**LENIN ON THE TACTICS OF COMMUNISTS**

Friis: Do you wish to recommend to us, for example, that we begin immediately in our Norway the collection of weapons? Our tactics (in Norway) are calculated on obtaining influence in the army with the help of soldiers' councils. Is this, in your opinion, an incorrect tactic?

No, not at all, — replied Lenin. — It is necessary to utilize the legal path while it is at all possible. On the other hand, I consider that a "communist party" conducting exclusively legal work does not rightly bear its name. What must be done in each particular case is a practical question. And such is the question of participation in elections to parliament. In general we have always been for participation in elections, however, in exceptional circumstances, for example in elections to the First Duma, we were for a boycott. Anti-parliamentarism is one of the infantile disorders of communism, against which I have often had to struggle. In Italy this disorder is widespread. There is even its own party newspaper there called "Il Soviet" (Naples), the organ of communist abstentionists, i.e., opponents of participation in elections. With us, as you know, I had to wage a struggle on analogous questions against Bukharin and Radek. I was opposed to the idea that we should immediately overthrow Kerensky's government, and I was for the Brest-Litovsk peace. Later they openly admitted that they were mistaken, and Radek was educated so well that better than anyone else he struggled against the anti-parliamentary direction in Germany, against Laufenberg, Wolfheim, and the Hamburg communists.

If we generalize, then in my opinion, it is necessary at the present moment:

1) struggle against the Mensheviks,

2) struggle against infantile disorders in [the ranks of] the left socialists.

Friis: What brief characterization would you give them? Can one call it — revolutionary romanticism?

Lenin: Yes, absolutely correct. But of course, we cannot do without romanticism. Better an excess of it than a shortage. We have always sympathized with revolutionary romantics, even when we disagreed with them. For example, we have always refrained from individual terror. But we have always expressed our admiration for the personal courage of the terrorists and their readiness for sacrifice. Our point of view was:

[Part 2/4] first rigorous analysis of economic relations, and then only afterward demonstrate one's conviction through personal example. If I were, for example, in England now, I would be unconditionally against boycotting the Labour Party
8 and I would vote for the Henderson
9 government, but at the same time I would say openly: "let them prove themselves in deed." One would quickly understand that the path of reforms is impossible after the devastations of war.
Revolution will come inevitably in all countries, but in Western European countries it will probably occur more easily than it did for us. After all, they have completely different organizing forces than we had to cope with this. For now, Russia is ahead.
But after revolution comes to Western Europe, Russia will soon fall behind.
And how stands the matter with the intelligentsia in Norway; is it very reactionary?

F r i i s: Recently things have gotten better. Particularly the French movement "Clarté" has aroused great interest. Once French writers began becoming "Bolsheviks," Norwegian ones will soon follow. But perhaps this is simply a fashionable movement which one cannot particularly rely on. I think, however, that nonetheless among engineers there is a genuinely progressive movement felt. 

L e n i n:
Yes, they are partially on our side everywhere.
In Germany, in a short time there will also be, so to speak, an engineering proletariat. Winning over engineers to our side has great significance. For most of our engineers, there were purely capitalist interests. Therefore it will take many years to rebuild industrial life anew. In Norway, one must hope, this will happen more easily.

Lenin looked at his watch. I stood up and thanked him for all the cordiality with which I was received during my stay in Moscow.
"Greetings to all Norwegian comrades from me."

Published June 5, 1920
Published in the newspaper "Die Rote Fahne" No. 96 (Berlin)
Translated from German
Published in Russian for the first time

1 Jacob Friis — prominent figure in the Norwegian Workers' Party. At the II Congress of the Comintern in 1920 was elected to the Executive Committee of the Comintern from Norway, Sweden, and Denmark (subsequently Sweden was given an independent vote).
2 This refers to the boycott of the Bulygin Duma. According to the project of Minister of Internal Affairs A. G. Bulygin, the Duma had no right to pass any laws, and could only discuss certain questions as an advisory body to the tsar. The Bolsheviks called upon workers and peasants to actively boycott the Duma. The boycott campaign was used by the Bolsheviks to mobilize revolutionary forces, to conduct mass political strikes, and to prepare armed insurrection. Elections to the Bulygin Duma did not take place, and the government failed to convene it; the mounting revolutionary upsurge and the All-Russian October political strike of 1905 swept away the Duma. For V. I. Lenin's evaluation of the tactics of boycotting dumas, see the works "Against the Boycott (From Notes of an S.-D. Publicist)" and "The Infantile Disorder of 'Leftism' in Communism" (Collected Works, vol. 16, pp. 1–36 and vol. 41, pp. 17–18).
3 "Il Soviet" ("The Soviet") — newspaper of the Italian Socialist Party; published in Naples from 1918 to 1922; from 1920 published as an organ of the faction of communist-abstentionists of the Italian Socialist Party.
4 N. I. Bukharin in 1918 headed an anti-party group of "left communists."
K. B. Radek — in 1918 — a "left communist."
5 This refers to the Treaty of Brest — a peace treaty between Soviet Russia and the powers of the Quadruple Alliance (Germany, Austro-Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey), signed on March 3, 1918 in Brest-Litovsk.
The conclusion of the Treaty of Brest was connected with stubborn struggle against Trotsky and the anti-party group of "left communists." Only through the enormous efforts of V. I. Lenin was the peace treaty with Germany signed. The Treaty of Brest was a striking example of the wisdom and flexibility of Leninist tactics, of the ability to work out the only correct policy in an exceptionally complex situation. The conclusion of the Treaty of Brest was a rational political compromise.
The Treaty of Brest gave the Soviet state a breathing space, allowed it to demobilize the old disintegrating army and create a new — Red Army, to unfold socialist construction and accumulate forces for struggle against internal counterrevolution and foreign interventionists.
6 Heinrich Laufenberg — German left social-democrat, publicist. After the November Revolution of 1918 joined the Communist Party of Germany, in which he soon headed the "left" opposition preaching anarcho-syndicalist views and a petty-bourgeois nationalist program of so-called "national Bolshevism."
Fritz Wolffheim — German left social-democrat, publicist. After the November Revolution of 1918 in Germany joined the Communist Party of Germany, in which jointly with H. Laufenberg he headed the "left" opposition.
7 This refers to the group of "left" communists of the Hamburg organization of the CPG.
8 The Labour Party (Labour Party) was founded in 1900 as an association of trade unions — trade unions, socialist organizations and groups for the purpose of conducting workers' representatives to parliament. Members of trade unions are automatically party members on condition of paying party dues.
The Labour Party, initially formed as a workers' party in composition (subsequently it came to include a significant quantity of petty-bourgeois elements), is in its ideology and tactics an opportunist organization. From the moment of the party's origin, its leaders have conducted a policy expressing the interests of imperialist bourgeoisie.
9 Arthur Henderson — one of the leaders of the Labour Party and the English trade union movement. Repeatedly entered bourgeois governments of England.

NOTE TO G. E. ZINOVIEV

To Comrade Zinoviev in Petrograd

If this is a fault, then it is mine, and not Vorovsky's
2. But it seems the matter was quite different, and I had asked especially.
8/VI [1920]
Lenin

1 A note concerning the reason for delay in proofreading the pamphlet "The Infantile Disorder of 'Leftism' in Communism," written on a certificate from the Petrograd division of the State Publishing House dated June 4, 1920 about the progress of publication of the pamphlet, with an annotation by G. E. Zinoviev that proofreading was delayed by 19 days.
2 V. V. Vorovsky managed the State Publishing House.

NOTE TO M. F. VLADIMIRSKY
[June 8, 1920]

Call Krestinsky to take a telephone survey of members of the Politburo, and then we will take the signatures of the People's Commissars by telephone as well
1.

1 Written in connection with the proposal of Deputy People's Commissar of Internal Affairs M. F. Vladimirsky to V. I. Lenin about the necessity of introducing into the Committee on Implementation of Martial Law a representative from the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, since the implementation of martial law in localities was entrusted to the NKVD.

TELEPHONE MESSAGE TO B. P. POZERN

[June 11 or 12, 1920]

To the Revolutionary Military Council
Pozern

Propose on my behalf to Ivan Teodorovich
2, located in the village of Tinskoe, to depart to Moscow. Render assistance in departure, supply him with means. Convey to him my best wishes and greetings
*.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars Lenin

Published according to the handwritten text, amended and signed by V. I. Lenin

1 B. P. Pozern — member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the 5th Army.
2 I. A. Teodorovich — participant in partisan movement in Siberia, later worked in the People's Commissariat of Land.

NOTE TO N. P. BRYUKHANOV
OR A. I. SVIDERSKY

To Comrade Bryukhanov or, if he is not there, To Comrade Svidersky

I request that you satisfy the request
1.

17/VI [1920]
Lenin

1 People's Commissar of Agriculture S. P. Sereda and member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture V. V. Kuraev applied to the People's Commissariat of Food with a request to equalize the food supply of workers in forest organs of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture with workers of the Main Forest Administration, Provincial Forest Administration, and the Railway Administration. On June 22, member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Food A. B. Khalatov sent a documented note in the name of V. I. Lenin, a copy to the People's Commissariat of Agriculture to Sereda and Kuraev, about the procedure for food supply to workers of forest organs of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture. He explained that there was no special ration for employees of the Main Forest Administration, but according to the resolution of the Commission for the Use of Material Resources, workers of the Main Forest Administration are supplied according to the volume of work completed. The technical personnel of the Main Forest Administration working on site are supplied similarly. Other employees of the Main Forest Administration, working under the same conditions as all Soviet employees, are supplied food on equal terms with all other Soviet employees. Workers of the Forest Department of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture should be supplied in exactly the same manner. On Khalatov's note there is a notation by V. I. Lenin: "to archive" (TsIA IML at the CC CPSU).

* The last phrase is written in the hand of V. I. Lenin.

TELEGRAM TO G. E. ZINOVIEV
17/VI [1920]

Under the conditions of transport of the Republic, the labor army must be considered as well as a reserve for the commander-in-chief, which is why it is not possible to refuse to detach a division from the army for combat tasks until transport is improved. 

The Fifty-sixth Division is being transferred to the Caucasian Front, where the situation is very serious. Units of the Nineteenth Division will be used for Arkhangelsk and Murmansk operations; two cavalry regiments are being taken to the Polish Front, where upon the arrival of these regiments a six-regiment cavalry division will be formed; the Tenth Division is planned for detachment should it be necessary to reinforce the Sixth Army. From the final clarification of the latter question, the Tenth Division remains part of the labor army and may be drawn upon for work, however, to the extent that does not undermine its combat capability.

Lenin

Published according to telegram blank

NOTE TO L. A. FOTIEVA
Lydia Alexandrovna!

Call Petrograd to request that they send me the proofs as quickly as possible. Find out the publication deadline.
1/VII [1920]
Lenin

1 The discussion concerns the publication of "Preliminary Draft of Theses on the Agrarian Question," written by V. I. Lenin for the II Congress of the Communist International (Collected Works, vol. 41, pp. 169–182).

LETTER TO ALL SOVIET AND MILITARY
INSTITUTIONS

July 1, 1920

The bearer hereof, Comrade M. Yu. Kozlovsky, Chairman of the Small Council of People's Commissars, is traveling for treatment at the Caucasian mineral springs.

Request to all Soviet and military institutions to render him every assistance.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

NOTE TO L. A. FOTIEVA
July 2, 1920

Lydia Alexandrovna!

I request of you:
1) send me 2 sheets of onionskin paper,
2) call Zinoviev and ask when the f i n a l deadline is for No. 12 of "The Communist International" (theses and review of Otto Bauer
2)?

Greetings! Lenin

1 This refers to No. 12 of the journal "Communist International."
2 This concerns the theses of V. I. Lenin to the II Congress of the Comintern (Collected Works, vol. 41, pp. 159–212) and the review of O. Bauer's book "Bolshevism or Social Democracy?" ("Bolshewismus oder Sozialdemokratie?", Vienna, Verl. der Wiener Volksbuchhandlung, 1920). A brief characterization of this book V. I. Lenin gives in his report on the international situation and the principal tasks of the Communist International at the II Congress of the Comintern (see Collected Works, vol. 41, pp. 229–231).

NOTE TO G. V. CHICHERIN

[Between July 3 and 19, 1920]

Comrade Chicherin!

Give me urgently the draft resolution of the II congress of the III International on this question and get a copy of my theses from Zinoviev.

Lenin

1 The document was written on a note from G. V. Chicherin to V. I. Lenin, in which the position of the Workers' Socialist Federation is criticized and, in particular, that of the leader of the far left of this federation — Sylvia Pankhurst.

The formation of the Communist Party of Great Britain was hindered by serious disagreements among left socialists on the questions of entry of the future Communist Party into the Labour Party, participation in the bourgeois parliament, and work in trade unions. Sylvia Pankhurst categorically opposed participation in parliament and entry into the Labour Party. Negotiations frequently begun (in 1919, 1920) on the formation of a Communist Party for a long time led to no results. On June 19, 1920, the Workers' Socialist Federation broke off negotiations and declared itself the Communist Party of Great Britain (British section of the III International), confirming that it remained on positions of categorical refusal to use parliament. In his note G. V. Chicherin reported that "the new so-called Communist Party, as its first deed, refused to participate in the unification conference of August 1, at which all organizations recognizing the communist platform had intended to unite. The separate party already created by Sylvia refuses to go there... In the program itself of the new party — the notorious leftism, namely, parliamentary action is entirely rejected." Chicherin in the note further expresses hope that the Congress of the Comintern will not pass with indifference by this spurious ultra-left separatist move.

The United Temporary Committee on the Formation of the Communist Party of Great Britain on June 20, 1920 addressed a letter to V. I. Lenin. On July 8 Lenin in response to their letter expressed his point of view on the actions of the Workers' Socialist Federation and Sylvia Pankhurst: "I consider the tactics of Comrade Sylvia Pankhurst (Pankhurst) and the organization W.S.F. incorrect... In particular, I personally stand for participation in parliament and for joining the 'Labour Party' (Labour Party), on condition of full freedom and independence of communist work, and will defend this tactic at the II Congress of the III International..." (Collected Works, vol. 41, p. 157).

