A Letter to the Organisations in Russia

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February 28, 1905

Dear Comrades,

We have just received the news that St. Petersburg, Tula, Moscow, the North, Nizhni-Novgorod, the Caucasus, and Odessa have declared for the Congress, and other places will, of course, follow suit. The Central Committee is said to have gone on record for the Congress. Naturally, no one will believe the CC now. Everyone says it may as well come to the Congress, since everyone has been invited, but it is the Bureau and the Bureau alone that is convening the Congress. There is hardly any need to ask why there is not a grain of confidence left in the CC (even the few completely isolated voices raised in its favour were immediately retracted). Everybody understands that the CC is only deceiving people and playing the diplomat.

It is extremely important that preparations for the Congress be started immediately and that zealous efforts be made to enlist the co-operation of all circles, including district, propaganda, and factory circles, in short, all, especially workers’, circles. We speak of this also in Vperyod, No. 8, (out today). It would be very useful to have workers attend the Congress. (In our opinion admittance on a consultative voice basis should be accorded as liberally as possible. Thus, it is only a question of funds. Spread your agitation wider. We are convinced that it is possible to find workers who will collect from 150 to 200 rubles to cover the expenses of a delegate; special donors for the same purpose can also be found among the intellectuals.) Important questions will be discussed at the Congress: organisation, the attitude to wards the periphery organisations, the insurrection, arming of the workers (installation of dynamite workshops), agreement with the Socialists-Revolutionaries for an uprising, support of the revolutionary peasant movement, and many other issues. Reports on work among the troops and the peasantry are of the utmost importance. Make the widest possible use of contacts with officers, students, and so on for the Congress. The Congress will be asked to substitute Lenin’s formulation of Clause 1 of the Rules for Martov’s, and to extend the rights of Party and Party-connected organisations. This will cover many elements of revolutionary democracy. Let each and every one prepare most actively for the Congress.

Hearty greetings,

Lenin

St. Petersburg has begun to send us copies of the minutes of workers’ meetings held in various districts. An example worth imitating. It is our earnest request that the workers themselves write, and keep on writing, to Vperyod.