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

NOTES OF A PUBLICIST239does not like Plekhanov’s polemics against Potresov, ComradeI. 105 (who proposed “to dissolve everything”), etc.Of course, he has the right to censure these polemics. Buthow can this be called “declaring martial law in the Party”?War on the liquidators means declaring martial law in theParty—let us remember this “philosophy” of ComradeYonov’s.The reinforcements for the Mensheviks abroad were theRussian Mensheviks. But this circumstance does not atall give Comrade Yonov something to think about.It is obvious what practical conclusion Trotsky andYonov draw from such an “estimate of the situation”. Nothingout of the ordinary has occurred. Simply a factionalwrangle. Install new neutralisers and the trick is done.Everything is explained from the standpoint of sectariandiplomacy. All the practical prescriptions are nothing butsectarian diplomacy. Given here are those who “rushed intobattle”, those who desire to “reconcile”: here delete thereference to the “foundation”, there add the name of so-andsoto be included in the “institution”, and in yet anotherplace “give in” to the legalists in regard to the methods ofconvening the conference.... It is the old but ever newstory of the sectarian spirit abroad.Our view of what took place after the plenum is different.Having succeeded in getting the resolutions adoptedunanimously, and having eliminated all the “squabbling”accusations, the plenum forced the liquidators to the wall.It is no longer possible to hide behind squabbles, it is nolonger possible to refer to obduracy and “mechanical suppression”(or the other variants: “special protective measures”,“martial law”, “state of siege”, etc.). It is now possibleto leave the Party only because of liquidationism (justas the Vperyodists can leave it only because of otzovismand anti-Marxist philosophy).Forced to the wall, the liquidators have had to showtheir true colours. Their Russian centre—it matters notwhether it is a formal or an informal, a semi-legal (Mikhailand Co.) or entirely legal centre (Potresov and Co.)—answeredthe call to return to the Party by a refusal. The Russianlegalist-liquidators have finally broken with the Partyand have united in a group of independent socialists (inde-