Published: First published in 1924 in the magazine Organizatsiya Truda No. 1
. Printed from the original.3.VI.1921
Comrade Alsky:
I should like to help Comrade Gastev, Director of the Institute of Labour.
He needs to make additional purchases worth 500,000 in gold. That is, of course, something we cannot afford just now. Could something be bought in Germany with the Romanov funds?
Think about this, find out more exactly and try to get him a certain amount. We should, all things considered, give support to such an institution, even with the situation as difficult as it is.[1]
With communist greetings,
Lenin
[1] In a reply letter, A. O. Alsky said that, given Lenin’s consent, he could carry through Soviet administrative channels a decision to sell £50,000 worth of Chinese loan coupons for the needs of the Institute of Labour. On this letter Lenin wrote: “Please direct through Soviet administrative channels. 14/VI. Lenin” (Central Party Archives of the Institute of Marxism-Leninism of the C.P.S.U. Central Committee).
On June 8, 1921, the C.L.D. approved the Institute of Labour application for 100,000 gold rubles, directing it for realisation to the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Trade.
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