Collected Works of V. I. Lenin - Vol. 26 - From Marx to Mao

501MEETING OF PRESIDIUMOF THE PETROGRAD SOVIETWITH DELEGATES FROM FOOD SUPPLYORGANISATIONSJANUARY 14 (27), 1918 1711ON COMBATING THE FAMINEIVladimirov’s data indicate that the old ration should notbe changed. Measures must be taken to find what there isavailable in Petrograd.IIAll these data show that the workers of Petrograd aremonstrously inactive. The Petrograd workers and soldiersmust understand that they have no one to look to but themselves.The facts of abuse are glaring, the speculation, monstrous;but what have the mass of soldiers and workers doneabout it? You cannot do anything without rousing the massesto action. A plenary meeting of the Soviet must be called todecide on mass searches in Petrograd and the goods stations.To carry out these searches, each factory and company mustform contingents, not on a voluntary basis: it must be theduty of everyone to take part in these searches under thethreat of being deprived of his bread card. We can’t expectto get anywhere unless we resort to terrorism: speculatorsmust be shot on the spot. Moreover, bandits must be dealtwith just as resolutely: they must be shot on the spot.