Letter to Maurice Parijanine, April 30, 1933

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A French Visa and an Essay on Herriot

Dear Comrade Parijanine:

I received your cable with great astonishment. I certainly do not doubt that you had serious reasons to send it, but at the same time I can hardly imagine that the French government, especially the present one, which is seeking Stalin’s friendship, would grant me the visa.

For the moment your cable has led me to postpone publishing my article about Mr. Herriot in America. I am sending you this article herewith. From its content, it won’t be hard for you to guess the reasons I postpone its publication: if there is wavering about the visa — whether it is to be granted to me — in the leading circles in France, the appearance of this article would without any doubt give new arguments to those opposed to the visa.

On the other hand, I will not conceal from you that I regret the loss of time in writing this article. If according to your latest information the matter of the visa entered a disadvantageous phase or threatened to drag out interminably, I would rather publish my article. In that case I would also like to have it published in France. If you think you could find a place for it somewhere, I would gladly leave it in your care. We will easily come to terms about the translation fees, basing ourselves on the international rate.

I thank you heartily for your solicitude.

Comradely greetings,