Exchange of Notes with Alexander Tsiurupa, June 7, 1918

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Lenin’s notes to A. D. Tsyurupa were written in connection with the need to explain to the mass of the working people the decision on independent procurements adopted by the Council of People’s Commissars on June 1, 1918. The decision pointed out that independent grain procurements, for which the Council of People’s Commissars was being asked by representatives of some organisations and trade unions, could disrupt the whole business of food supply, clear the way for the kulaks and landowners, and ruin the revolution. The decision set the task of organising food detachments, selecting for them the best and most devoted people from among the workers and office personnel “in order to form a general working-class fighting force for establishing order, for assisting with supervision, for collecting all grain surpluses, for complete victory over speculators” (Dekrety Sovetskoi vlasti, Vol. II, pp. 379–81).

On this subject see also present edition, Vol. 27, pp. 416–17.

Tsyurupa:

In view of the furious agitation of enemies and “ waverers” and its influence on the workers in Petrograd, Moscow, etc.,

I think you ought to publish (and distribute as a leaflet at the factories) something in the nature of a letter to the workers, saying:

they are trying to scare you—

the waverers are sowing panic—

they are talking of “independent procurements”—

they criticise the “centre”, throwing the blame on others—

and so forth.

But you, workers, should not believe the whiners, sowers of panic and fault-finders,

but set to work: let every factory send to our aid trustworthy people with a guarantee, with a surety, we shall show them where the obstacle lies, what the difficulty is, and they will help us.

Would you be able to place such people?

A. D. TSYURUPA’S REPLY

Yes, we can arrange if. Your proposal will be implemented. A small group of workers has already had a number of reports on the food question read to them (something like lectures) and this group will shortly be going to the area of Tambov and Voronezh gubernias with our representative. We have asked

X

all Soviets, Bolshevik committees and trade unions to give us reliable people.

Tsyurupa:

X

Are the factory committees, at least those of the big plants, included here? This is important.