This position of V. I. Lenin received full reflection in the "Theses on the Principal Tasks of the Second Congress of the Communist International" written by him (Collected Works, vol. 41, pp. 183–201) and in the speech on entering the British Labour Party, delivered on August 6 at the II Congress of the Comintern (see ibid., pp. 260–267).

NOTATION ON THE REPORT OF THE TURIN SECTION
OF THE ITALIAN SOCIALIST PARTY
TO THE NATIONAL COUNCIL IN MILAN

I advise that [this] definitely be printed in "Communist International" before the Congress or, at worst, as a separate sheet with translation into French.
5/VII [1920]
Lenin

1 The report of the Turin section of the Italian Socialist Party (written by A. Gramsci) to the National Council in Milan was published on May 8, 1920 in the newspaper "L'Ordine Nuovo" under the title "For the Renewal of the Socialist Party." Having familiarized himself with it in translation, V. I. Lenin wrote the published note. On July 20, 1920 the report was printed in the journal "Communist International" No. 12.

LETTER TO ALL SOVIET AND MILITARY
INSTITUTIONS

I request all Soviet institutions, military authorities, and all comrades to render every assistance to the bearer Zinaida Pavlovna Krzyzhanowskaya, personally known to me since 1895, a party comrade and Soviet worker.
8/VII

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars:
V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

1 Z. P. Krzyzhanowskaya at this time was working in the People's Commissariat of Education, was deputy head of the department of out-of-school education.

NOTES ON THE INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS

[1920, July, not earlier than July 3 — not later than July 19] (in principle)
1) More autonomy for "Mezhsovprof"...
2) It must be independent resources...
3) Supply it with room
not through the CI not through the AUCTU food and other things
(material support)
not less than Com. Intern.

Members:
Tomsky, gen. secretary
Executive Murphy
Bureau Rosmer (Lozovsky)
Yanson
Shablin

Unequal treatment of syndicalists and anarchists.

TRANSLATION
(in principle)
1. More autonomy for "Mezhsovprof"...
2. These must be independent resources...
3. Provide it with premises,
not through the CI not through the food supply and other things
(material support)
AUCTU
not less than the Comintern.

Members:
Tomsky, General Secretary
Executive Bureau
Unequal treatment of syndicalists and anarchists.

1 The International Council of Trade Unions was created in July 1920. The Provisional International Council of Trade Unions was composed of representatives from various countries, one from each. The current work was conducted by the executive organ of the Council, consisting of five members. To cover the trade union movement of the most important countries, Mezhsovprof organized five sections: of German countries, of Romance countries, English, American, and Eastern countries. During a year of existence (until the first Congress of the Profintern), Mezhsovprof was engaged in propaganda of revolutionary class struggle of trade unions and preparation of an international congress of revolutionary trade unions.
2 M. P. Tomsky — Chairman of the Presidium of the AUCTU, member of the CC of the RCP(b).
John Thomas Murphy (England) — worker mechanic, was one of the leaders of the movement of factory and plant foremen.
Alfred Rosmer — prominent anarcho-syndicalist; one of the founders of the Committee on Restoration of International Connections. In July 1920 arrived in Moscow as a representative of revolutionary elements of the French trade union movement. Participated in the I and II Congresses of the Profintern, as well as at Congresses of the Comintern.
S. A. Lozovsky (Dridzo) — member of the Presidium of the AUCTU; member of the Committee on Restoration of International Connections; one of the initiators and founders of Mezhsovprof.
3 Yanson — was a member of the executive organ of Mezhsovprof from the trade unions of Holland.
N. Shablin (Ivan Nedelkov) — was a member of the executive organ of Mezhsovprof from the General Union of Trade Unions of Bulgaria.

ROUGH DRAFT
AND PRELIMINARY VARIANT OF THE PLAN OF THE REPORT
"ON THE INTERNATIONAL SITUATION AND THE PRINCIPAL
TASKS OF THE COMMUNIST INTERNATIONAL
AT THE II CONGRESS OF THE COMINTERN"*

[1920, July, not later than July 19]

Draft notes for my report on the principal tasks of the Communist International

International situation and principal tasks of the
Communist International

<2*** = 1657.

(Plan of report)
1. Division of the world 1914 and

(essence of imperialism)
Gigantic exacerbation of all capitalist contradictions on a world scale.
2= 1600÷
\ -1700
MILLIONS
(Za)** America
+ Japan

Great Britain "Imperialism"?, p. 82:
in 1876 the 6 main powers had 18% in colonies — 273.8 million inhabitants (¼ billion)
1914 — " — 523.4 (> ****й billion) inhabitants remaining colonies
45.3
¾ colonies 361.0

3. Ruin — destruction —
economic crisis.
Disintegration among victors.

4. Not "absolute"
hopelessness, but revolutionary use of the crisis.
2 = 929.9
Land billions
| colonies and defeated 1¾ of
all 1¾ > (1914)
+ 117
2 = 253
^/Russia
— 136.^
136/
Germany—64.9
Austria—30.9
^ Hungary—21.4
117.2
+ Bulgaria—5

* See V. I. Lenin. Collected Works, vol. 41, pp. 215–235 and 452–455.
** — Zirka — approximately.
*** — summa — total.
**** — more.

1920 YEAR

Xcf.* II International: I
[Stuttgart and Basel.

(a) Debts (b) Wages and prices (c) Coal extraction (d) Currency
(e) Incomes

Keynes
1 "The economic consequences of the peace"**. 1919.

5. Growth of revolutionary
moods, — ideas — movement (throughout the world), (cf. Rams. Macdonald
2)
Opportunism = essence of II
International.
Agents of bourgeoisie in workers' movement.
Economic roots.

page 12: page:
We know that all this will pass *** that the war "created revolutionary conditions"**** page 12–13:
"All this will pass"...
"Rape of social
Power factors", the Imperialism? p. 64:
8–10 billion frs.
per year (at 5%) income from export of capital abroad three
countries: England, France, Germany.

Page 111: Otto Bauer: Bolshevism or Socialde- mocracy?
Vienna.*****
1920.

Vorwarts 12. IV. 1920

8–10 billion frs. 1914
10  20  30??

Only debts (1920)
3m countries = 4 billion
£
(Keynes: 254), i.e., = 100 billion frs., 5% = 5 billion frs.

7. "Purification" of revolutionary parties
from these agents.
In Russia 1903–1917–1920.
In Europe and America 1915–1920 — (We do not accept: change yourselves first).

* — Confer — compare.
** — Keynes. "Economic Consequences of Peace."
*** — We know that this will pass, will settle.
**** — "created revolutionary conditions."
***** — "Rape of social factors of power," p. 111.
Otto Bauer. "Bolshevism or Social Democracy?" Vienna.

8. Left errors.
Growing pains.
(Ready to accept immediately: correct yourselves).

"Democracy is the form of state in which the distribution of power in the state is exclusively (italics O. V.) determined by social factors of power," not by violence (p. 109).

x) Five "social factors of power":
1) number; 2) organization; 3) place in the process of production and distribution; 4) activity; 5) education.

9. Revolutionary movement in colonial
countries. East.
Truly world- wide character of the Communist
International.

10. 2 2*
Total = Communist
International now not a propaganda society, but the beginning
of practical movement of armies of the working class.

Not the question of whether revolution will come soon, but the
acceleration of preparation of the proletariat, that is the essence.

Growth of ideas of communism.
(Role of imperialist war).
Transitional moment of movement.
Role of the bribed upper stratum of the working class (8–10 billion frs.).
Opportunism = bourgeois socialism.
"Left"= proletarian socialism, its growth.
22 = firmly forward.

* . — Summa summarum — total sum.

YEAR

1) Division of the world 1914 and 1920.
2) Gigantic (world-wide scale) exacerbation of all contradictions.
3) Ruin — destruction — economic crisis.
4) Absolute hopelessness?
No. Revolutionary action should use [it], to strike down the falling.
5) (Cf. Macdonald) and growth of revolutionary moods, — ideas — movement throughout the world.
6) Opportunism^ II International.
Economic roots
1914 || 8–10 billion
1920 || 30–40??
7) "Purification" of Russia and Europe ~\ America.
8) Left errors. Growing pains.
9) Revolutionary movement in colonial peoples: East.
10) 22
Not a propaganda society, but the beginning of practical movement of armies.

1250 / 175
1050 ~7i
250 * about 300
Russia
— 130
2000*

600

colonies
73 colonies defeated countries
Germany + Austro-Hungary + Bulgaria "750
Russia
Germany + K

{100}
200 { 50}
{ 50}

1V 4
V 4
factories plants
Ж
creditors (America)

3/4 billion
Keynes, 254
Keynes 254
£ billion
+19 billion rubles (V, doll. Vio £)
+1–9
United States

Crossed-out figure.

LENINIST COLLECTION

England
France
+ 17V 2 (+6 Russia)
+ 3 V 2 (1V 2 Russia)
~ lOVa
+ 1.74
(+ 0.57)
- 0.
+ 0.
- 1
•84

+ 40 billion
rubles
Debts
- 19
Brown
3, B.
Debts
7 governments
Debts in% of property
Brown, p. 8 idiot Keynes proposes to annul debts: "generosity" (255)
II
in gold
Million marks
- 109.2 (1914)

(1920)
nationalized
52–54% France and England
65–70
Italy and Austria
90%
Russia
G13% United States
Japan
J
now }> 50% (49.7% Germany)

International situation and principal tasks of the Communist
International (1876)
Division of the world 1914
— vs * now
6 powers — Germany
England — America
Japan
Hundreds of billions
Destruction
Inflation
Raw materials
Facts "Privileged countries"...
"Moral" consequences of war
Basel Manifesto 1920

N.B.
revolutionary movement in colonies and dependent peoples left errors...

22 = we are already not a society of propagandists, but a sum of practically
acting armies beginning preparation on a world scale.

* — versus — in relation to; compared with.

1920 YEAR

Revolutionary mood (cf. Rams. Macdonald)...

Opportunists: 8–10 billion
1920: 20–30??

Stratum of workers' aristocracy privileged corruption "purification" of workers' parties, expulsion from
workers' movement.

Wages
1914–1920 —
| Brown, 61⁄2 |
150–180% (130 (Italy)
England)

Prices
Meat
Milk

(United States)
100–150–200 200–240%
140%–190–200%–400%
—230%–300% (Italy)
(England)

Brown, "Times"
Wages " T i mes" (maximum)
100–120% United States
130–170% England
200%–300% France + Italy
1913–1919

130% Japan: Brown
10. III. 1920
Supreme Economic Council
8. III. 1920

Coal extraction
[Brown, p. 64]
England
— 20%
France
— 50%
Germany
— 37%
United States — 4%
Braun from <
10. III.
T imes»

1319

Currency (compare with dollar) £ — 30% "Times," 10. III.

fr  64% (72% lira)
mark — 96%
Income 50% — 40%
Lapinsky*, p. 14.

LENINIST COLLECTION

1 John Maynard Keynes — English vulgar bourgeois economist, apologist for state-monopoly capitalism, participated in the work of the Paris Peace Conference.
2 James Ramsay Macdonald — English political figure, one of the founders and leaders of the Independent Labour Party and the Labour Party. Conducted an extremely opportunist policy, preached the theory of class collaboration and the gradual growth of capitalism into socialism.
3 M. I. Braun (M. G. Bronskii) — Polish social-democrat, later member of the Bolshevik party.
4 P. L. Lapinsky — Polish communist, economist and publicist. Was the author of a number of works on world economics and politics, actively contributed to Soviet, Polish, and German communist publications.

INTERVIEW WITH A FOREIGN JOURNALIST*
JULY 20, 1920

L e n i n made the following statements to a foreign journalist:

"Perhaps the English proposal is merely a scrap of paper. But perhaps it is capable of leading to genuine peace in eastern Europe. If English diplomats imagine that they can deceive us, then they are committing a gross error: for every paper proposal we will answer with a paper proposal, and only for genuine deeds will we answer with deeds. English policy is not stable, it constantly undergoes fluctuation. On one side — Lloyd George*, on the other — Churchill
2 and between them Lord Curzon
3, who would like to see Russia weak. However, alongside them stands a large mass of the English people with whom they must reckon. And we rely most of all on these masses. Peace between England and Russia is in direct dependence on the strength of our Red Army and on the steadfastness of the English proletariat."

To the question of what Lenin thinks about relations between the Allies, he replied:

"Either the English proposals are a maneuver, or the existence of the famous Entente will be impossible henceforth. The very fact that England is accepting "red" money will compel the allies to do the same. Up to now England has acted independently, and one must assume that its policy is directly directed against France. The treaty with Persia was concluded without the mediation of the League of Nations. Turkey policy of England contradicts the interests of France and Italy. Finally, the English proposal made to Soviet Russia was sent against the will of France. If France continues to support Poland, then this will lead to inevitable dispute with England. However, if it abandons Poland to its fate, then it will lose its last real ally against Germany."

The journalist also asked Lenin: "Will the Communist International cease foreign propaganda in case an understanding is established between Russia and England?" Lenin replied: "The very fact that Soviet Russia exists is the best propaganda of communism throughout the world."

Published July 20, 1920
Published in the newspaper "Berner Tagwacht"
Translated from German
Published in Russian for the first time

1 David Lloyd George — English statesman and diplomat, leader of the Liberal Party. In 1916–1922 — Prime Minister of Great Britain. One of the inspirers and organizers of military intervention and blockade against the Soviet state.
2 Winston Churchill — English political figure, conservative. In 1918–1921, being War Minister, was one of the inspirers of armed intervention against Soviet Russia.
3 George Nathaniel Curzon — English reactionary statesman and diplomat. In 1919–1924 — Foreign Minister of Great Britain. Was one of the main organizers of foreign military intervention against Soviet Russia.

NOTE TO E. M. SKLYANSKY
[1920, July, not earlier than July 22]

Answer: "Orders have been given to the military command, according to your telegram, to meet your delegates at the indicated place and set a term for negotiations on armistice and peace"
1.

Military news?

