On the Publication of a Telegram Reporting the Pamphlet by Parvus

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Lenin’s note to the Politbureau followed the publication on February 2, 1922, in Izvestia of a telegram from Warsaw reporting the gist of Parvus’s pamphlet Der wirtschaftliche Rettungsweg in which its author justified the annexationist plans of German imperialism in the East, plans for colonial enslavement of the peoples of Soviet Russia. There, in Eastern Europe, Parvus wrote, “the way is open for German expansion, for German might, for German thrift”.

Lenin’s motion was adopted by the Politbureau on February 8 After investigations into this matter the Politbureau passed a decision on March 11, 1922 (see the next document).

1. To Comrade Molotov (for members of the Politbureau)

Dictated over the telephone February 4, 1922

First published in 1945 in Lenin Miscellany XXXV

Printed from the secretary’s note (typewritten copy)

I propose that an inquiry be made as to who was responsible for publishing in our newspapers the other day a telegram giving a summary of Parvus’s writings.

When the guilty party has been ascertained, I propose that the ROSTA manager of that department be severely reprimanded and the journalist directly responsible should be dismissed, for only a perfect fool or a whiteguard could use our newspapers for advertising such a scoundrel as Parvus.

Lenin

2. Decision of the Politbureau of the CC, RCP(b)

First published in 1964 in the Fifth Russian Edition of the Collected Works, Vol. 44

Printed from the typewritten copy of the minutes

March 11, 1922

The Politbureau recognises that the publication of such a telegram was improper, as it gave the impression of advertising Parvus, and the editors of Party and Soviet news papers are directed to refrain from publishing such telegrams in future.