Comrade Mekhlis!

In reply to your inquiry about Demyan's fable "Fight or Die," I am responding with a letter addressed to Demyan, which you may read to him.

To the newly emerged Dante, that is to say Conrad, or rather... Demyan Bedny.

The fable or poem "Fight or Die" is, in my opinion, an artistically mediocre piece. As a critique of fascism, it is pallid and unoriginal. As a critique of the Soviet system (no joke!), it is stupid, though quite transparent.

Since we already have no shortage of literary rubbish among us Soviet people, it is hardly worth adding to the stockpile of such literature with yet another fable, so to speak...

I understand, of course, that I am obliged to apologize to Demyan-Dante for my forced frankness.

Respectfully,

I. Stalin.

Vlast i khudozhestvennaya intelligentsiya. Dokumenty 1917-1953. P. 379.

RGASPI. F. 71. Op. 10. D. 130. L. 100.

Note:

L.Z. Mekhlis had been editor of Pravda since 1930.