V. I. Lenin

The Seventh (April) All-Russia Conference of the R.S.D.L.P. (B.)

APRIL 24–29 (MAY 7–12), 1917


 

5

REMARKS IN THE DEBATE ON THE RESOLUTION ON THE WAR
APRIL 27 (MAY 10)

1

Gelman motions that the words “Menshevik opportunist Social-Democratic Party” should be replaced by the words “the Party’s opportunist wing”, arguing that not all the Mensheviks belong to the defencist trend, and that the Left wing does not share the defencist standpoint.

Lenin opposes the amendment: we are speaking about the majority, about the Menshevik Party as a whole, which is why the characteristic should not be changed.

2

Vedernikov proposes that the names “Chkheidze, Tsereteli and others” should be struck out.... If we delete them the resolution will not lose in any way.

Ovsyanikov ... proposes that the words “Chkheidze, Tsereteli, the O.C.” should be deleted.

Lenin comes out against both amendments. One of two things—either the names or the O.C.—unless both are retained. The first comrade proposes to leave the O.C. in and throw out the names. But is the Organising Committee sufficiently well known to the masses, or must the well-known names of Tsereteli and Chkheidze be used to clarify the state of affairs for the masses?

3

Sokolnikov proposes the deletion of the word “completely” in the phrase: “Steps designed to make them completely harmless politically”, because only by undermining their economic domination can the capitalists be rendered politically harmless....

Lenin speaks out against the deletion of the word “completely” and proposes the wording: “Steps undermining the economic domination of the capitalists, and steps designed to make them completely....”

First published in 1925 in the book Petrogradskaya obshchegorodskaya i Vserossiiskaya konferentsii R.S.D.R.P.(B.) v aprele 1917 goda Printed from a typewritten copy of the minutes

Notes

  SPEECH IN DEFENCE OF THE RESOLUTION ON THE WAR APRIL 27 (MAY 10) | PRELIMINARY DRAFT ALTERATIONS IN THE R.S.D.L.P. PARTY PROGRAMME  

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