Letter to the Union of Russian Social-Democrats Abroad, February 4 or 5,1903

Add a subpage to this text

Read the help page for usage.

 

Simultaneously with this letter Lenin wrote the “Draft Appeal of the Russian Organising Committee to the League of Russian Revolutionary Social-Democracy, the Union of Russian Social-Democrats Abroad and the Foreign Committee of the Bund” (see Vol. 6 of this edition) and sent it on February 5 to Martov in Paris to be discussed with the members of the Russian Organising Committee P. A. Krasikov and V. A. Noskov, who had arrived there.

To the Union of Russian Social-Democrats

In reply to the letter of the Union of Russian Social-Democrats to the League of Russian Revolutionary Social Democracy, received by us on February 4, 1903, we hasten to inform the Union of Russian Social-Democrats that we entirely, share its opinion as to the need to form a foreign section of the Organising Committee in Russia. It is true that we cannot at all agree with the opinion of the Union of the R.S.D. that the Organising Committee “wrongly or inaccurately ascribes its origin to private initiative”, for the OC refers directly to the decision of the conference (the OC was in fact set up in fulfilment of such a decision). Moreover, the OC was formed by organisations which took part in the conference. The fact that the OC has not straight away and without inquiring the opinion of the remaining Party organisations declared itself an official Party body is, in our view, evidence of the Organising Committee’s correct understanding of its tasks, and of its tact and caution, which are so important in a serious Party matter.

It should be said at once, though, that we do not attach any great importance to our above-mentioned disagreement with the Union of the R.S.D.; on the contrary, we have every hope that this disagreement will be easily dispelled with the development of the Organising Committee’s activity.

Farther, we would consider it inexpedient, even not quite lawful on our part, “to proceed immediately to constitute a foreign section of the OC”, unless there was a direct invitation from the OC in Russia. We have been informed that the OC has already written to the Bund in Russia and to the Union of the R.S.D. Abroad. We do not have the text of either letter. In any case, it follows from the above that the OC in Russia is already taking steps in this direction. It would hardly be wise on our part to begin to act without waiting for the result of these steps of the Organising Committee.

We consider it our duty to bring the letter of the Union of the R.S.D. immediately to the notice of the OC in Russia and at the same time we shall communicate to the OC our opinion of the desirability of the OC in Russia immediately setting up its foreign section. We would suggest waiting for a reply from the OC in Russia. If, how ever, the comrades of the Bund Committee Abroad and of the Union of the R.S.D. consider that, before receiving this reply, it would be useful to arrange a private meeting of representatives of the Bund Committee Abroad, the Union of the R.S.D., and the League of Russian Revolutionary Social-Democracy, we would not, of course, refuse to take part.

The League of Russian Revolutionary Social-Democracy