1 The document was written on a note from E. M. Sklyansky: "What decision was made?" The discussion concerns the beginning of negotiations on armistice and peace with Poland. On July 22, 1920, the Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs E. Sapega addressed a note to the People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs of the RSFSR G. V. Chicherin. The note said: "Striving to end bloodshed and restore peace, the Polish government proposes to the Soviet government immediate armistice and opening of peace negotiations" ("Documents and Materials on the History of Soviet-Polish Relations," vol. III, Moscow, 1965, p. 190).
On July 23 Chicherin sent a note to Sapega expressing agreement to begin peace negotiations: "The Russian Soviet government has given orders to the supreme command of the Red Army to immediately begin negotiations with Polish military command for the purpose of concluding an armistice and preparation of future peace between the two countries" (ibid., p. 192).
On July 24 a radiogram was sent by the commander of troops of the Western Front M. N. Tukhachevsky to the Polish army's supreme command about the time and place of meeting of representatives of Poland and Soviet Russia.

NOTES FOR SPEECH
AT THE II CONGRESS OF THE COMINTERN
ON CONDITIONS FOR ADMISSION TO THE COMMUNIST
I N T E R N A T I O N A L

[July 29–30, 1920]

1. Split in Germany
(and in Italy?) *.
And the III International? Better.
2. K.P.D. compromise unsuccessful.
3. Karl Kautsky and Crispien in Frh (III — IV) somewhat whiny
4. Turati a Co in Italy {"M. Guardian"} **
5. Parliamentarianism
vs journalism syndicalism propaganda agitation organizations
petty-bourgeois stratum rural proletariat?
6. Reactionary trade unions
in England (W. Dr. Boilermakers)

* First three points are crossed out.
** See V. I. Lenin. Collected Works, vol. 41, pp. 97–98.

1 Karl Kautsky — one of the leaders of German social-democracy and the II International, at first a Marxist, later a renegade of Marxism, ideologue of the most dangerous and pernicious variety of opportunism — centrism (Kautskyism).
Arthur Crispin — one of the leaders of German social-democracy. In 1920 as part of a delegation from the "independent" party attended the II Congress of the Comintern. Upon his return to Germany spoke out against joining the Comintern.

NOTE TO M. V. KOBETSKY

[1920, late July]

Comrade Kobetsky!

Would you be so kind as to send me
1) a list of members of the Russian delegation?
2) Several guest passes to the Congress?

With comradely greetings
Lenin

1 M. V. Kobetsky from 1919–1923 worked in the Comintern; after the II Congress was included in the Small Bureau of the Executive Committee of the Comintern.

NOTE
TO SECRETARY

[1920, August, not earlier than August 8]

1) What did Bryukhanov answer about Białystok.
Can he provide bread?

2) Call Nikolayev (People's Commissariat of Posts and Telegraphs): can he give Radek
2 a radio station with him (tomorrow) that operates at 200 versts?
It is necessary
3.

1 In the disposition of the Polish Revolutionary Committee 7–8 cars of flour were sent.
2 K. B. Radek — Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Comintern.
3 The radio station was transferred to the army.

NOTE TO V. A. AVANESOV

To Comrade Avanesov.

Comrade Avanesov!

Do you know the author?
What do you know about him?
I request a report in 2 lines

12/VIII

Lenin

1 The published note was written on a letter from a worker of the Petrograd division of the RCP's People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs, Nikolayev, to E. P. Peshkova. He requested to convey to V. I. Lenin a note "On the Question of the Development of Productive Forces of Russia," drawn up by the manager of control of civilian institutions of the Petrograd division of the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs M. A. Malyshev. Under Nikolayev's note Lenin wrote: "Who is this?"
Peshkova conveyed these materials to Lenin through M. I. Ulyanova; on Peshkova's note to Maria Ilyinichna Lenin wrote: "received August 12, 1920. Lenin."

NOTE TO M. I. GLÄSSER

[August 13, 1920]

It is possible only if you put first and for a whole hour
Le Petit (Lepeti)
2.

1 Written on a note from a worker of the secretariat of the Council of People's Commissars M. I. Glässer with a question about the possibility of appointing a reception of delegates to the II Congress of the Comintern: Frain (USA), Van-Overstraeten (Belgium), Marie Nielsen (Denmark), Kabakchiev (Bulgaria), and the German delegation.
2 Lepeti (Louis Bertho dit Jules) — worker, anarchist, active figure in the French trade union movement. In 1920 was at the II Congress of the Comintern as representative of the Committee for the Joining of the Left Wing of the General Confederation of Labor to the III International.

NOTE TO G. V. CHICHERIN

[1920, August, not later than August 14]

Comrade Chicherin!

Steingardt
2 (from Austria) requests to sign (you and I) such a thing so that on Monday, 16/8, to send to Vienna.

Lenin

1 Written on the draft of a telegram to Vienna about a pass to Russia for a delegation of the Pan-Austrian Workers' Union with the following stipulation: "However, it is assumed that members of the delegation are not in contact with any elements hostile to Soviet Russia." The telegram was sent by radio on August 14, 1920.
2 Karl Steingardt (Gruber) — one of the founders of the Communist Party of Austria, delegate to the II Congress of the Comintern.

LETTER TO I. F. ARMAND
[1920, August, before August 17]

Dear Friend! It was very sad to learn that you are exhausted and dissatisfied with your work and with those around you (or your colleagues). Can I not help you by arranging a stay in a sanatorium? I will gladly help in every way. If you are going to France, I am of course ready to help as well: I am only afraid and even very much afraid that you will get in trouble there... They will arrest you and not let you out for a long time... You should be more careful. Would it not be better to go to Norway (many people speak English there) or to Holland? or to Germany as a Frenchwoman, Russian (or Canadian?) subject? Better not to France, otherwise they will lock you up there for a long time and may not even exchange you for anyone. Better not to France.

I rested wonderfully, got a tan, didn't see a single line, didn't hear a single call. Hunting used to be good, now it is all ruined. I heard your surname everywhere: "How there was order under them," etc.
2.

If you don't like a sanatorium, why not go south? to Sergo on the Caucasus?
3 Sergo will arrange rest, sun, good work, certainly will arrange it. He is in power there. Think about it
4.

Firmly, very firmly I shake your hand
Your Lenin

1 This concerns the work of I. F. Armand in the department of women workers at the CC of the RCP(b) and her disagreements with A. M. Kollontai.
2 Apparently this refers to a suburban estate of the Armand family in Eldigin of the Pushkin District of Moscow Region.
3 G. K. Ordzhonikidze (Sergo) — member of the Caucasian Bureau of the CC of the RCP(b).
4 I. F. Armand together with her son left for treatment in the Caucasus (see V. I. Lenin. Collected Works, vol. 51, p. 261).

NOTE TO N. I. BUKHARIN
[August 20, 1920]

To Bukharin by telephone:

Sylvia Pankhurst writes (for some reason to me) that the English delegates are leaving August 21 in the evening and therefore the meeting with Rothstein must be no later than tomorrow in the afternoon
1.

Lenin

1 Written on a note from Sylvia Pankhurst to V. I. Lenin with information about the day of departure of the English delegation and about a meeting of V. I. Lenin with F. A. Rothstein.
F. A. Rothstein actively participated in the English workers' movement, in the formation of the Communist Party of Great Britain.

NOTATION ON A TELEGRAM
[August 20, 1920]

Too early to transfer to labor status

Lenin

1 The notation was written on a telegram from Irkutsk from a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the 5th Army B. P. Pozern to the address of the Chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic (copy to the CC of the RCP(b) and the Siberian Revolutionary Committee), in which it was reported that the Siberian Bureau had made a proposal to the CC about transferring the 5th Army to labor status, which Pozern considered premature until the liquidation of Japanese intervention in the East.

NOTATION ON A LETTER FROM G. V. CHICHERIN
TO THE POLITBURO OF THE CC OF THE RCP(b)

[1920, August, not earlier than August 21 — not later than August 24]

Agreed (to implement through the Council of People's Commissars on Tuesday, 8/24). Begin work immediately.

Lenin

1 In a letter G. V. Chicherin reported that at a meeting of a commission appointed by the Politburo of the CC of the RCP(b) with a representative from Azerbaijan, an agreement was reached on the necessity of immediate implementation of federation of Russia with Azerbaijan on the basis of a military-economic union. In connection with this he addressed the Politburo of the CC of the RCP(b) with a proposal to organize a commission for the practical working out of norms of relations between the two republics. At a session of the Council of People's Commissars on August 24, 1920, a commission was formed and approved for this purpose consisting of V. V. Obolenskii, A. M. Lezhava, V. P. Milyutin, L. M. Karakhan or his deputy, a representative from the People's Commissariat of Military Affairs and from the People's Commissariat of Railways by appointment of the collegium.

LETTER TO THE CC OF THE RCP(b)

August 23, 1920

To the CC of the RCP

Since I knew Zifeldt very little and only in Zurich, I would very much like to have [you] report, if possible, his party standing. Are there not those who know him well? or at least generally by work?

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

1 There is a notation on the letter made by an unknown hand: "Karakhan doesn't know, we don't have personal files."
A. R. Zifeldt (Sumuyash) was a Socialist Revolutionary, later a Left SR, anarcho-syndicalist. From 1913 lived in Switzerland, gravitated toward Plekhanovites, from 1915 — a Bolshevik. After the October Socialist Revolution worked on military, party, Soviet, and scientific matters in the Caucasus.

TELEGRAM TO Z. P. KRZYZHANOWSKAYA
August 27, 1920

Essentuki
First Park Sanatorium
Room 99
Krzyzhanowskaya

On official business your and Meshcheryakova's
1 immediate departure to Moscow is required.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars
Lenin

Inform me of the time of delivery to the addressee.

Lenin

1 A. I. Meshcheryakova worked in the People's Commissariat of Education, in the library division of the Chief Administration of Political Education.

ADDITION TO THE DRAFT DECREE OF THE COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS
BASED ON THE REPORT OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF FOREIGN TRADE

[August 31, 1920]

And given the full certainty that the trip is well grounded by practical considerations.

1 The report on the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade was discussed at a session of the Council of People's Commissars on August 31, 1920. In the draft decree of the Council of People's Commissars it was proposed to reprimand the deputy people's commissar of foreign trade for carelessly granting permission for departure abroad to specialists sent by commissariats and central institutions for scientific and informational purposes. He was instructed to review pending such cases, so as to grant permission for departure abroad only in the most extreme cases and for the shortest periods.

NOTE TO E. M. SKLYANSKY
[August 1920]

Comrade Sklyansky!

So, today the Central Committee. Exactly at 5 o'clock. Exactly at 6 o'clock your report on martial law and emergency measures.

Lenin

NOTE TO A. M. LEZHAVA AND G. V. CHICHERIN
Lezhava and Chicherin

I request [you] to take into consideration and return to me with a brief report
2/IX [1920]
Lenin

1 Written on a letter from Artem (F. A. Sergeyev) on behalf of the delegation of the Comintern to the Secretariat of the CC of the RCP(b) of August 17, 1920. In his letter Artem criticizes the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade for failing to establish trade with Norway.
Deputy People's Commissar of Foreign Trade A. M. Lezhava in response to Lenin's note reported that Artem's conclusions about the work of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade in the North were based on unverified data.

NOTE TO A. I. RYKOV AND L. D. TROTSKY
To Rykov and Trotsky.

I request [you] to order an inspection in Samara and in Voronezh (among workers) and report to me the results
1.

3/IX [1920]
Lenin

1 Written on a letter from P. Pasternak, an engineer-builder from Zurich, dated June 20, 1920, to V. I. Lenin with an offer of his services as an engineer for the construction of reinforced concrete structures; in his letter Pasternak reported on his experience working in Voronezh, Samara, and Moscow.

LETTER TO E. MEYER
Dear Comrade Meyer!

Best thanks for what was sent. Enclosed everything returned.
If possible, send me Die Aktion for a longer period (perhaps I will cite Pfemfert
2 sometime).

With best greetings, Lenin
6/IX [1920]

TRANSLATION
Dear Comrade Meyer!

I thank you for what was sent. I am returning everything. If possible, please send me "Die Aktion" for a longer time (perhaps I will still cite Pfemfert
2).

With greetings, Lenin
6/IX [1920]

1 Ernst Meyer — one of the founders of the Communist Party of Germany, delegate of the KPG to the II Congress of the Comintern, was a member of the mandate commission.
2 Franz Pfemfert — socialist of anarcho-syndicalist bent, published the journal "Die Aktion," in which left intellectuals contributed.

NOTE TO AN UNIDENTIFIED ADDRESSEE

September 9, 1920

To Elizaveta Nikolayevna and Anna Vasilyevna
Azanchevskaya
Tambov
Nikolskaya (or Nikolayevskaya) Hotel (room, it seems, No. 1).

Request — please take care of the improvement of her (their) food provision and generally living conditions.

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

1 On this question see also the letter of V. I. Lenin to A. G. Schlüchter of September 9, 1920 (Collected Works, vol. 51, p. 278) and the present collection, p. 122.
E. N. Azanchevskaya — literary worker.
A. V. Azanchevskaya — by profession a pianist.

NOTE TO N. N. KRESTINSKY
To Comrade Krestinsky

I propose on behalf of the Central Committee to announce a strict reprimand to Ukrrosta for negligence, with warning of more severe punishment next time

11/IX [1920]
Lenin

[Part 3/4] 1 Written on an explanatory memorandum from the deputy responsible
director of ROSTA to the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars
V. I. Lenin from September 9, 1920. It reported receipt on September 9, 1920
from Kharkiv from the Ukrainian Telegraph Agency of unverified information
about the appointment of V. K. Vinnichenko as deputy chairman of the Council
of People's Commissars of Ukraine. This report was published, but the appointment
did not take place.

MEMORANDUM OF SH. M. MANUCHARYANTS

[1920, September, later than 11]
Comrade Ramires2 (Business Court No. 216) — I request that you obtain and
send to him a book, my book. "The Latest Data on the Development of
Capitalism in Agriculture. The United States of North America"3.

1 Sh. M. Manucharyants was the librarian of V. I. Lenin's personal library.
* Jesus Ramirez — delegate to the II Congress of the Comintern.
3 V. I. Lenin had in mind his work "New Data on the Laws of Development
of Capitalism in Agriculture. Issue I. Capitalism and Agriculture in
the United States of America" (see Collected Works, vol. 27, pp. 129–227).

