Written: Written June 16, 1913
Published:
First published in 1964 in Collected Works, Fifth (Russian) Ed., Vol. 48.
Sent from Poronin to Paris.
Printed from the original.
Source:
Lenin
Collected Works,
Progress Publishers,
[1977],
Moscow,
Volume 43,
pages 353b-355a.
Translated: Martin Parker and Bernard Isaacs
Transcription\Markup:
R. Cymbala
Public Domain:
Lenin Internet Archive
(2005).
You may freely copy, distribute,
display and perform this work; as well as make derivative and
commercial works. Please credit “Marxists Internet
Archive” as your source.
• README
Dear L. B.,
Before we quarrel (which I hope we shall not)———I am joking—over “a special and unpleasant” cause, let us chat about something else.
I am enclosing a letter from the I.S.B. Will the C.O.A. undertake it or not? If they do, let them inform me in a formal way. If not, return the letter.
Tell the C.O.A.: a gendarmes’ report has been stolen (or otherwise obtained), saying that a man named Polonsky, who left Russia legally, is to be arrested on his return.
If possible, let the C.O.A. notify everybody and try to find Polonsky. I know nothing more.
I wrote to Pravda about Alexinsky and asked them to send me his letter.[1] In regard to Bogdanov’s lie, I wrote a furious letter with an ultimatum that it be published. We shall see. Otherwise I shall go to Prosveshcheniye. ((I wrote to Prosveshcheniye about your article too: I am wholly for it—re the meeting of liberals and Pravda with Luch.))
With regard to Alexinsky I advise putting the question straightforwardly and honestly, in a comradely way. You are going to consult against Lunacharsky? Bon! Mais alors de deux choses une[2] : either you revolt in print both against the philosophical (c’est déjà fait[3] ) and the otzovist wing of Vperyod and you declare that there were both a philosophically reactionary and a politically anarchistic tendency in this group. I (Alexinsky) am glad to be rid of both.
In that case we can accept an honest bloc. With old squabbles forgotten, we shall welcome a contributor (a 100 times less valuable than Plekhanov) to both Pravda and Prosveshcheniye.
Or you are shuffling? In that case go alone. You will be a casual contributor, and we wash our hands.
No diplomacy. Speak straight out. That is essential.
Yours,
Lenin
P. S. Some time after the 20th I am going to Berne with N. K. I
shall be there on 27.VI. There will probably be an operation.
P.S. Huysmans named the Polish delegates of the opposition without
mentioning that they were Poles!!! And
he has listed you (+me+Plekhanov!!) as representatives on the I.S.B. (The
latest
Bulletin![5])
P.P.S. I had already written to Pravda about your
fee.[4]
Today I am writing about the 75 rubles, as per Grigory’s letter.
[2] Good! But then either the one or the other.—Ed.
[3] That has already been done.—Ed.
[5] Bulletin périodique du Bureau Socialiste International was published in French, English and German in Brussels from 1910 to 1914.
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