Source: Tom 17

December 25, 1929

Greetings to Vyacheslav!

I did receive your first letter, of course. I know that deep down you are cursing me for my silence. And it cannot be denied that you have every right to do so. But put yourself in my position: overloaded to an indecent degree, no time to sleep (literally!). In short, I will write regularly.

1) Things are not well with the Pravda editorial board. The one running everything there, apparently, is Kovalev together with Naumov (both former Trotskyists) and certain other staff members. Kovalev has already taken Popov in hand. And Krumin continues to "drift." This could perhaps be tolerated for some time, but the thing is that Kovalev is a "dark" and "incomprehensible" man and, apparently, not entirely ours (they say he has sympathies for the Zinovievites). They let Shlyapnikov slip through; even earlier they let Frumkin slide by; and now Naumov's article. They tried to let Pyatakov's latest article slip through too, but Kaganovich and I caught it in time and managed to correct certain "unclear" passages in Pyatakov's article late at night. We will straighten out the Shlyapnikov business today. As for Frumkin, this is an old matter and one can, in my opinion, wait for a more suitable moment. I fear that Kovalev and his group will have to be removed...

2) On military affairs (the RKI report on the Artillery Administration), we will adopt a Politburo decision in the coming days in connection with measures already taken by the People's Commissar of War to liquidate the breach. We consider it inexpedient to make noise about this matter. The decision will go through the special file channel.

3) Kaganovich has promised to move forward on the school for people of the Mikhailov (Leningrader) type.

4) The nasty affair (Desov-Komarov) against Kirov actually helped accelerate the purging of the Leningrad organization of bureaucratized elements. Every cloud has a silver lining! The Leningrad regional committee accepted the CC decision — according to eyewitnesses — with no little enthusiasm. Indeed! The bureaucratism of Komarov, the authority of the CC, and the fact that Kirov has apparently gained great respect in Leningrad during the recent period all played a role. Kodatsky, Alekseev, Lobov, and Serganin (not as decisively as the others) immediately distanced themselves from Desov-Komarov. The Leningraders are thinking of putting forward Kodatsky for the chairmanship. This CC decision will also go through the special file channel.

5) The matter with China must already be known to you. America somewhat disgraced itself with its intervention attempt.

6) We are planning to adopt a decision on the pace of collective farm construction in the coming days. The Yakovlev commission has produced a draft. The draft is, in my opinion, unsuitable. You must already have it. Telegraph your opinion.

Once more: I promise to write regularly. I firmly shake your hand.

December 25, 1929.

J. Stalin.

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Source: Letters of J.V. Stalin to V.M. Molotov. 1925–1936. P. 171–173.

RGASPI. F. 558. Op. 1. D. 5388.