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

338V. I. LENINpreviously they remain split now. The groups of Menshevikliquidators have openly become groups in support of Golos.The only rapprochement that has been mapped out and actuallybegun is that between the Bolsheviks and the Plekhanovites.The Central Committee Bureau Abroad, in itscapacity as co-ordinator of Social-Democratic work abroad,has become an object of ridicule legitimately mocked at bythe Vperyodists and Golosists, who observe with satisfactionhow the Party centre acts as a collegium for provocatoryaffairs and for carrying out bureaucratic paper work that isof no use to anyone.In the most important sphere, that of organisationalwork locally in Russia, absolutely nothing of any use to theParty has been accomplished during the year. The CentralCommittee, which had to invite the Mikhails, Romans andYuris on the basis of the “promises” made to the plenum,zealously set about this thankful task so worthy of a revolutionaryof inviting into the Party those who ridicule it andcontinue to harm it, but even so after a year have not succeededin “inviting” anyone. During this period, however,the anti-Party factions have strengthened their organisationsagainst the Party: the Vperyod faction has developedand its agency has grown stronger, Mr. Potresov’s group hasgrown stronger, as too have the other liquidationist enterprises,which have continued to carry on propaganda againstthe Party in a number of clubs, co-operative societies, etc.,and to intrigue against the Party among the Social-Democraticgroup in the Duma. The role of the Central Committee,which during this time has been occupied in “inviting” theliquidators or in a formal correspondence on matters concerningthe “squabbles” of the Golosists and Vperyodists, is arole that is positively humiliating and we cannot permitthe enemies of the Party to reduce the Central Committeeto this role.Only people quite incapable of thought or desirous ofindulging in petty intrigue can still fail to see that the continuanceof such a state of the Party centres inevitably preparesthe way for a triumph of the liquidators and otzovists,who observe with satisfaction how the Central Committeehas entangled itself, and continues to entangle itself, inconciliatory phrase-mongering, in playing at conciliation