MEMORANDUM TO A. S. ENUKIDZE

Comrade Enukidze! I fully join in the request. Be so kind as to write me 2 words
about this. 13/IX [1920] Lenin

1 Written on a letter from the editor and secretary of Pravda N. I. Bukharin
and M. I. Ulyanova addressed to the secretary of the All-Russian Central
Executive Committee A. S. Enukidze requesting a room in the "Nationalnaya"
and a meal in the Council of People's Commissars' dining hall for the writer
and Pravda contributor A. S. Serafimovich.


MEMORANDUM TO A. V. LUNACHARSKY AND M. N. POKROVSKY

Comrades Lunacharsky and Pokrovsky:

§ 6 — one cannot [publish] "out of turn"
§ 9 — regarding rations [discussion] with the Small Sovnarkom.
Exact number2.

16/IX [1920]
Lenin

1 A. V. Lunacharsky — People's Commissar of Enlightenment.
M. N. Pokrovsky — deputy People's Commissar of Enlightenment.
2 V. I. Lenin's remarks concerned §§ 6 and 9 of the Draft Regulations for a
commission to gather and study materials on the history of the October Revolution
and the history of the RCP(b), which were formulated as follows: "6. The
commission has the right to publish both materials and its own works out of
turn, for which purpose a specified quantity of paper from the state paper fund
is placed at its disposal, and the printing department of the Supreme Council
of the National Economy places at the commission's disposal the necessary
quantity of printing works in Moscow, Petrograd, as well as in the provinces...
9. Specialists included in this staff receive an academic ration; principal workers
who are not specialists are provided with a Soviet ration." After V. I. Lenin's
remarks, the draft was substantially revised.

MEMORANDUM TO N. P. BRYUKHANOV

[September 17, 1920]

Comrade Bryukhanov!

Provide me with a draft (or copy) of your response1.

Lenin

1 Written on a telegram from the Presidium of the Petrograd Executive Committee
dated September 17, 1920 to V. I. Lenin requesting instructions for the unhindered
passage of grain shipments to Petrograd for the needs of fuel organizations.
Deputy People's Commissar of Food N. P. Bryukhanov, in response to V. I. Lenin,
reported that the People's Commissariat of Food had ordered the grain to be
transferred to shock factories of Nizhny Novgorod province, since there was
no acute need for grain among Petrograd's lumber exporters at that moment.
At the end of the memorandum, Bryukhanov asked Lenin: "Should we cancel our
order?" Lenin underlined the words "cancel" with one stroke and wrote above:
"no".

MEMORANDUM TO A. D. TSYURUPA

[1920, September, later than 19]

Your review (brief), comrade Tsyurupa?
Regards! Lenin

1 Written on a letter from the People's Commissar of Food of Ukraine M. K. Vladimircov,
who reported on the state of food supply and the development of food organization
work in Ukraine. In view of rumors about his recall to work in Moscow, he requested
to be left for the good of the cause to work in Ukraine.
A. D. Tsyurupa, fully supporting M. K. Vladimirov's actions to improve food
organization work in Ukraine, wrote to Lenin: "I consider that Vladimirov is in
his proper place. Having inherited the most burdensome legacy in all respects,
Vladimirov has managed to establish relations with the Central Committee of the
Ukrainian party, the Central Executive Committee, and the military, to organize
the organizational work and requisitions. You don't look for the good when you
already have it. Let him stay in Ukraine and work."
On Vladimirov's letter there are also Lenin's notes: "From Vladimirov" and
"Vladimirov's letter and Tsyurupa's review."

MEMORANDUM TO N. P. BRYUKHANOV

[September 23, 1920]

By telephone:
To Bryukhanov: I request a review; extremely important1.

Lenin

1 An order written on a telegram from Petrograd reporting a catastrophic situation
with grain and requesting measures to supply Petrograd with grain.

On the back of the telegram A. B. Khalatov informed V. I. Lenin: since
September 18 Petrograd has been supplied with Siberian grain via Vologda;
additional necessary orders will be issued.

MEMORANDUM TO F. E. DZERZHINSKY

[No earlier than September 23 – no later than September 26, 1920]

Comrade Dzerzhinsky! Order an investigation, please, and instruct your secretary
to send me the results of the investigation.

Your Lenin

1 The order is written on a letter from A. M. Gorky to V. I. Lenin requesting
attention to the case of the arrest by the organs of the All-Russian Extraordinary
Commission of L. Vorobyev, head of the handicraft department of the Supreme
Council of the National Economy, for connections with the Socialist-Revolutionaries.
F. E. Dzerzhinsky reported that he "personally investigated this matter. Vorobyev
participated in harboring Socialist-Revolutionaries and indirectly even Chernov
himself. He is a former Socialist-Revolutionary. He did this, in all probability,
out of kindness of heart rather than from political considerations. The matter
will be concluded in 7–10 days and transferred to the party court" (Central
Party Archive of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism at the Central Committee
of the KPSS).

MEMORANDUM TO E. M. SKLYANSKY AND F. E. DZERZHINSKY

Comrades Sklyansky and Dzerzhinsky: it is necessary to take most energetic measures!
Urgently!

24/IX [1920]

Lenin

1 The order is written on a letter from V. N. Meshcheryakov, who held a leading
party position in Tambov, to V. I. Lenin. It reported on the difficult situation
in Tambov province both militarily and regarding food supply. On the letter there
is Lenin's note: "Tambov province."

LETTER TO S. I. LIBERMAN

25. IX. 1920

To Comrade Liberman

I request that you hasten the preparation of the promised materials on the question
of concessions, since this question will be raised in the Council of People's
Commissars on Tuesday, 28/IX of this year.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars
V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Published from the typewritten text, corrected and signed by V. I. Lenin

1 S. I. Liberman — member of the Presidium of the Central Forestry Committee
of the Supreme Council of the National Economy.

MEMORANDUM TO A. I. RYKOV AND A. M. LEZAVA

[September 25, 1920]

To Rykov and Lezava

I request that you prepare and submit to the Council of People's Commissars
on Tuesday, 28/IX of this year, the question of concessions to Vanderlip1.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

Published from the typewritten copy

1 Washington B. Vanderlip — engineer, representative of American industrial circles.
In 1920 he came to Soviet Russia with a proposal to conclude an agreement on oil
and coal concessions in Kamchatka.
The question of concessions to Vanderlip was raised at a session of the Council
of People's Commissars on September 30, 1920. An interdepartmental commission
was created to conduct negotiations, consisting of representatives of the Supreme
Council of the National Economy, the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs,
the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade, and the People's Commissariat of
Justice. The Soviet government, agreeing to grant a concession to the Vanderlip
syndicate, pursued the goal not only of establishing mutually beneficial cooperation
with American business circles, but also of normalizing relations between Soviet
Russia and the USA. However, relations were not normalized at that moment, and
the concession agreement with Vanderlip was not finally concluded and did not
come into force.
See also V. I. Lenin. Collected Works, vol. 51, p. 268.

MEMORANDUM TO G. V. CHICHERIN

Comrade Chicherin!

Is it not possible to send a radio message about grain (to Italy) to refute the lie
about spoilage?

27/IX [1920]

Lenin

1 See the present collection, pp. 203–204.
2 On September 30, 1920, in the newspaper Izvestiya of the All-Russian Central
Executive Committee, No. 217, a statement from the People's Commissariat of
Foreign Affairs was published refuting false rumors spread in Italy by irresponsible
persons that Russian grain arriving from Odessa to Naples turned out to be of poor
quality. The statement of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs noted that
immediately upon arrival of the cargo in Naples, the Italian press reported that all
the arrived grain, with the exception of a small quantity (0.18% of the entire cargo)
dampened in transit, was of good quality.

MEMORANDUM TO M. I. GLÄSSER

[1920, September, before 28]

I cannot possibly come either tomorrow or in the coming days.

1 Written on a memorandum from M. I. Glässer, in which she reminded V. I. Lenin
that he had promised an article for No. 13 of Communist International and the journal
issue was being delayed only because of this.

REMARKS TO THE RESOLUTION OF THE IX CONFERENCE OF THE RCP(b)
"ON THE IMMEDIATE TASKS OF PARTY BUILDING"

To the resolutions of the "decompositionalist" commission
(§ 13) — transfers ("systematically," allegedly) — but without detriment to
thorough familiarity with the work of those appointed and the success of their
activities.

(§ 14) "change the composition of collegiums more frequently" (of the People's
Commissariats): instead of "more frequently," one should say "differently."

To the archive (with materials from the party conference of IX. 1920).

28. IX. 1920

1 See "The KPSS in Resolutions and Decisions of Congresses, Conferences and
Plenums of the Central Committee," 1954, part I, pp. 500–512.

MEMORANDUM TO L. P. SEREBRYAKOV AND CORRECTIONS TO DRAFTS
OF A RESOLUTION OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE RCP(b)
AND A DECREE ON THE UNIFICATION OF THE TARIFF APPARATUS
OF THE PEOPLE'S COMMISSARIAT OF LABOR AND THE ALL-RUSSIAN
CENTRAL COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS

[1920, September, no later than 29]

Comrade Serebryakov! Would it not be better

1) instead of "economic" to put "financial"?

2) instead of a Council of People's Commissars commission to draft directly a decree,
changing the attached (Tomsky's) in the following manner. [continuation to be
supplied]3

Lenin

Resolution of the Central Committee of the RCP(b)

Unify the work of the tariff-rating departments of the People's Commissariat of
Labor and the All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions in a single tariff
department at the People's Commissariat of Labor [under the general leadership
of the All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions]*. For the All-Russian Central
Council of Trade Unions [People's Commissariat of Labor] remains the development
of tariffs, the direction of their implementation, jointly with the People's
Commissariat of Labor, and control over implementation [control over the implementation
of tariff policy and the right to suspend decisions of the tariff department,
exercised through the countersigning of decisions of the department]...

* The text taken in square brackets here and hereafter is crossed out and corrected
by V. I. Lenin; Lenin's corrections are given in regular type.


Decree on the Unification of the Tariff Apparatus of the People's Commissariat
of Labor and the All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions

§ 1. Combine the tariff-rating department of the People's Commissariat of Labor
and the labor rating department of the All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions
into a single organ at the People's Commissariat of Labor [All-Russian Central
Council of Trade Unions] under the name "Labor Rating Department of the
All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions and the People's Commissariat
of Labor."

§ 2. In exactly the same manner combine their local apparatus at labor departments
[Provincial Trade Union Councils and District Trade Union Bureaus] under the
name "Labor Rating Departments of the Provincial Trade Union Councils and
Labor Departments." ...

§ 7. The Labor Rating Department of the All-Russian Central Council of Trade
Unions is to develop within a week the normal staffing schedules for labor rating
departments, Provincial Trade Union Councils and District Trade Union Bureaus,
which labor departments must follow when approving budgets. Staffing schedules
are to be approved by agreement with the People's Commissariat of Labor.

1 The memorandum was written by V. I. Lenin on a draft resolution of the Central
Committee of the RCP(b) submitted by deputy People's Commissar of Labor and
chairman of the Main Committee of Labor L. P. Serebryakov and secretary of the
All-Russian Central Council of Trade Unions V. V. Schmidt.

2 The correction refers to the following phrase in the draft: "Unify the tariff-rating
departments of the People's Commissariat of Labor and the All-Russian Central
Council of Trade Unions in one organ, which in administrative-economic respect
would be subordinate to the People's Commissariat of Labor and the labor
department locally..."

3 The second point of the proposal concerns the final phrase of the draft: "Detailed
determination of the mutual relations between the All-Russian Central Council
of Trade Unions and the People's Commissariat of Labor, so that all friction is
eliminated and systematic agreement with the trade unions achieved, is entrusted
to the Council of People's Commissars Commission to establish these relations."

LETTER TO A. N. VINOKUROV

[September 30, 1920]

To Vinokurov

Alexei Andreyevich Preobrazhensky, an old party member personally known to me*,
is working at present as head of the administrative service of the Samara-Zlatoust
Railway. He has worked on the railway for more than 20 years. He is currently 57–58
years old. In view of the fact that he is extremely exhausted, I request that he be
relieved from his position with a pension. After resting for several months, he will be
able to return to work in one or another field.

His address: Samara, railway station.

Chairman of the Council of Labor and Defense

The words "personally known to me" were written in by L. A. Fotiyeva's hand.

P.S. I ask you to report whether this can be done through the People's Commissariat
of Social Security and whether a pension will be sufficient. If not, I will turn to the
Organizational Bureau of the Central Committee.

Lenin

Published from the typewritten copy; postscript — from the text written in L. A.
Fotiyeva's hand

1 A. N. Vinokurov — People's Commissar of Social Security. On A. A. Preobrazhensky
see also a letter from V. I. Lenin to V. M. Sverdlov (V. I. Lenin. Collected Works,
vol. 51, p. 293).

TELEGRAM TO ROSTOV-ON-DON

4. X. 1920

Rostov-on-Don
Special Department of the Caucasus Front
To Rusanov

I request that you obtain for me No. 79 of the newspaper "Don News" from December
11, 1918 and then the complete set of this newspaper. Telegraph whether this is
possible2.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars Lenin

1 In No. 79 of the newspaper "Don News" of December 11 (24), 1918, there was a
note titled "Student Botin," which reported that in May 1916, inventor S. I. Botin
conducted a successful experiment in detonating an artillery shell at a distance of
approximately 5 versts in Tiflis. Lenin underlined the title of the note and wrote
"NB" next to it, then made notes on this newspaper page and on its reverse: "Return.
NB," "N. B. Return" (Central Party Archive of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism
at the Central Committee of the KPSS).

2 On October 6, 1920, a reply was received from G. A. Rusanov that No. 79 of
"Don News" and the complete set of the newspaper were being sent to V. I. Lenin
by special messenger.

INSTRUCTION TO A SECRETARY

F. F. Ilyin — a Bolshevik whom I have known since 1903 abroad. A bibliophile. I request
that you provide him with a freight car (teplyushka) to Petrograd (or a place in a car for
him and his books and belongings). Coordinate with Rudyy (People's Commissariat of
Railways)2.

