From Ordzhoniikidze

Bolshevik leadership Correspondence. 1912-1927
Collection of documents 1996.
Compiled by: A.V.Kvashonkin, L.P.Kosheleva, L.A.Rogovaya, O.V.Khlevnyuk.

Stalin Correspondences

G. K. Ordzhonikidze to I. V. Stalin

[June 26, 1922]

Dear Soso.

Sorry I haven't posted yet, but better late than never. Immediately after my arrival from Turkestan, I lay down in bed for four days, and after me Aram. That is why the material I had about Turkestan was late, and now it is no longer worth bothering with it. I am sending only two documents, one of them belongs to a group of National Democrats (our Cheka calls it the Committee of National Liberation), the other to a close friend of Ryskulov. We gathered a group of National Democrats and talked to them for a long time. Among them there are people who certainly can be successfully used with a certain skill. I think that we will meet soon and then we will talk in detail. Yesterday I received a letter from Bukhara from Faizulla Khodzhaev, which I am forwarding to you .

Now about local affairs. Outwardly, much has calmed down in Georgia, although there are explosions from time to time 2 . There was a fair amount of squabbling at the Tiflis city conference, where two lists appeared and where Iliko Tsivtsivadze pulled out the report of Philip 3 that you know . They say the embarrassment was decent (it was [in] my stay [in] Turkestan). By the way, this report was so much ruffled around the districts that it fell into the hands of the Mensheviks. They translated it into Georgian and published it in large numbers with their preface. I am sending you a copy. In the province, apparently, there is no open group squabble and fight. But, undoubtedly, a rather cautious work of mutual undermining and discrediting is going on. The most ardent fighters - Kote 4and Gegechkori. Moreover, the latter tried to come to an agreement with Kote, but it didn’t work out - both of them are ready to devour each other alive, with all the fucking *. The squabble raised around Mamulia ended with the fact that Anjaparidze still has not presented any documents, and the commission from Kavtaradze, Okudzhava, Myasnikov, Yakubov unanimously established that Mamulia had never been a Menshevik, was not a member of the united organization, in which he gradually took shape as a Bek . Also found number "Brdzola" 6with his article against this Anjaparidze about his speech on July 15 [19]17, about our July speeches. So the political situation in Georgia is undoubtedly strong. The prospects for the harvest are quite good, but in Western Georgia, Shorapan and Racha districts, there is a rather severe famine. I will come, but so far I have not started work in the Union Council. We talked quite a lot with him, but the results are not important yet. We decided to finish the conversation at the end of my vacation. In Azerbaijan, before Narimanov's arrival, everything was going as it should - quietly, smoothly. With his arrival, I think that the squabble should begin. He is very dissatisfied with his removal from the Presovnarkom. At the plenum of the regional committee, he resigned and asked to be given the opportunity to engage in literature until the proletariat comes to his senses, appreciates his work and calls him to power again. Despite this statement, nevertheless, they persuaded him, and on June 30 he promised to start work. I think that he will try to sway. The position of the Union Council is thus far. There is one Myasnikov. Until I get to work. Narimanov is not. Opponents are trying to disrupt or discredit him somehow by quiet sabotage, but neither one nor the other is likely to succeed. Myasnikov behaves very tactfully and skillfully.

After Myasnikov left Armenia 7the comrades there, apparently, also decided to raise a squabble. Under the leadership of Avis and Kostanyan, finding fault with Lukashin’s statement that Mikoyan was unacceptable to them instead of Myasnikov, they launched a campaign against Lukashin, allegedly for Mikoyan, but in fact, this was done to make the fight more successful. We went to Armenia. Me and Myasnikov. It turned out that Mikoyan is a pretext, they know that they are unlikely to receive it, but still they shout. They wanted to kick Lukashin out, but failed miserably. One by one began to refuse their signatures under the application sent to you. We gave a good scrutiny, removed Kostanyan and another one, made some changes in the Central Executive Committee, and we think that this has been put to an end. All Armenians follow Lukashin - communists, closely, with roots connected with Armenia. Avis-Kostanyan's group is young guys,

Despite all this, the political situation in all three republics is strong. There is absolutely no banditry. While all.

The Georgian Conference 8 opened today , and so far it is going quite smoothly. The Georgian [Central] Central Committee is indifferent to everything, they ask to leave Toroshelidze in front of the economic council. He's been moving great lately. Let's leave it, to hell with it. Narimanov spoke rather tactlessly in the newspaper. The issue of the newspaper will be sent by Mamiya.

RTSKHIDNI. F. 85. On. 24. D. 70. L. 1-2. Typewritten text.

Notes:

1 The letter was not found.

2 Further, Ordzhonikidze reports on the development of the conflict in the leadership of the Georgian Communist Party.

3 Makharadze.

4 Tsintsadze.

5 Bolshevik.

6 Brdzola (Struggle) is an illegal Georgian newspaper, the organ of the Tiflis Social Democratic Organization.

7 After Myasnikov, chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of Armenia, moved to work in the governing bodies of the Transcaucasian Federation, conflicts began among the leaders of Armenia. The Avis-Kostanyan group opposed Lukashin, who replaced Myasnikov. Zakkraykom supported Lukashin. A number of oppositionists were removed from leadership positions, and the actions of Lukashin's opponents were generally condemned as a squabble without fundamental grounds (Kharmandaryan S. V. Lenin and the formation of the Transcaucasian Federation. 1921-1923. Yerevan, 1969. P. 250-251).

8 The Second Conference of the Communist Party of Georgia was held on June 26-28, 1922.