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

HEROES OF “RESERVATION”373question, as over any question which stirs the opponentsdeeply, was conducted with passion and often with bitterness.That controversy—and this refers to absolutely everyquestion over which it arose—was carried on in the open,in full view of everyone, it was thoroughly thrashed out,without being glossed over by any “reservations”. And noneof us ever thought of retracting anything or of whining overthe “virulence of the controversy”. But today, when the locomotivehas broken down, when it is lying in a bog, surroundedby “reservationist” intellectuals who sneeringly declarethat there is “nothing to liquidate” because there is no longerany locomotive in existence, we, the “virulent controversionalists”of yesterday, are drawn closer together by our commoncause. Without renouncing anything, without forgettinganything, without making any promises about settingaside differences, we are working together for the commoncause. We are devoting all our attention and all our effortsto raise the locomotive, to renovate, strengthen and reinforceit, to put it on the rails—as to its speed, or which way to turnone switch or another, we shall discuss that in due time. Inthese difficult days the immediate task is to create somethingthat will be capable of giving a rebuff to the people “withreservations” and the “dispirited intellectuals”, who directlyor indirectly promote the prevailing “slough”. The immediatetask is to dig—even under the most difficult conditions—for ore, to extract iron, and to cast the steel of the Marxistworld outlook and of the superstructures correspondingto this world outlook.Mysl No. 1, December 1910Signed: V. I.Published according tothe text in Mysl