Letter to V. A. Smolyaninov, January 17, 1922

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First published on January 21, 1931 in Pravda No. 21 and Za Industrializatsiyu No. 21. Printed from the original.

17.I.1922

Comrade Smolyaninov:

I am sending you G. D. Tsyurupa’s reports.

This is shocking red tape.

The work of the People’s Commissariat for Railways is wretched.

And to think that this is for Kashira, an establishment of exceptional importance! An establishment about which there is a special Politbureau directive, concerning the obligatory nature of all sorts of pressure and acceleration! And to think that this should happen after dozens of telegrams, etc., from me about Kashira!

What, in that case, happens to the ordinary freight? Apparently something quite crazy!

I propose to you:

1) to start proceedings for red tape, and take the case all the way to the strictest punishment;

2) put pressure on the P.C.R. and, apart from the trial, secure measures for enhancing responsibility and improving the work.

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Chairman, CLD

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First published in 1945 in Lenin Miscellany XXXV. Printed from the original.

On Lenin’s initiative and instructions, the Managing Department of the CLD set up tables characterising the development of the main branches of Soviet Russia’s national economy for 1920–21 and 1922. For the correspondence between V. A. Smolyaninov and P. I. Popov, Business Manager of the Central Statistical Board, in connection with this proposal of Lenin’s, see Istorichesky Arkhiv No. 1, 1962, pp. 51–52 and 54–55, and also No. 3, 1961, p. 71.

Comrade Smolyaninov

Having looked over some of the tables, I propose that

1) clear additions in ink, in a fine hand, should always be made of absolute monthly figures (thousands or millions) (as in Table V, 4).

2) The same always in the margins of the table

pre-war figure (1913 or 1916, etc.)

such-and-such (absolute figure).

3) The whole importance of these tables lies in their being visual and comparable. That is why tables for 36 months: 1920–1921–1922, should be made to fit in the same form

(have all the 36 months 1920–1922 in one table).

17/I. Lenin

+ 4) Instead of heavy lines (/\) light lines (/\) will do: this will be simpler, clearer and easier to draw and will require fewer officials.

5) A bit of day-dreaming: have all the tables clipped into one sheaf (2 or 3, if it is too thick) to facilitate paging.

17/I. Lenin