Letter to Pierre Frank, August 18, 1933

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How to Handle Slanders and Insinuations

Dear Comrade Frank,

The draft resolution concerning the financial question does not seem to me to be sufficiently clear-cut and categorical. The resolution should be conceived in such a way that it could be published in the press, even without comment, should the need arise. That is why it would be better to divide it in two parts, one dealing with the contributions of the sections, the other dealing with the case of M. In this second part, a beginning should be made by acting on the decision of the Executive Committee of the French League concerning M. (with a short, exact quotation on the need for him to give up business and to devote himself fully to politics). The plenum should confirm this resolution as being fully in the interest of our organization, that is to say, the most reasonable use of Comrade M.'s energies. Consequently, the plenum would remove from M. all the financial obligations put on him. What is most important is the part dealing with the control commission. To speak of "the shortest space of timer is absolutely intolerable after the infinite delays. There are only two possibilities: either the control commission should present its report during the plenum session or, if it is not in a state to do so, it should be condemned for lack of energy in a question involving the rebuttal of calumnies from enemies of the League. If the plenum itself could make a pronouncement on the substance of the question, and I believe it would not be difficult at all for it, it should itself, in this purely political matter, play the part of a control commission and declare that R. Molinier engaged in business only in the interest of the organization and that the plenum refutes with indignation all the slanders and insinuations whose authors have never dared appear openly to bring their accusations before a competent body.

Yours,

L. Trotsky