source: ru:PSS/v51

# S. I. BOTIN*

Source: CW vol 51

4/VI. 111/2 p.m.
Comrade Botin! When you were with me today, I only had 2 minutes, as I was torn away from an important meeting.

Now I have a free quarter of an hour and therefore can (and must) explain to you in more detail and more clearly that obvious mistakes have been made and that it is necessary to renounce these mistakes directly, honestly, and decisively. Otherwise, a most serious matter will be spoiled.

The mistake, first, was the lack of trust in the "specialist" 232, which prevented telling him everything at once and setting up the experiment quickly; second, that the "black", preparatory work was being done by you personally, distracting you from the real work, when all the mass of "black", i.e., preparatory, work must definitely be handed over to mechanics, fitters, electricians, etc., of whom we can find a dozen. And to separate your real work from the preparatory or auxiliary work, the constant advice of the "specialist" is needed.