Letter to V.M. Molotov, August 18, 1925

18/VIII.
Comrade Molotov!
I am late with my reply.
Manuilsky's letter is cowardly and dishonest.
I uphold in full my statement about the swindling and dirty dealing, despite the displeasure of certain comrades.
Kamenev's assertion that Stalin was seeking, above all, the publication of his memorandum on Eastman I consider dishonest. He measures others by his own yardstick...

You and Bukharin acted incorrectly in voting against the proposal on the Eastman documents. The central committees of the Communist parties cannot be denied access to the documents on Eastman. Kamenev and Zinoviev want to create the preconditions that would make Trotsky's removal from the CC necessary, but they will not succeed, because they have no grounds for it. By his reply to Eastman's book, Trotsky predetermined his fate, that is, saved himself.

I shake your hand.
I. Stalin.

Letters of I.V. Stalin to V.M. Molotov. 1925-1936. Pp. 43-44.
RGASPI. F. 558. Op. 1. D. 5388.

NOTE
On August 11, 1925, Molotov sent Stalin the following cipher telegram:
"By polling the absent members of the Seven, the following proposal of the majority of the present members of the Seven, adopted against Bukharin and Molotov, is being voted on: 'In response to the ECCI's inquiry, authorize the RCP(b) delegation to transmit to the ECCI the material printed by the Politburo on the question of Eastman's book, as confidential material for the CC members of foreign Communist parties.'"