Letter to the Petrograd Committee of the RSDLP(b), December 21, 1917

From Marxists-en
Jump to navigation Jump to search

8.XII.1917

To the P.C.[edit source]

Please send not less than 100 persons, absolutely reliable Party members, to room No. 75, second floor—the Committee to Combat Looting. (For performance of commissar duties.)[1]

The matter is extremely important. The Party is responsible. Approach the districts and factories.

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Chairman, Council of People’s Commissars

  1. In November and December 1917, counter-revolutionary elements in Petrograd organised the looting of liquor stores and shops.
    A state of siege was declared in Petrograd. A committee to combat looting was set up under the Petrograd Soviet. G. I. Blagonravov was appointed Military Commissar Extraordinary of Petrograd to combat drunkenness and looting.
    On December 5–6 (18–19), a counter-revolutionary organisation led by Constitutional-Democrats and Black-Hundred elements, which aimed at overthrowing Soviet rule and restoring the monarchy, was discovered. It allocated large sums of money for looting and provocations as one of the means of struggle, organised gangs and issued special leaflets.