Letter to Inessa Armand, July 19, 1914

From Marxists-en
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Huysmans and Vandervelde have unleashed all threats. Wretched diplomats! They thought they could frighten us (or you). Of course, they have failed.

Grigory and I agreed it would have been wiser not to go at all. But the Russian workers would not have under stood this; now they have a living example to teach them.

You handled the thing better than I could have done. Language apart, I would probably have gone up in the air. I would not have been able to stand the hypocrisy and would have called them scoundrels. And that’s what they were waiting for—that’s what they were trying to provoke.

But you and the others carried it off calmly and firmly. Extremely thankful & greeting you.[1]

I am surprised that today (Sunday) I have no wire concerning the closing of the conference. It must have closed at 4 o’clock on Saturday. Did you (the three delegates—you, the Letts+the Polish opposition) submit a written statement?

Awaiting your impressions,

Yours,

V.U.

  1. This sentence is in English in the original.—Ed.