Comrade Lenin!

1) On the basis of the audit of the financial section of the People's Commissariat of Foreign Affairs (conducted under the supervision of Comrade Rozmirovich), Comrades Karakhan and Gorbunov should be brought to trial. Being convinced of the expediency of prosecution, I am raising this question in the Politburo and requesting authorization. What do you think?

2) The same applies to the head of supply of the People's Commissariat of Education, Comrade Kalashnikov. Your opinion?

I think that prosecutions of this kind must definitely be initiated, and particular severity must be shown toward Communists (without this we shall not maintain order in our institutions).

9/III-22.

Stalin.

Source: V.I. Lenin. Unknown Documents. 1891-1922, p. 513.

AP RF. F. 45. Op. 1. D. 694. L. 92.

NOTE

The reference was to violations uncovered by the Workers' and Peasants' Inspection in the use of funds and the keeping of financial records.

Lenin's reply, March 10, 1922:

"1) If you are convinced and there is a formal ruling by the investigator, then they must be prosecuted. One cannot let this slide.

2) Nadezhda Konstantinovna tells me that he (Kalashnikov -- Ed.) is doubly guilty."