5/X [1920]

Lenin

1 The memorandum is written on a letter from F. F. Ilyin dated September 18, 1920,
from Novorossiysk to N. K. Krupskaya. Ilyin requested assistance in obtaining a freight
car (teplyushka) for transporting his personal belongings as well as documents and
literature gathered by him at the request of the Petrograd Museum of Revolution from
Novorossiysk, in connection with his transfer at the invitation of the Petrograd
Department of Public Education to work in Petrograd.

In Ilyin's letter there are underlinings by V. I. Lenin: "I have about 50 poods of natural
history raw materials, 10 poods of White Guard literature and documents from archives
and the local Extraordinary Commission from the period of the rule of the Volunteer
Army in the south..." Lenin also underlines F. F. Ilyin's address: "Novorossiysk, Korolenko
Street, No. 9, to F. F. Ilyin."

2 V. B. Rudyy — member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Railways.

RECORD OF CONVERSATION WITH WILLIAM PAUL

[October 6, 1920]

Lenin proceeded to a review of the position of the Communist Party of Great Britain.
He said that the refusal of the Labour Party and Henderson and Thomas2 and others
to accept a statement of the Communist Party concerning affiliation3 is a recognition
of the strength and influence of communism and the idea of Soviets in Great Britain.
The very fact that these bourgeois-minded leaders fear having communists in their midst
shows how rapidly events are developing in England. The fear of the Labour Party before
the Communist Party is an indication that the communists of Great Britain ought to
fight for unity in a cohesive, disciplined organization. He was very pleased that the
Communist International decided to make full use of its authority to ensure the unity of
the communist movement in England. Of course, there is a great difference regarding the
question of affiliation to the Labour Party between the positions of the Communist Party
and the old BSP4. Whereas the latter simply limited itself to a proposal for formal
affiliation, the Communist Party rightly insisted on the right to conduct its own policy
and demanded freedom of action within the Labour Party. Nevertheless, despite the fact
that they did not reach agreement, the Labour Party, by rejecting the statement of the
Communist Party, thereby demonstrated that the new organization has drawn into its ranks
truly good revolutionary fighters.

The next important question that English communists ought to discuss, said Lenin, is
their attitude toward the forthcoming general elections. According to various reports
available, Lloyd George may force elections on the country in November. The most important
duty of the communists consists in using the forthcoming elections for purposes of agitation.
The Communist Party ought to put forward as many candidates as possible in order to explain
to the masses the hopelessness of capitalism and the bankruptcy of the parliamentary system.
But since they will not have the opportunity to put forward a large number of candidates,
British communists will have to develop a tactical method by which they could use their
opponents as an instrument to prove that the policy of the Soviets is the only policy that can
properly resolve the various problems arising from contemporary capitalism. Revolutionary
political activity consists in using the policy of the enemy, especially if his policy is preparing
his own destruction. Parliamentary activity not only gives communists the opportunity to
conduct wide propaganda; it can also be used as a means to put the opposition in such a
position in which it will demonstrate its bankruptcy. Many in England are now beginning to
understand that capitalism and the parliamentary system have failed. They learn this not only
from the theoretical arguments of Marxists and communists — this is the result of the concrete
experience and lessons they have received from the coalition government since the armistice.
How can English communists accelerate the collapse of the parliamentary system and expose
to the masses its fraudulent pretensions? Certainly not by means of an avalanche of theoretical
arguments hurled at the heads of workers. The purpose of our theoretical views is to guide us
in our revolutionary activity. The best place to test our theoretical views is the field of
practical activity. The real test for a communist is his understanding of how, where, and when
to turn his Marxism into action. Since the Communist Party cannot put forward candidates in
each electoral district in order to wage struggle against capitalism and its barren parliamentary
method of social representation, the question arises: cannot one use some other political
parties to perform this work? The coalition party with Lloyd George, Churchill, Bonar Law5
and Company have already demonstrated their bankruptcy; they had this opportunity and
the period of their rule provoked discontent among the masses. The Labour Party is the only
political organization that so far has not had the opportunity to demonstrate the collapse of
the parliamentary method of rule. The only difference between Arthur Henderson, Thomas
and their followers, on the one hand, and Lloyd George and Bonar Law, on the other, consists
in the fact that the former have not yet had the opportunity to control the parliamentary
machine. In the conditions in which communists in England now find themselves, they ought
to help these gentlemen gain this opportunity to control parliament. Help the Labour Party
prove that it cannot use parliament to solve the vital problems facing society; help it to
present concrete proof that it is precisely Soviets that are the historically evolved instrument
which alone can ensure the realization of the will of the masses. In short, the Communist
Party of England ought to help the Labour Party demonstrate its own bankruptcy.

I asked Lenin whether he did not think that if the Communist Party officially took upon
itself the responsibility of helping the Labour Party win victory, this might confuse English
workers. I argued that we would be officially identified with an organization that would
accelerate such a crisis and which would be swept away by outraged masses. In the course of
this crisis, workers would remember that we actively helped the Labour Party, and there
would be a danger that we too would be swept away by a wave of outrage. Lenin smiled and
said that, despite the fact that Britain has produced good communists who are excellent
fighters, he had formed the impression, from all English comrades he had met, that they
lacked political experience. He said that the difficulties I was speaking about could be easily
overcome if the Communist Party, in each electoral district where a Labour candidate was
nominated, issued an official appeal calling on workers to vote for the Labour Party in order
to prove that Hendersons, Thomases, MacDonalds, and Snowdens cannot use the parliamentary
machine to solve the numerous problems facing society. Such a course of action would protect
the Communist Party from the unpleasantness I was concerned about. We discussed this tactic
for some time. I continued to raise objections until Lenin, scenting the possibility of a good
polemical debate, invited me to a friendly discussion of this question in the English communist
press. I gladly agreed to this and asked when his first article would be ready. He sadly shook his
head and pointed to a pile of important materials that lay heaped before him. Therefore I
suggested that I set forth his view on this question, which I did in this article, and offer it to
the readers of The Communist. He agreed, saying that this would correspond to his intentions
and would save him time.

Published from the typewritten text
Translated from English

1 The published record was made by English communist, one of the founders of the Communist
Party of Great Britain William Paul, on the basis of his conversation with V. I. Lenin on October 6,
1920. On October 9, 1920, W. Paul sent V. I. Lenin the following letter:

"Dear Comrade Lenin, In connection with our recent conversation concerning the tactics that communists in England
ought to adopt in the forthcoming elections, I promised to set forth your point of view and send this
material to The Communist in England. I enclose an extract from the record of our conversation
which concerns the substance of the question of tactics toward the Labour Party that you raised. You
probably have not forgotten that I promised to send it to you for review. Please do not refuse to make
all the corrections which you consider necessary, and I will make corrections in my manuscript before
sending it to England. I have not attempted to repeat your words literally, but have merely briefly
expressed what I consider to be your opinion on this question. Sincerely yours, William Paul."

The article by William Paul "Lenin on Communist Tactics in England" was published in the weekly
official organ of the Communist Party of Great Britain, the journal The Communist, on December 2, 1920.

2 Arthur Henderson — one of the leaders of the Labour Party and of the English trade union movement.
In 1919, one of the organizers of the Bern (II) International. Repeatedly entered the bourgeois
government of England.

James Henry Thomas — English political and trade union figure; one of the leaders of the Labour Party.
In 1920–1924 — chairman of the reformist Amsterdam International of Trade Unions.

3 This refers to a statement by the English Communist Party submitted on August 10, 1920, in accordance
with the decision of the Constituent Congress (July 31 – August 1, 1920) to the Executive of the Labour
(Workers') Party requesting its admission to the Labour Party. The leadership of the Labour Party responded
with a refusal.

V. I. Lenin's speech on this question at the II Congress of the Communist International on August 6, 1920,
see Collected Works, vol. 41, pp. 260–267.

4 The British Socialist Party (B.S.P.) was founded in 1911 in Manchester as a result of the merger of the
Social Democratic Party with other socialist groups. The BSP conducted agitation in the spirit of Marxist
ideas and was a party "not opportunist, truly independent of the Liberals" (V. I. Lenin. Collected Works,
vol. 23, p. 344). However, the party's small size and weak connections with the masses gave it a somewhat
sectarian character. During the period of the world imperialist war, a sharp struggle developed in the party
between the internationalist tendency (W. Gallacher, A. Inkpin, D. Maclean, F. Rothstein, and others) and
the social-chauvinist tendency led by Hyndman. Within the internationalist tendency there were inconsistent
elements that occupied centrist positions on a number of questions. In February 1916, a group of BSP figures
founded the newspaper The Call, which played an important role in uniting the internationalists. The annual
conference of the BSP held in Salford in April 1916 condemned Hyndman's social-chauvinist position and
that of his supporters, and they left the party.

The British Socialist Party welcomed the Great October Socialist Revolution. Members of the BSP played
a large role in the movement of English workers in defense of Soviet Russia against foreign intervention.
In 1919, an overwhelming majority of party organizations (98 against 4) expressed itself in favor of joining
the Communist International. The British Socialist Party, together with the Communist Unity Group, played
the chief role in the formation of the Communist Party of Great Britain. At the first unification congress held
in 1920, an overwhelming majority of local organizations of the BSP merged into the Communist Party.

5 David Lloyd George — English statesman; leader of the Liberal Party. In 1916–1922 — Prime Minister
of Great Britain.

Winston Churchill — English political figure, Conservative. In 1918–1921, as Minister of War, was one of
the inspirers of armed intervention against Soviet Russia.

Andrew Bonar Law — English reactionary political figure, one of the leaders of the Conservatives. Served in
the coalition government of Lloyd George. From 1919 — Lord Keeper of the Seal; participated in the Paris
Peace Conference, was a member of the Supreme Council of the Entente. One of the inspirers of the anti-Soviet
policy of English imperialism.

MEMORANDUM TO WILLIAM PAUL

[October 6, 1920]

An Englishman who does not speak Russian asks for directions to the following address:
Revolution Square (opposite the former City Duma building), Lobachev's House, 1st entrance
from the corner of Tverskaya Street, entrance from the square, People's Commissariat of Internal
Affairs, Deputy Commissar Comrade Vladimirsky.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Published from the typewritten text signed by V. I. Lenin

1 The memorandum was written by V. I. Lenin during a conversation with English communist William Paul
on October 6, 1920. See also the previous document.

LETTER TO V. G. GROMAN

7. X. 1920

Comrade Groman!

Having reviewed your brief report in which you refer to appendices to the report (saying
that they "will be sent"), I made inquiries. Secretary Fotiyeva says you have not sent them
because they are too voluminous. I request that you therefore provide me with their inventory
and, if possible, add whether there are detailed calculations (in these appendices) for each
point of the summary — if not for all, then for which ones.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

1 The reference is to the report of a commission established by the decision of the Council of Labor
and Defense on March 3, 1920 under the chairmanship of V. G. Groman. The commission was entrusted
with the task of investigating the influence on all aspects of the national economy and public life of Soviet
Russia of the imperialist war and the armed intervention and blockade organized by the Entente.

Since the commission was unable to accomplish the tasks set before it, the Council of People's Commissars
on September 7, 1920 resolved: "By October 5, the commission is to be liquidated and all work handed over
to the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade" (Central Party Archive of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism
at the Central Committee of the KPSS). On October 5, 1920, the Council of People's Commissars took note
of a report by A. M. Lezava on the liquidation of the commission.

See also the present collection, p. 273.

LETTER TO G. V. CHICHERIN

Comrade Chicherin! The question was not raised in the Council of People's Commissars
and will not be raised. Review the appended report from Groman and return it to me (as well
as this letter) with a brief review: do you stand for the commission proposed by Krasin?

I think there is hardly need for a commission. It is sufficient to have the Groman commission
materials in reserve. When the need arises, we will dig them out and put them to use.

7/X [1920]

Lenin

1 The document is written on a letter from G. V. Chicherin, in which he joined in the protest of L. B. Krasin
against detailed consideration of the work of V. G. Groman's commission in the Council of People's Commissars.

See also the present collection, p. 273.

INTERVIEW WITH LOUISE BRYANT

[October 13, 1920]

At the beginning of 1918 I said to Americans, in particular to Colonel Robins2, that friendly
relations toward Soviet Russia were in the interests of the United States. Even then I pointed out
the desirability of trade relations — from our point of view and from the point of view of America.
We offered concessions to foreign capital. American businessmen who are now coming to Moscow
agree with us. Aside from all political questions, there remains in force the simple fact that America
needs our raw materials and we need American goods. American capitalists know perfectly well what
they need. They know of the impending struggle with Japan for dominion over the Pacific, they
understand that in the struggle for predominance on the world market America will have to challenge
England. Whether they like it or not, Soviet Russia is a great power. After three years of blockade,
counter-revolution, armed intervention, and the Polish war, Soviet Russia is stronger than ever before.
America will gain nothing from the Wilsonian policy of pious refusal to have dealings with us on the
grounds that our government is not to their taste.

The leaders of the Republican Party apparently understand that the period of isolation from
European affairs has passed*. It is evident that no country can play such a role without using the
enormous, undeveloped reserves of raw materials offered by Soviet Russia, which, in turn, can purchase
finished goods in unlimited quantities. After the world war**, Soviet Russia remains the only solvent
European power.

Mr. Colby tells the Italian government that we will not fulfill our agreements*, but Mr. Colby3,
in my opinion, ought to weigh his words more carefully. He cannot produce a single example, not a
single instance of our violation of our obligations. And the example of Bullitt4? Did he not bring us
an obligation of the American government? Did not Mr. Keynes5 and the others — are they not Bolsheviks —
give an assessment of Wilson's6 obligations?

* Here follows text crossed out by V. I. Lenin: "They, undoubtedly, consider that America ought to enter
international politics not as an English colony but as a great, dominant power."

** Here follows text crossed out by V. I. Lenin: "not to bankrupt Europe can America turn with business proposals."

Published from the typewritten text corrected and supplemented by V. I. Lenin
Translated from English

1 The main points of the interview with American journalist Louise Bryant were first printed in the
Washington Times on October 14, 1920. The full text of the interview under the title "Soviet Power Is Stronger
Than Ever" was published in Serbo-Croatian on October 23, 1920, in the newspaper of Yugoslav workers
"Knowledge" (Znanie), published in Chicago. The translation from Serbo-Croatian was printed in the journal
"Questions of the History of the KPSS" (1967, No. 7, pp. 3–4).

