Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 16 - From Marx to Mao

TOWARDS UNITY155viously, however, is required of them in order to learn tocarry out revolutionary Social-Democratic work systematically,undeviatingly and in a planned way in the presentdifficult situation, and the more so because in very manycases they cannot expect assistance from old, experiencedcomrades. And these primary units cannot solve the tasksof constant influence on the masses and interaction with themasses without establishing, firstly, firm connections withone another and, secondly, without strongpoints in the formof all possible kinds of legal institutions. Hence the necessityfor a conference of delegates of these illegal primaryunits—first of all, immediately and at all costs. Hence theneed to draw in pro-Party Social-Democrats from the legalmovement, representatives “of Social-Democratic groupsin the legal movement that are ready to establish a firmorganisational connection with the local Party centres”. Whoamong our legal Social-Democrats is really pro-Party, indeeds and not merely in words, who among them has reallyunderstood the new conditions of work outlined above andhow to combine with them the old aims of revolutionarySocial-Democracy, who is sincerely prepared to work forthe fulfilment of these aims, which groups are really preparedto establish a firm organisational connection with theParty—this is something that can only be ascertained inthe localities, in the actual course of daily illegal work.Let us hope that all Social-Democratic forces will unitefor this work, that Party functionaries at the centre andin the localities will set about preparing the conference withthe utmost vigour, that this conference will help definitivelyto reinforce our Party unity and vigorously promote thecreation of a broader, more stable and more flexible proletarianbasis for the future revolutionary battles.Sotsial-Demokrat No. 11,February 13 (26), 1910Published according tothe text inSotsial-Demokrat