In Defence of October

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Answers to Questions Put by a Workers’ Delegation of Alexandro-Grushevsky District

"Our troops are moving in the direction of Kaledin’s troops in sufficient numbers."

1) Re the sequestration of mines and works in the Alexandro-Grushevsky District.

Mines and works may be confiscated only after the district is liberated from Kaledin’s troops and influence.

2) Should the workers now quit the mines and go away to Central Russia?

They should not quit but go on working as long as possible. Resolution on this question by the Council of People’s Commissars: the workers of the Alexandro-Grushevsky District to be instructed to contact Kharkov for the arming of the Red Guard. The comrades to be asked to hold out to the last, as long as they can, and not throw up their work.

3) On sending guards to the mines.

Our troops are moving in the direction of Kaledin’s troops in sufficient numbers.

4) Re a subsidy of 3,000,000 rubles to carry on the work.

The question of Monotop{2} will be settled on the arrival of Comrade Artyom from Kharkov.

5) Are the bank-notes issued by Kaledin’s government to be considered valid?

The bank-notes are to be considered invalid.

V. Ulyanov (Lenin)

Chairman, Council of People’s Commissars

Notes

{1} The question of Alexandro-Grushevsky Mining District was dis-cussed at a meting of the C.P.C. on December 9 (22), 1917

{2} Monotop-Russian abbreviation for Donets Fuel Monopoly Trade Council, which was set up by the Provisional Government in 1917. After the October Revolution Monotop pursued a policy of sabotage in the matter of supplying fuel to the railways and industrial enterprises in the central part of Soviet Russia.

 

Source: Marxist Internet Archive.

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