Hello, Vyacheslav!

Today we conferred on the control figures for the year 1936. Mezhlauk presented an outline based on 19 billion in capital construction. For the People's Commissariat of Heavy Industry — 6 billion; for the People's Commissariat of Railways — 3 billion and a bit more; for the People's Commissariats of Agriculture, Light Industry, Food Industry, and Timber — reduced figures; for the People's Commissariats of Health, Education, Communal Economy, Local Industry, and so on — also reduced figures. Even with the most economical approach, nothing works out, especially if one bears in mind that the People's Commissariat of Defense will have to be fully satisfied under all conditions. I proposed a figure of 22 billion rubles. At this figure, the People's Commissariat of Heavy Industry receives 6 billion 500–700 million (compared to over 8 billion in 1935); we add 400–500 million for the People's Commissariat of Railways; 200 million for Light Industry; 400–500 million for the Food Industry; about 300 million for the People's Commissariats of Education and Health; and the rest for Agriculture, State Farms, Local Industry, Communal Economy, Communications, and so on. The People's Commissariat of Heavy Industry is howling (it wants 9 billion), the People's Commissariat of Railways (wants 4.5 billion), the Food Industry, and all the rest.

Mezhlauk and Chubar have been tasked with preparing a breakdown (outline) on the basis of 22 billion. We shall see.

There are some things that cannot be cut: the People's Commissariat of Defense; track repair and rolling stock plus payment for new freight cars and locomotives at the People's Commissariat of Railways; school construction at the People's Commissariat of Education; technical re-equipping at Light Industry; paper and cellulose plants at Timber; certain very necessary enterprises (coal, petroleum, open-hearth furnaces, rolling mills, viscose, power plants, chemicals) at the People's Commissariat of Heavy Industry. This complicates matters. We shall see.

How are you? Getting some rest?

I am well; friends are too. Regards to Comrade Zhemchuzhina.

July 21, 1935.

I. STALIN

P.S. The final resolution of the question of the control figures, as well as the question of recalculation by prices, has been postponed until autumn.

Pisma I.V. Stalina V.M. Molotovu 1925–1936. Moscow, 1995. Pp. 249–250.