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

TO PUPILS OF THE CAPRI SCHOOL83to compromise all of you (the nickname “agent of the BolshevikCentre” bandied about, as you say, by Alexinsky isonly a beginning; it is only the bud, the fruit is still tocome), etc., etc.You must think this over thoroughly and act firmly,resolutely and intelligently, as in a battle; you yourselveswrite that a “battle” is going on in the school over the platform.This is the beginning of battles against you whereverthe Bogdanovists have penetrated.You should begin by making an accurate count of yournumbers. How many resolute opponents of the “Bogdanovist”platform are there? Can this number be increased ornot? If yes, then how and in what period of time? If not,then what is the behaviour of the “neutrals”? You mustthink over what your behaviour should be during aninevitable split in the school in order as far as possibleto win over these neutrals to your side or at worst toprevent them falling wholly into the hands of the Bogdanovists.Further, how do you intend to arrange your exit from theschool? As a simple departure or as a withdrawal owing tothe struggle over platforms? Of course, if the struggle amongyou has developed as rapidly as one might judge from yourfirst two letters, the split has perhaps already happened,i.e., perhaps the Bogdanovists have already ousted you,quite simply ousted you, and in that case there is nothingto be said. If this has not yet happened—think carefullyover how you will arrange your departure. You must givea reply to all the Russian organisations. You must refuteprecisely and clearly, by giving the facts, all the thousandsof attacks which will now be heaped on you by the “Bogdanovists”.You must be prepared to defend your views onthe school and on the “platform” of the Bogdanovists.If the question of your departure arises you must see thatyou are given the means for travelling to Russia. That isthe school’s obligation, just as prior to the split among theBolsheviks it was the obligation of the Bolshevik Centre topay the expenses of travelling to Russia (after the DecemberParty Conference of 1908) for Lyadov, Vsevolod andStanislav. They demanded their expenses from us at thattime and received them.