21/VIII-32

Greetings, Comrade Kaganovich!

I received your letter of 19/VIII.

1) Regarding Sheboldaev's proposal to reduce the grain procurement plan, there was a misunderstanding. At the moment I sent you Sheboldaev's memorandum and my letter on accepting his proposal, I did not know about the outrages in grain procurement on the North Caucasus. I received these and other materials on the North Caucasus the next day. I then immediately corrected this error of mine in two telegrams addressed to you, in which: a) I proposed postponing consideration of Sheboldaev's proposal to the very end of August, when I will already be in Moscow; b) I proposed giving Pravda a directive to criticize the North Caucasus leadership for poor work on grain procurement.

I thereby consider the misunderstanding resolved.

In general, it must be said that Sheboldaev has been somewhat over-praised, when he does not yet (for the time being -- yet!) deserve great praise, since he frequently (sometimes too frequently!) succumbs to the influence and pressure of a not entirely healthy, and sometimes downright rotten, entourage of politically unstable elements.

I think he should be reprimanded for certain rotten passages in his memorandum.

2) Cooper must definitely be treated kindly, placed on the "honor board" list (without fail!), given a special certificate, and it should be published.

3) I plan to depart on the 23rd, unless illness (something resembling a mild case of tonsillitis) prevents it. I am mortally tired of sitting in Sochi.

Greetings!

I. Stalin

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Source: Stalin and Kaganovich. Correspondence. 1931-1936, p. 294.

RGASPI. F. 81. Op. 3. D. 99. L. 161-163.