Telegram to Christian Rakovsky, February 24, 1921

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At the top Lenin wrote and then crossed out: “Comrade Tsyurupa: your opinion of my draft reply? 24.II. Lenin.”—Ed.

To Rakovsky, coded

Rakovsky, Kharkov. Re: Your No. 672

In view of the extremely grave food supply situation at the centre, I propose: three-quarters to be brought down here, one-quarter left for the cities and workers of the Ukraine; the peasants must be rewarded at any cost, within the bounds of possibility, and if we have nothing, then by making purchases abroad for gold or oil. If you disagree with this, make another concession to the peasants, but bear in mind that the food crisis over here is desperate and downright dangerous.[1]

Lenin

  1. The telegram was sent on February 25, 1921, in reply to Kh. G. Rakovsky’s telegram No. 672 of February 22, 1921, informing Lenin about the existence in the Ukraine of food stocks which he proposed should be used mainly for local needs, and a part of them for commodity exchange with other countries in return for agricultural machinery and implements for the Ukraine, and requested Lenin’s opinion on this question.