2 Raymond Robins — American bourgeois public figure, lawyer by profession. In 1917–1918 — head of the
mission of the American Red Cross in Russia; as representative of the Red Cross, he met with V. I. Lenin.
Engaged in the study of social questions in Russia.

3 Bainbridge Colby — in 1920–1921 State Secretary of the United States of America.

4 William Christian Bullitt — American reactionary journalist and diplomat, one of the active promoters
of anti-Soviet policy. In 1919 he was sent by Wilson and Lloyd George to Soviet Russia to determine the
conditions under which the Soviet government would agree to make peace with the countries of the Entente
and the White Guard governments on the territory of Russia. Through Bullitt, proposals emanating from
U.S. President Wilson and British Prime Minister Lloyd George were transmitted. The Soviet government,
seeking to conclude peace as soon as possible, agreed to conduct negotiations on the proposed conditions,
but made substantial corrections to them (see "Documents of the Foreign Policy of the USSR," vol. II,
Moscow, 1958, pp. 91–95).

Soon after Bullitt's departure from Soviet Russia, Kolchak succeeded in achieving some success on the
Eastern Front, and the imperialist governments, hoping for the defeat of the Soviet state, refused to negotiate
peace. Wilson forbade the publication of the draft agreement brought by Bullitt, and Lloyd George, speaking
in parliament, declared that he had no connection whatsoever with negotiations with the Soviet government.
Bullitt was forced to resign.

5 John Maynard Keynes — English vulgar bourgeois economist, apologist of state-monopoly capitalism.
In 1919 he participated in the work of the Paris Peace Conference. Having resigned in June 1919, he subjected
in a number of works to sharp criticism the economic bankruptcy of the system of imperialist Versailles peace.
In 1919 his book "The Economic Consequences of Peace" appeared, in which he ridiculed Wilson and the role
he played in the Versailles Treaty. In his book, according to V. I. Lenin's words, he showed "that the 'roots' of
Wilson's policy came down only to priestly stupidity, to petty bourgeois phrase-mongering, to a complete
lack of understanding of the class struggle" (Collected Works, vol. 41, p. 224).

6 Woodrow Wilson — American statesman; President of the USA from 1913 to 1921.

MEMORANDUM TO L. A. FOTIYEVA AND/OR M. I. GLÄSSER

[October 13, 1920]

To Lidia Alexandrovna or Glässer

Time 6½–11 divide (into 3/4 hour periods) among Nikolayev, Kuklin, Alferov, Litvinov2
and others. Assign to each3.

1 Written on a memorandum from assistant secretary of the Council of People's Commissars M. I. Glässer:
"Grusenberg also requests that you receive him today. He is leaving today."

2 A. M. Nikolayev — in 1918–1924 member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Posts and
Telegraph and chairman of the Radio Council.

A. S. Kuklin — chairman of the Petrograd Commune.

K. A. Alferov — chairman of the Main Committee of State Construction, member of the Small Council
of People's Commissars.

M. M. Litvinov — plenipotentiary representative of the RSFSR in England.

3 Upon receiving this memorandum, M. I. Glässer entered in V. I. Lenin's desk calendar for October 13:

6½ Nikolayev
7¼ Grusenberg
  Kuklin
¾ Alferov
9½ Litvinov
10¼ Bogolepov

To this list of people assigned for reception, V. I. Lenin added in his own hand: "10¾ Smilga"
(Central Party Archive of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism at the Central Committee of the KPSS).

LETTER TO A. P. PLATONOV

13/X [1920]

To Comrade Platonov

I request that you provide a room in House 1 or 2 of the Houses of the Soviets to Nina
Alexeyevna Preobrazenskaya. Be so kind as to call my secretary to inform her of your decision2.

With sincere regards, V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

1 A. P. Platonov — in March 1920 was appointed responsible manager, head of the economic apparatus
of the Kremlin and the Houses of the Soviets.

2 On November 24, 1920, M. I. Ulyanova informed V. I. Lenin that the accommodation provided to
N. A. Preobrazenskaya was extremely small and inconvenient. On the draft of M. I. Ulyanova's letter on this
matter, V. I. Lenin wrote: "Is this really for Platonov? Isn't that right? Check and send to him"
(Central Party Archive of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism at the Central Committee of the KPSS).

On the same day, V. I. Lenin himself wrote a letter to A. P. Platonov requesting improvement of the
conditions for N. A. Preobrazenskaya (see V. I. Lenin. Collected Works, vol. 52, p. 19).

LETTER TO M. N. POKROVSKY

[October 14, 1920]

To the Department of Higher Schools, People's Commissariat of Enlightenment
To Comrade Pokrovsky

I request that you provide a scholarship to medical faculty student Nina Alexeyevna
Preobrazenskaya.

Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars

Published from the typewritten copy

MEMORANDUM TO G. V. CHICHERIN WITH TEXT OF TELEGRAM
TO L. B. KRASIN

15. X. 1920

To Comrade Chicherin

I request that you send to Krasin by cipher:

I warn you that I will request the Central Committee to dismiss you from service if such
a stupid and improper action as in No. 875 (12.X) about "distributing gold to Ioffe"1 is
repeated even once. It is a shame to occupy cipherers with squabbles.

Lenin

1 This refers to the enciphered telegram No. 875 from L. B. Krasin from London dated October 12, 1920
to the People's Commissar of Foreign Affairs G. V. Chicherin.

At this time, A. A. Ioffe, chairman of the Russian-Ukrainian delegation, was conducting negotiations with
the chairman of the delegation of the Polish bourgeois republic Jan Dombski regarding the conclusion of a
peace treaty between Russia and Ukraine, on the one hand, and Poland, on the other. Dombski demanded
that the Soviet republic compensate Poland's military expenses in the amount of 73 million rubles in gold.
Ioffe agreed to the sum of 30 million.

In the peace treaty concluded on March 18, 1921, it was stipulated that both sides renounce compensation
for their military expenses and losses caused by the war.

On this question see also V. I. Lenin. Collected Works, vol. 52, p. 43.

LETTER TO N. I. BUKHARIN*

15/X [1920]

Comrade Bukharin! Review this.

Does it not seem to you that there is a danger of absurdly fault-finding attitudes of a
"circle of 'old' (?) communists" toward new ones? toward workers? Something sectarian,
narrow, distorted.

Should we not attempt to gather material and come out in print against this evil?

Your Lenin

* On the envelope V. I. Lenin wrote: "To Comrade Bukharin (from Lenin)."

1 The document is written in connection with a letter from member of the Committee of the III International
V. Vujović of September 21, 1920, about the situation in the socialist movement of France. It dealt with
the fact that in the period preceding the formation of the Communist Party of France, some leaders of
the Committee of the III International (B. Souvarine, F. Loriot) occupied a sectarian position toward the
French Socialist Party as a whole and its members.

N. I. Bukharin — editor of Pravda.

MEMORANDUM TO YA. I. NOVOMIRSKY

[October 16, 1920]

I am afraid I cannot [do it].

When is the deadline?

1 Written on a memorandum from Ya. I. Novomirsky, head of the publishing house of Communist International
in Petrograd, to V. I. Lenin as follows:

"In view of the fact that No. 14 of the journal Communist International is almost entirely set in type, the
editorial board earnestly requests you to provide some article, since without it the forthcoming issue will be
extremely dull and considerably worse than the previous ones."

2 To the question of V. I. Lenin regarding the deadline for submitting the article came the response:
"October 19 and 20." On the same day, V. I. Lenin wrote a letter to the editorial office of the journal
Communist International (see V. I. Lenin. Collected Works, vol. 51, p. 308).

On October 20, 1920, Lenin wrote the article "On the History of the Question of the Dictatorship," which
was published on November 9, 1920, in the journal Communist International No. 14 (see V. I. Lenin. Collected
Works, vol. 41, pp. 369–391).

MEMORANDUM TO G. V. CHICHERIN

Comrade Chicherin! It would be better to keep Rothstein in Moscow (he is hardly a diplomat,
and he is needed here extraordinarily), and to send Kerzhentsev to Stockholm2 (making an effort
to send his ailing wife there too: they will treat her better there). Try to get Kerzhentsev to
Stockholm. If for some reason he cannot go, then look for another3.

19/X [1920]

Lenin

1 F. A. Rothstein — chairman of the commission for the reform of higher education.

2 P. M. Kerzhentsev — from spring 1919 until the end of 1920 was the responsible head of ROSTA.

3 See the present collection, p. 263.

NOTES DURING A CONVERSATION WITH V. L. PANYUSHKIN

[October 21, 1920]

The District Committee of the Baumansky District (elected in X. 1920) is not approved
by the Moscow Committee.
GMK [Moscow City Committee] says it is — this [and] Korzinov1 — all opposition2
Kutuzov

[Part 4/4] and so forth.
I
a) Pyatnitsky
3))
x
P
Myasnikov* unhealthy!
I y) Bubnov*
I
e
l
e
m
e
n
t
s
J
| Intriguing |
Г Bliznitchenko
\ Andrey Emelyanych

1 The notes were written on the reverse of a letter from V. L. Panyushkin to V. I. Lenin with a request to receive him and A. A. Anokhin for a conversation.
In the text of Panyushkin's letter, V. I. Lenin underlines the word "Anokhin" with two lines.
V. L. Panyushkin — party member since 1907. In 1919-1920, he worked in the apparatus of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) as a responsible organizer and instructor. Participant in the "Workers' Opposition," he headed the so-called "Panyushkin Group," which later assumed the name "Workers' and Peasants' Socialist Party." In spring 1921, Panyushkin was expelled from the RCP(b). See also the present collection, p. 336.

2 This refers to the following. On October 12, 1920, at a meeting of the bureau of the Moscow Committee of the RCP(b), the question was considered of re-elections of the new rayon committee at the delegate assembly of the Bauman District on October 11, 1920. A decision was adopted: "1) to confirm the composition of the new Bauman District rayon committee, except for Kutuzov and Korzinov, who had no right to be present at the assembly and nominate their candidacies to the rayon committee, since by decision of the Moscow Committee of September 8 they had been transferred to another district and were obliged to sever all ties with the Bauman District. 2) To bring comrades Kutuzov and Korzinov to party trial for violation of party discipline" (Moscow Party Archive — MPA).
The Party Court, consisting of P. G. Smidovich, M. I. Ulyanova, and F. E. Dzerzhinsky, resolved on October 19: "To recognize comrades Kutuzov and Korzinov as vindicated in the charge of violation of party discipline, but to reprimand comrades Kutuzov and Korzinov for having acted, under the circumstances that existed, not in the manner the Party could have expected from old party comrades. The comrades should have energetically protested against the disloyal attitude of the district assembly toward the Moscow Committee and prevented their election to the rayon committee" (MPA).
G. I. Korzinov — from 1918 to 1921, was a member of the Moscow Committee of the RCP(b) and a member of the Executive Committee of the Moscow Soviet. In 1920-1921, during the trade union discussion, he aligned himself with the anarcho-syndicalist group of E. Ignatov, which shared the anti-party views of the "Workers' Opposition."
I. I. Kutuzov — from 1918 was chairman of the Central Committee of the textile workers' union; from 1920 — member of the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. In 1920-1921, aligned himself with the anti-party group of the "Workers' Opposition."

3 I. A. Pyatnitsky — in 1919-1920, chairman of the united trade union of railwaymen (Tsekprofsozha), secretary of the Moscow Committee of the RCP(b).

4 G. I. Myasnikov — in 1921-1922, an active participant in the "Workers' Opposition" group.

5 A. S. Bubnov — in 1920-1921, was part of the opportunistic group of "Democratic Centralism."

6 The surname "Bliznitchenko" is written by V. I. Lenin below the text of V. L. Panyushkin's letter.
A. E. Bliznitchenko — from 1918, commissar of the Southern District of Railways, deputy people's commissar of railways of Ukraine.

MEMORANDUM TO MEMBERS OF THE POLITBURO OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE RCP(b)
AND THE ORGANIZATIONAL BUREAU OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE RCP(b)
AND INSTRUCTION TO THE SECRETARY

[October 21, 1920]
To the Members of the Politburo and Organizational Bureau
It is necessary to find out the exact date and send 1-2 Central Committee members.
Put it on the agenda of the Politburo for Tuesday.
Lenin
I request that this be circulated to members of the Org. and Politburo, noting
their opinion here as well.

1 The published document was written during a meeting of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) on October 21, 1920, in connection with a memorandum from V. P. Milyutin, in which he reported on the elections taking place in Ukraine for the forthcoming party conference (this concerned the V Conference of the Communist Party (Bolsheviks) of Ukraine, which took place November 17-22, 1920, in Kharkov). Milyutin proposed sending representatives from the Central Committee of the RCP(b) to the conference.
The Politburo adopted a decision to instruct the Organizational Bureau of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) to examine the question of the forthcoming Ukrainian party conference at its next meeting.

October 25 — The Organizational Bureau resolved: it is considered expedient to dispatch L. D. Trotsky to the conference and to obligate L. B. Kamenev to be present at it.
October 26 — The Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) confirmed the Organizational Bureau's resolution regarding L. D. Trotsky and revoked the resolution regarding L. B. Kamenev, replacing his representation at the conference with G. E. Zinovyev.

MARKINGS, UNDERLINING ON A LETTER FROM A. V. LUNACHARSKY
AND A MEMORANDUM TO A. V. LUNACHARSKY

[End of October, not earlier than October 21, 1920]
Dear V. I.
Gorky has just told me in horror
Confer that Zaks (the notorious Grzhebin person) has been ap-
with Krestinsky and possibly put the text (draft) of a resolution into the Politburo pointed book dictator abroad.
He will certainly ruin the Grzhebin business. I am interested in this,
first of all, formally.
Separately, almost from gossip, I learn — "Zaks appointed from State Publishing to go abroad" —
"Yeremeev being reinstated as manager."
Is that right? After all, I am constitutionally responsible. It would be necessary to consult with me,
or at least give me warning! Meanwhile, when Gorky complained that in this matter things seem to be as if without a master, you answered — "Lunacharsky is the master, what is he looking at?!"
This is bitter irony! Either take the State Publishing away from me,
or accept its decisions, at least with my knowledge! I told comrade Krestin-
sky about this.
He promises, but things go on as before.
Any People's Commissar has the right to submit a report to the Org.
and Politburo. And obligate [them to listen]. You are at fault for being negligent.

