Letter to Ya.Ya. Anvelt (before December 17, 1918)

Source: Tom 17

Comrade Anvelt!

Forgive me -- I have no time to write in detail. I write only about the most essential matters.

1) You must know that from our side you are guaranteed full support. If you ever doubt this, it will be a sin.

2) In our decree on Estonian independence, we somewhat bypassed the military and railway questions, since these questions are closely linked to the question of strategy, which (the strategy) must be unified throughout the entire Baltic region. We all think that you will only benefit from this. Of course, it is formally awkward if the government does not have its own military commander, but you can always appoint a military commissar (I believe you yourself are the head of Estonia's military forces), bearing in mind, however, that such an appointment must not disrupt the unity of strategy across all the occupied territories.

3) Compel the agents of "ROSTA" to write not "our forces have occupied such-and-such," but "the forces of the Estonian Soviet Government have liberated such-and-such." For my part, I shall oblige the local "ROSTA" here to write only in the manner indicated.

4) Comrade Sheffer will serve as the liaison between the Council of People's Commissars and you. Make sure that all your proclamations and so forth are transmitted through him for the Council of People's Commissars. I, in turn, shall supply you with information as well.

5) Around the 17th, it seems, two new Soviet governments will appear -- in Latvia and Lithuania.

I shake your hand.

Greetings to Comrades Pechenman and Kingisepp.

P.S. Inform us of the date for the convening of your Soviets.

Stalin.

Source: Bolshevik Leadership. Correspondence. 1912-1927, p. 63.

RGASPI. F. 558. Op. 1. D. 4574. L. 1.