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

A WORD TO THE BOLSHEVIKS OF ST. PETERSBURG73would really refute our methods of struggle and we shouldgladly admit that “your” methods were better.In St. Petersburg there was vital, urgent, general Partybusiness in hand: the election. In St. Petersburg the Social-Democratic proletariat immediately called the ultimatumiststo order in such a tone that they obeyed at once: the Partyspirit prevailed, the proximity of the proletarian massesexerted a favourable influence; it at once became clear to allthat the ultimatumist resolution made work impossible.The ultimatumists were immediately presented with anultimatum, and the St. Petersburg ultimatumists (to theirhonour be it said) replied to this ultimatum of the Bolsheviksby submitting to the Party, by submitting to the Bolsheviks,and not by waging a struggle against the Bolsheviks (atleast, not at the election; whether they will refrain from astruggle after the election remains to be seen).Maximov and Co. are ultimatumists not only in sentiment.They are trying to make ultimatumism a whole politicalline. They are building a complete system of ultimatumistpolicy (we say nothing of their friendship with thegod-builders, for which the St. Petersburg ultimatumists areprobably not to blame), they are creating a new trend onthis basis, they have begun to wage systematic war againstdated August 26, 1909, containing the programme of the school, aletter from Kautsky (who very mildly advises that philosophicaldifferences should “not be brought to the fore”, and declares that he“does not consider justified the sharp criticism of the Social-Democraticgroup in the Duma”, not to speak of “ultimatumism”!), a letterof Lenin’s (see present edition, Vol. 15, pp. 468-69—Ed.) and aresolution passed by the school Council. This droll Council declaresthat “factional strife has absolutely no relation to its (the school’s)aims and objects, which strictly coincide with the general aims andobjects of the Party”. We read the signatories to the leaflet. Lecturers:Maximov, Gorky, Lyadov, Lunacharsky, Mikhail, Alexinsky. Onlythink: a school with such a roster of lecturers “has absolutely no relation”to “factional strife”. Listen, my dear comrades: ... invent,but don’t stretch it too far!—We shall be told that the school has“invited” other lecturers too. In the first place, it did so, knowingthat these others would practically never be able to come. In the secondplace, it sent out invitations, but.... “But the school could notoffer them (the other lecturers) travelling expenses and maintenanceduring the period of the lectures.” (Leaflet of August 26, 1909). Nicethat, is it not? We are absolutely not factionalists, but we “cannotoffer” travelling expenses to anyone but our “own” people....