1 See also the present collection, pp. 264-265.
2 On November 1, 1920, A. V. Lunacharsky addressed a letter to the secretary of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) N. N. Krestinsky with a request to discuss all questions concerning appointments at the State Publishing in his presence.
* — on occasion.

DIRECTIVE TO THE SECRETARY

[October 22, 1920]
Send a reply to Peter by telegraph.
Copy to me.

1 The directive was written on the reverse of a telephonogram from the chairman of the Petrograd Commune A. S. Kuklin, in which he reported on the catastrophic situation with the supply of workers, owing to the failure of the People's Commissariat of Food Supply to fulfill the decision of the Council of People's Commissars on providing Petrograd with a ten-day supply of bread.
On the telephonogram there is a note from a member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Food Supply A. B. Khalatov stating that on October 23, 40 carloads of bread intended for Petrograd were received.

MEMORANDUM TO G. V. CHICHERIN

October 23, 1920
Comrade Chicherin!
The Politburo has reviewed the question of Rotstein and decided to agree with him. So you can take him.
Yours, Lenin

1 On October 22, 1920, F. A. Rotstein wrote to the Central Committee of the RCP(b) a letter in which he asked to be sent to work abroad, in Stockholm.
On Rotstein's letter, V. I. Lenin wrote: "Comrade Trotsky! Give your vote and pass it on to Bukharin. I am abstaining because I fear that forcibly you will not keep him here. October 22, Lenin."
On the document there are signatures of L. D. Trotsky and N. I. Bukharin agreeing with F. A. Rotstein.
Having written this memorandum to G. V. Chicherin, Lenin made a note on Rotstein's letter: "Chicherin informed. To the archives of the Central Committee. Brichkina."
By decision of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) on November 15, 1920, F. A. Rotstein was appointed plenipotentiary representative of the RSFSR in Iran.
See also the present collection, p. 259.

MEMORANDUM TO E. A. PREOBRAZHЕНSKY

November 1, 1920
Comrade Preobrazhеnsky!
I am enclosing Gorky's letter. Return it with a few words, please.
Is it really true that Zaks was sent from the State Publishing?? After all, he really will ruin everything.
Yours, Lenin

1 The memorandum from V. I. Lenin to E. A. Preobrazhеnsky, a member of the collegium of State Publishing and a member of the Central Committee of the RCP(b), concerned the following question. At meetings of the Organizational Bureau and Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) on October 25 and 26, 1920, the request of State Publishing was considered to dispatch S. M. Zaks-Gladnev abroad as an authorized representative of the publishing house for the printing of books abroad.
A. M. Gorky supported the book publishing house of Z. I. Grzhebin abroad and sought its financing and non-interference in its work. V. I. Lenin, who paid great attention to Gorky, "feared, — as E. A. Preobrazhеnsky wrote in commentary to this document, — that comrade Zaks (Gladnev) would not be able to tactfully handle Grzhebin and thereby would also offend Gorky" (Archive of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism at the Central Committee of the CPSU).
A. M. Gorky's letter to V. I. Lenin, see in: V. I. Lenin and A. M. Gorky. Letters, Reminiscences, Documents. Moscow, 1969, pp. 206-207.
See also the present collection, p. 262 and the following document.

UNDERLINING ON A LETTER FROM E. A. PREOBRAZHЕНSKY AND MEMORANDUM
TO E. A. PREOBRAZHЕНSKY

[November 1, 1920]
Vladimir Ilyich!
Regarding Gorky's letter, I have the following to say:
I) At the Central Committee we decided to organize our own publishing house abroad. Since Zaks is going abroad independently of this decision, all objections to Zaks's person cannot in any way shake the adopted entirely expedient decision. Ask Gorky whether he objects to the very idea of our own branch of State Publishing abroad. If he does object, then the conclusions are clear.
II) We do not propose to liquidate immediately the already begun work of Grzhebin; we want to make a private publishing house unnecessary once we have our own. With our own publishing house we will be able, first and foremost, to proceed to the publication of books and manuals of a professional-technical character, which are urgently needed by the Chief Administration of Professional Education, the People's Commissariat of Agriculture, the People's Commissariat of Railways, and all economic commissariats, as well as natural-science and medical publications.
III) Zaks is quite suitable for the foreign branch. ^ In the extreme case, one can give him an instruction not to enter into direct relations with Grzhebin, limiting his role to that of observer and informer regarding the work of the latter. His direct obligations, and the main ones, will consist of organizing our own publishing house.
IV) I applaud Gorky's assessment of Soykin.
E. Preobrazhеnsky

So send this i n s t r u c t i o n (no mention of Grzhebin, do not interfere with him, etc., etc.). Send the text of the instruction.
Lenin

1 See also the present collection, p. 262 and the previous document.

DIRECTIVE CONCERNING THE SENDING OF M. I. GLÄSSER ON LEAVE

November 2, 1920
Directive
I hereby order Comrade Maria Ignatyevna Glässer to take leave for a period of not less than 3 weeks.
Assistant to the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

1 M. I. Glässer — assistant secretary of the Council of People's Commissars.

MEMORANDUM TO I. N. BORISOV AND V. V. FOMIN

[November 6, 1920]
Why was this not submitted to the Council of Defense earlier?

1 The memorandum was written below the text of a telephonogram from the head of the Main Administration of Railways of the People's Commissariat of Railways I. N. Borisov and the commissar of that same administration V. V. Fomin to the People's Commissariat of Food Supply and other departments (a copy to the chairman of the Council of Labor and Defense V. I. Lenin), reporting that departments were not removing in time the freight that had arrived at their addresses, thereby creating difficulties in providing rolling stock for the railway hub.
The telephonogram indicated that "in the Moscow hub alone, as of November 8, there were up to 4,000 carloads of unloaded freight, chiefly arriving at the addresses of various institutions of the People's Commissariat of Food Supply, the People's Commissariat of War, and the Supreme Council of the National Economy, with an average unloading of about 1,300 carloads per day from previous arrivals." Lenin placed a question mark on the margin opposite the underlined words.
In response to V. I. Lenin's memorandum, V. V. Fomin reported: "In the copy sent to you and this is a guarantee that the Food Commissariat is pulling itself together. They reported to me today that unloading has increased significantly. We have almost transported the potatoes."
Having read Fomin's response, Lenin writes on the telephonogram: "to the archives."

UNDERLINING ON A STATEMENT OF BOOKS AND BROCHURES
RECEIVED FROM ABROAD
AND A MEMORANDUM TO SH. M. MANUCHARYANTS

Return*

STATEMENT OF BOOKS AND BROCHURES
RECEIVED FROM ABROAD FOR NOVEMBER 8, 1920

Author
Title
Publisher
Year of
Publication
Place of
Print
Claudio Treves
Crisis and Expiation
Soc. Ed. "Avanti"
1920
Milano
Virginio Carnevali
Two Major Syntheses
Libr. Ed.
Soc.
"Avanti"
Filippo Turati
Woman Suffrage and
Paid Love
Soc. Ed. "Avanti"
1920 "
E. A. Fileni
At the Deathbed of a Socialist " " "
Enrico Bottoni
Plain Stories and Strange
Stories
Libr. Ed.
"Avanti"
Italo Toscani
Bureaucracy and the
Proletariat
Soc. Ed. "Avanti"
1919

Written by V. I. Lenin on the first page of the statement.

Author
Title
Publisher
Year of
Publication
Place of
Print
G. M. Serrati
Doctrinaire
Rationalism
Soc. Ed. "Avanti"
1920
Milano
Bertelli, Mattia, Badaloni
Biel Dolt.
Bruno Fortichiari
To Honest Conservatives
Socialism Slandered
The Party of Bread
Socialism for All
Letters to You Who Read " " " " " " " " " " " " " "
Alfonso Leonetti
From Present Injustices to Socialism " " " "
Han Rymer
Ilio Tirsi
Leda Rafanelli
Virb
Ilio Tirsi
The Poison
For a Bit More Sun
Workers!
Sacred History Explained to Youth
Brother, Do Not Betray!
To the Conscripts!
What Divides Us
Advanced
Edition
Initiative
Libr. Ed.
"Avanti"
Libr. Ed. Soc.
Soc. Ed. "Avanti" " " "
Libr. Ed.
"Avanti" " " " " " "
Mariano Mandolini
Evolution and War
Soc. Ed. "Avanti"
1920 "
Pietro Gori
To the Conquest of the Future " "
Paolo Valera
The Catastrophe of the
Czars
Libr. Ed.
"Avanti" "
Edoardo Barchi
The Socialists: Who Are
They and What Do They Want
Soc. Ed. "Avanti"
1920
I. T. Walton
Newbold
William G. Bullitt
A. Lozowsky
(S. A. Dridzo)
William D. Hay
Now Europe Armed for
War (1871-1914)
The Bullitt Mission to
Russia
The Int. Council of
Trade and Industrial
Unions
Evidence and Cross
Blackfriars Press
Limited
B. W. Huebsch
P. The Ind. Council
of tr. Un.
General Defense
London
New York City
Chris­ tiania
Chicago
Examination of the
Case of the U.S.A.
Committee

LENIN'S COLLECTION

Author
Title
Publisher
Year of
Publication
Place of
Print
Communist Unity
Convention
The Com. Party of Great Britain
London
Ralph Chaplin
The Centralia
Conspiracy
The Onward Sweep of the Machine Proceeds
I. W. W. Pub.
Bureau
Chicago
The Greatest Thing on
Earth
I. W. W.
"
Songs of the Workers
I. W. W.

I request that you send me the underlined I t a l i a n and E n g l i s h brochures.
November 9, 1920
Lenin

MEMORANDUM TO THE SMALL COUNCIL OF PEOPLE'S COMMISSARS

To the Small Council:
(a) It is necessary to check the work (b) call in representatives of backward departments
(c) submit to the Council a draft decree and measures.
November 21, 1920
Lenin

1 Written after V. I. Lenin became acquainted with the "Report on the Activities of the Interdepartmental Metric Commission from the Moment It Came Under the Supervision of the Scientific-Technical Department of the Supreme Council of the National Economy (from June 7 to November 1, 1920)."
After the report was discussed at a session of the Small Council of People's Commissars on December 3, 1920, a decision was adopted: to call in at the session of the Council on December 17 representatives of the People's Commissariat of Railways, the People's Commissariat of Education, the People's Commissariat of Food Supply, the Scientific-Technical Department of the Supreme Council of the National Economy, and the State Trust Committee to report on work on introducing the metric system of measures and weights.
On December 17, the Small Council of People's Commissars, with the participation of representatives from a number of departments, considered this question and adopted a decision: to oblige all people's commissariats to submit to the interdepartmental metric commission, within three months, developed concrete measures for introducing the metric system.

MEMORANDUM TO V. P. MILYUTIN

[Not earlier than November 23, not later than December 6, 1920]
1) Regarding forest concessions in the north of European Russia, add:
18.7 million desyatins [a unit of land area] from how many
and in total how many forests there (there) page 13, line 5-6 from bottom
2) with major firms from one of the largest capitalist countries and preliminary drafts of treaties have been written.

1 The memorandum to V. P. Milyutin, deputy chairman of the Supreme Council of the National Economy, contains remarks written after V. I. Lenin became acquainted with the text of a brochure being prepared for publication, "On Concessions. Decree of the Council of People's Commissars of November 23, 1920. Text of the Decree. Objects of Concessions. Maps."
In the published brochure, V. I. Lenin's remarks were taken into account.
Other remarks by V. I. Lenin to this brochure, see Complete Works, Vol. 52, p. 18.

EXCHANGE OF MEMORANDA WITH N. N. KRESTINSKY

[December 8, 1920]
What is your impression of Pavel Gorbunov and your conclusion regarding his candidacy?
I have spoken with both him and Nikolai Gorbunov (the former secretary). I prefer in the Administration of Affairs of the Council of People's Commissars Nikolai (the former secretary) and ask the Organizational Bureau to give me Nikolai, appointing Pavel Gorbunov to another position. If the Organizational Bureau (or even just one of its members) has objections, then I would like to have a conversation.
I do not know Nikolai Gorbunov now after his military work; previously, however, he struck me as a sluggish, uninitiative, unadministrative person, not capable of organizing order in an unsettled affair. What assessment do you now give him?
I have not seen him for a long time; I think that in military work he has pulled himself together and learned. Moreover, we will give him an assistant for economic matters.
Put it on the Organizational Bureau agenda.

1 The correspondence with the secretary of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) N. N. Krestinsky took place during a session of the plenum of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) on December 8, 1920, at which V. I. Lenin's request to appoint N. P. Gorbunov as manager of the affairs of the Council of People's Commissars was considered.
V. I. Lenin's petition was granted.
On December 11, 1920, the Council of People's Commissars confirmed the candidacy of N. P. Gorbunov.
2 P. P. Gorbunov was appointed manager of the affairs of the secretariat of the Central Committee of the RCP(b).
3 N. P. Gorbunov — in 1919-1920, was at the front, was a member of the Revolutionary Military Council of the 14th and 13th Armies.

