Telegram to K.E. Voroshilov, 17 December 1932

Source: Tom 17

From Moscow. Nalchik, OGPU -- to Voroshilov.

I received your letter. In order to give officials the opportunity to push forward procurement in December, we have postponed the opening of the plenum to 5 January. We are hurrying with the plenum for the sake of organizing a final push to complete the annual grain procurement plan as quickly as possible, in order to make a timely transition to the grain tax in kind for next year's campaign, and also in order to set things right for the spring sowing in the North Caucasus and Ukraine.

The Eismont-Smirnov case is analogous to the Ryutin case, but less well-defined and thoroughly permeated by a series of drinking bouts. What emerges is an opposition group centered around Eismont-Rykov's vodka, Tomsky's -- I repeat, Tomsky's -- wild boar hunts, Smirnov's snarling and seething, and various Moscow gossip as dessert.

I still feel poorly, sleep little, am recovering slowly, but am not slacking in my work. Greetings.

16.XII.

Stalin

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Source: Soviet Leadership. Correspondence. 1928-1941, p. 196.

RGASPI. F. 74. Op. 2. D. 38. L. 80.