[Draft] 
[London,] 20 May 1894 
Dear Sir, 

I note from your letter of the 10" inst. that you have made and already 
sent to the printers a Russian translation of my works on Russia which 
recently appeared in Berlin, just as you did previously in the case of other 
writings by Marx and myself. ** 

I must needs draw your attention to the fact that, in accordance with the 
Berne Convention °°’ Introduction to Wage Labour and Capital by Marx 
(1891) as well as the above-mentioned works are my literary property and 
that translations of them into foreign languages may not be published in the 
countries of the Union without my permission. Even though the matter of 
fees may play only a subordinate or no role at all in cases such as these, or 
where genuine party undertakings are concerned, I am nevertheless obliged 
to assert my rights in the interests of the cause, for otherwise it would mean 
my assuming joint responsibility for the publication of translations by 
unqualified or otherwise incompetent persons. And since I have already 
committed myself to a third party, I am under a twofold obligation. 

So far as I am aware, it has hitherto been customary in the party, even in 
the case of translations of works unprotected by the Berne Convention, to 
show consideration for the writer by applying to him for authorisation. 

When, however, a work falls within the terms of the Berne Convention, this 
is not simply a polite formality but the translator’s bounden duty. You have 
chosen to ignore this. I hereby protest against your conduct and reserve all 
my rights. 

My objection to the publication of an unauthorised Russian translation of 
my works on Russia from Jnternationales aus dem ‘Volksstaat’ is all the 
greater in that I have already made over the translation rights in the Russian 
language for these and other works, namely to Mrs Vera Zasulich. 

This disposes once and for all with your inquiry regarding my preface. 

Yours very truly