LETTER TO L. P. SEREBRYAKOV

[December 8, 1920]
Comrade Serebryakov:
My proposals (by no means finally decided, but only tentative, preliminary thoughts spoken aloud) concerning the People's Commissariat of Railways:
1) Appoint Kovylkin as People's Commissar. Free Krasin from the People's Commissariat of Railways.
2) In the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Railways, take Fomin and Lomonosov only.
3) Take from Lomonosov a written undertaking not to change anything either in the system or in Trotsky's decisions, and not to remove the commander-in-chief, that is, Borisov.
4) From Kovylkin, take a similar promise and undertaking limiting his power (like Lunacharsky's).
Lenin

1 In the letter to the secretary of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) L. P. Serebryakov, the matter concerns the proposed reorganization of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Railways. On December 23, 1919, L. B. Krasin was appointed people's commissar of railways. In connection with his departure abroad, by decision of the Council of People's Commissars of March 20, 1920, L. D. Trotsky was confirmed as temporarily performing the duties of people's commissar.
On December 9, 1920, the question of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Railways was discussed at a session of the plenum of the Central Committee of the RCP(b). A decision was adopted: "Confirm as People's Commissar comrade Emshanov, as deputy people's commissar comrade Fomin, as members of the collegium comrades Rudogo and Bovin. Regarding the inclusion in the collegium of comrade Borisov, instruct comrades Serebryakov and Rudzutak to first question the newly confirmed members of the collegium and other comrades who know him, reporting the results of the questioning to the Politburo" (Archive of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism at the Central Committee of the CPSU).
On December 11, 1920, the Council of People's Commissars, on the question of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Railways, resolved: to ask the All-Russian Central Executive Committee to free Krasin from the position of people's commissar of railways, appointing Emshanov as people's commissar, appointing Fomin, Rudogo, and Bovin as members of the collegium. Confirm Fomin as deputy people's commissar.
2 S. T. Kovylkin — member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Railways.
3 V. V. Fomin — commissar of the Main Administration of Railways and member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Railways.
Yu. V. Lomonosov — member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Railways.
4 I. N. Borisov — head of the Main Administration of Railways of the People's Commissariat of Railways.
5 A. V. Lunacharsky — people's commissar of education. In order to strengthen the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Education, by decision of the plenum of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) on December 8, 1920, on the proposal of V. I. Lenin, the position of assistant people's commissar with broad powers was created. For this position, V. I. Lenin proposed appointing E. A. Litkens.
On January 31, 1921, by decision of the Small Council of People's Commissars, E. A. Litkens was appointed second deputy people's commissar of education with the provision that he had the right to a decisive vote in the Council of People's Commissars in cases of absence of the people's commissar of education and his first deputy.
On February 2, 1921, the question of appointing E. A. Litkens as second deputy people's commissar of education was decided by the Central Committee of the RCP(b) (see the present collection, p. 284).

PROPOSAL TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE RCP(b)

[December 9, 1920]
In my opinion:
1) permit publication;
2) give first priority to Goelro and the people's commissariats;
3) if this does not work out under these conditions, send to Petrograd;
4) consult all members of the Central Committee or the Politburo.
Lenin*

1 The document was written in connection with a telephonogram to the secretary of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) N. N. Krestinsky from D. L. Weiss, deputy head of State Publishing, in which it was reported that the Moscow Committee of the RCP(b) asked permission to publish urgently for the forthcoming VIII Congress of Soviets a collection of articles and reports by the leader of the anti-party group "Democratic Centralism," T. V. Sapronov. At the same time, the distribution commission of State Publishing pointed out that a significant number of reports and materials for the congress from various Soviet institutions and party organs were arriving only now, which was leading to extraordinary overloading of the printing plants and disorganizing their work.
When consulted, the majority of Central Committee members spoke in favor of publishing the collection.
A telegraph was sent to State Publishing to Weiss signed by N. N. Krestinsky, reporting the support of the Central Committee of the RCP(b) of the request of the Moscow Committee of the RCP(b) for the publication of a collection of T. V. Sapronov's articles, with the condition that this not interfere with the timely publication of all publications of GOELRO (the State Commission for the Electrification of Russia), the people's commissariats, and the Central Committee of the RCP(b).

* The document is also signed by I. V. Stalin.

NOTES DURING A CONVERSATION WITH A. E. BADAYEV

[December 10 or 11, 1920]
Badayev
1) Combine the Moscow and Petrograd [consumer organizations]
2) vegetable farming, land, dairy farms near Moscow.
Allocate part to the Moscow Consumer Society (Badayev)
(Kamenev — in favor)
Majority of the Presidium — in favor of the provincial land department
December 10, 1920
3) Closure of Sukharevka
(can and should be closed)
unanimous resolution of the assembly of all Moscow trade union boards
December 8 speak with Kamenev
P u t i t o n t h e a g e n d a o f t h e C o u n c i l o f P e o p l e ' s C o m m i s s a r s

With Doctor Solovyev: a good doctor (heart, stomach) for Badayev.

1 The notes were written during a conversation between V. I. Lenin and A. E. Badayev, chairman of the Moscow Consumer Commune.
V. I. Lenin was handed a written memorandum by Badayev, "Principles of Combining the Food Organizations of Petrograd and Moscow" dated November 15, 1920, in which the question was raised of combining the consumer societies of Petrograd and Moscow (food consumer communes were created by decree of the Council of People's Commissars of March 16, 1919).
2 The above-mentioned resolution, adopted on December 8, 1920, at the plenum of the Moscow Federation of Trade Unions, according to a report by A. E. Badayev, in which it was proposed that the Moscow Consumer Commune proceed to the complete liquidation of Sukharevka and other points of free trade, was sent to V. I. Lenin by A. E. Badayev on December 11, 1920.
On the same day, V. I. Lenin added to the agenda of the Council of People's Commissars: "On the destruction of Sukharevka" and spoke at the session with a report of A. E. Badayev's petition on this question.
After discussion, the Council of People's Commissars resolved to instruct the Small Council, with the participation of representatives from the Presidium of the Moscow Soviet, the Moscow Extraordinary Commission, the People's Commissariat of Food Supply, and the Provincial Council of Trade Unions, to examine the question of the destruction of Sukharevka within a week and develop an appropriate plan.
On December 17, the Small Council of People's Commissars adopted a decision: in view of the adoption by the Presidium of the Moscow Soviet of real measures for the destruction of Sukharevka, consider this particular question settled.
Against the third point there is a secretarial note: "Executed by the Secretary of the People's Commissariat."
3 Z. P. Solovyev — head of the Main Military-Sanitary Administration of the Red Army.
4 After the word "Badayev," there is a note in the hand of the secretary: "executed (Secretary Semashko undertook to speak with Solovyev and Badayev)."

MEMORANDUM TO G. V. CHICHERIN

Comrade Chicherin! I request that you discuss: 1) whether to send all this to Krasin; 2) or more cautiously release part of it; 3) by dispatch or letter (perhaps by dispatch briefly).
Please return the original to me.
December 16, 1920
Lenin

1 The document was written under a draft reply to the chairman of the Soviet trade delegation L. B. Krasin in London, compiled by A. G. Goikhbarg on the instructions of V. I. Lenin (see V. I. Lenin. Complete Works, Vol. 52, p. 33).
The draft reported the results of calculations by A. G. Goikhbarg, who was entrusted with checking and completing the work of the commission of V. G. Groman.
For more detail on the Groman commission, see the present collection, p. 253.

INSTRUCTION TO THE SECRETARIES

[1920]
By telephone check execution, record exactly when it was completed.

1 The instruction was written on a memorandum signed for the chairman of the Main Committee of State Constructions K. A. Alferov to the Food-Transport Commission and the People's Commissariat of Food Supply with a request to release first and foremost to the Production Construction [organization] in Moscow three carloads of bread and other products for distribution among workers of the Main Committee of State Constructions according to the norms of railway line workers in order to ensure fulfillment of "operational assignments from the Center."

MEMORANDUM TO A. D. TSYURUPA

[1920]
You have become kind and compliant. Good Lord, this will not do.

1 Written on a memorandum from the people's commissar of food supply A. D. Tsyurupa: "I fear that you do not see the threat. We will perish after all! In food supply, we are moving inexorably toward catastrophe. We must save ourselves."

MEMORANDUM TO AN UNIDENTIFIED ADDRESSEE

[End of 1920 — beginning of 1921]
A stupid report from the commander-in-chief about the Caucasus. . .
We are occupied with politics, but we were unable to surround Makhno.
How many divisions in total will there be in the Caucasus?

1 This refers to a report from the commander-in-chief S. S. Kamenev containing views on the military-political consequences of events in the Caucasus.
2 N. I. Makhno — leader of anarchist-kulak detachments in Ukraine who fought against Soviet power in 1918-1921.

THE YEAR 1921

LETTER TO S. P. SEREDA

January 1, 1921
Comrade Sereda (in case of his illness — to Muralov, Teodorovič, Kurayev)
Comrade Smirnovs, head of the Sibrevkom, says that 500,000 settlers have been placed on them. Can take 100,000.
Says that Radus-Zenkovich (head of the Kyrgyz Soviet Council) does not want to take settlers, but should — and must take many.
He is leaving tonight (January 1, 1921).
Be sure to speak today with Radus-Zenkovich and reach a definite agreement.
Lenin

1 S. P. Sereda — people's commissar of agriculture.
2 N. I. Muralov — member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture.
I. A. Teodorovič — member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture.
V. V. Kurayev — member of the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Agriculture.
3 The question of regulating peasant resettlement was discussed at a session of the Council of People's Commissars on June 15, 1920. In accordance with the decision of the Council of People's Commissars, the Sibrevkom and provincial executive committees of producing provinces were sent a telegram signed by V. I. Lenin and S. P. Sereda with a proposal to clarify the possibilities of placing settlers and report to the People's Commissariat of Agriculture all necessary information (see V. I. Lenin. Complete Works, Vol. 51, pp. 343-344).

MEMORANDUM TO G. V. CHICHERIN

To Chicherin:
Isn't it time to propose Vorovsky?
January 2, 1921
Lenin

1 Written on a telegram from the plenipotentiary of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs and the People's Commissariat of Foreign Trade in Germany V. L. Kopp. The latter reported that, according to information he received from Rome, the Italian government objected to the appointment of Y. A. Berzin as trade representative in Italy, because in 1918 the Swiss government had expelled him from the country, where he was serving as plenipotentiary.
Having marked the text of Kopp's telegram with two vertical lines, V. I. Lenin wrote: "NB."
2 On January 3, G. V. Chicherin reported to V. I. Lenin that the candidacy of V. V. Vorovsky had long been proposed and the Italian government had agreed to accept him. "The question can only be," Chicherin wrote, "whether to inform the Italians now of our refusal of the candidacy of comrade Berzin and of our agreement to appoint comrade Vorovsky." On Chicherin's letter there is a note from Lenin: "to the archives" (Archive of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism at the Central Committee of the CPSU).
On March 12, 1921, the trade mission of the RSFSR headed by V. V. Vorovsky arrived in Rome.

INSTRUCTION TO N. P. GORBUNOV

[January 4 or 5, 1921]
To N. P. Gorbunov: Clarify with Lezhava what the matter is here. Isn't it time to break with the Swedes?
Lenin

1 Written on a telegram from Stockholm from Yu. V. Lomonosov, plenipotentiary of the Council of People's Commissars for railway orders abroad, in which he reported the text of his dispatch sent to London to L. B. Krasin. In it, Lomonosov wrote that Swedish firms that had accepted Soviet railway orders were refusing to fulfill them, demanding a change in payment conditions, and he proposed agreeing to the firms' demands.
On January 5, 1921, A. M. Lezhava, deputy people's commissar of foreign trade, telegraphed L. B. Krasin that he was leaving entirely to him the decision on the Swedish concern, and added that he would consider giving a positive answer.

MEMORANDUM TO N. P. GORBUNOV

[1921, January, not earlier than the 14th]
Comrade Gorbunov!
I request that you contact those who need to be contacted
( P C F A
| V C h K
[ and others. J and attempt to settle the matter.
Lenin

1 The document was written below the text of a letter from A. Lomov (G. I. Oppokov), member of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the National Economy, chairman of the Main Forest Committee. He wrote that the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs was systematically delaying the entry of representatives of foreign firms conducting negotiations about concessions. Lomov asked V. I. Lenin to "issue a general directive to the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs — to permit entry without obstruction to persons called by us from abroad for negotiations about concessions" (underlined by V. I. Lenin).

MEMORANDUM TO G. V. CHICHERIN

Comrade Chicherin! I received this in the enclosed envelope. Who is this? Be a r c h i c o n s p i r a t o r and clarify, please, who this is and how to proceed.
January 29, 1921
Lenin

1 This concerns a letter from M. L. Levin from Vienna of December 31, 1920, in which he asked V. I. Lenin to assist him in passing to Russia.
M. L. Levin — one of the founders of the Communist Party of Bavaria; member of the Communist Party of Germany. In 1921, Levin came to Moscow. In late 1921, V. I. Lenin spoke with M. L. Levin about the Bavarian Soviet Republic of 1919 and the policy of the Communist Party of Bavaria in that period.

TELEPHONOGRAM TO A. I. RYKOV
AND DIRECTIVE TO THE SECRETARY

[January 29, 1921]
Comrade Rykov. Would it not be better to consult with the Tsekaists now? Perhaps it would be possible immediately to eliminate misunderstandings?
Of course, unity is necessary, and I am confident that Trotsky will agree with this. It is necessary here and now to eliminate the split (or "threeway split"), otherwise the commission threatens to fall apart. I am occupied in a commission of the Central Committee on the People's Commissariat of Education. Would it not be better to turn to Stalin, Krestinsky, and Kamenev?
Lenin
Send both telephonograms to both Stalin and Kamenev by telephone.

1 The document was written on the following telephonogram from January 29, 1921.
"To comrades Lenin, Trotsky, Zinovyev, Stalin.
Nothing is coming of our participation in the Ural Commission of the Council of Labor and Defense. Trotsky goes in his own train through Samara, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg. Zinovyev in his own — when is unknown, from Petrograd. We are offered to attach ourselves to some train and catch up. We do not count on catching up by such a system, just as we do not expect that from such a trip without even one conference to determine tasks, the composition of collaborators, an approximate determination of the time, place, and system of work (the Urals are not an unknown region at all), results corresponding to the interests of the matter will emerge.
The basic transport commission wants to travel separately and pull all the Urals again. We very much request our delegation (Syromolotov, Glavtop, Glavugol, Glavleskoм, Basic Transport Commission) be provided with a special train, indicating where and when the commission of the Council of Labor and Defense will begin working, or allow us to refrain from participating in the work and free us and our representatives from responsibility.
Rykov, Lomov, Syromolotov, Bogdanov, Eismont."
The Ural Plenipotentiary Commission was created by decision of the Council of Labor and Defense on January 28, 1921, "in order to create conditions on the Urals most favorable for the metallurgical and fuel-extracting industries (from the standpoint of coordinated work of various institutions, housing arrangements, provision of food supply, transportation means, labor force, etc.)" (Archive of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism at the Central Committee of the CPSU).
On the document there are notes by I. V. Stalin and L. B. Kamenev on the necessity of unity among the members of the commission and coordinated organization of the trip.