680. LETTER TO J. V. STALIN AND L. B. KAMENEV
Comrades Stalin and Kamenev
I have received the draft of an additional resolution by the congress.[2]
I agree on the main points. After a first reading, I propose these amendments:
1) away with the word “new” (page 1, line 1 from bottom),
2) at the end, instead of “the congress authorises the commission” say: “the Congress authorises the Central Committee, with the enlistment of Comrades Tsyurupa and Kiselyov (two non-members of the C.C.).”
I think:
a) also to propose less essential amendments;
b) add something on the subject of trying out men and checking up on performance.
We shall arrange the details by phone.
How is this to be introduced?
I shall prepare a letter for the C.C. Plenum (by 24.IV?).
In this letter I will
1) give a brief plan of the report,
2) refer to Trotsky’s letter,[3] saying that I am basically in favour,
3) tell about my arrangement with Tsyurupa and Rykov,[1]
4) add your draft on my own behalf,
5) ask the C.C. Plenum to take a vote: do they approve this? do they permit me to say all this on behalf of the C.C. in my report?
P.S. This is the best form.
Add: against inflating the All-Russia C.E.C.: not more than 3 per gubernia.
21/III–1922
Lenin
Notes
[1] See present edition, Vol. 33, pp. 247–48.—Ed.
[2] An apparent reference to the addition to the draft resolution on the political report of the Central Committee of the R.C.P.(B.) to the Eleventh Party Congress on demarcating the functions of Party and Soviet, government organs (the text of the addition has not been found). This question was inserted by Lenin into the plan of the C.C.’s political report presented to the C.C. Plenum which was held on March 25, 1922 (see present edition, Vol. 33, pp. 251–53).
[3] An apparent reference to Trotsky’s letter of March 10, 1922, on the question of relations between Party and Soviet government bodies, and the need to demarcate their functions, which was sent to members of the Politbureau of the R.C.P.(B.) C.C. in connection with the discussion of Zinoviev’s draft theses, “On Consolidating the Party”.