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

May 18, 1922

Moscow. Central Committee of the RCP, comrade. Stalin.

Tashkent 18/V 22

I share only with you. [In] Turkestan, we must gradually move to the form of government - people's councils, which were in the North Caucasus. [In] an extremely uninfluential group of our communists will not be able to take political possession of Turkestan. Keeping it only on Red Army bayonets is fraught with huge scandals. Turkestan has the same importance in the East as Azerbaijan, and even more so in India and Turkestan China. The bitterness here against us is damn strong. Basmachism is certainly connected [with] these dissatisfied urban groups, some do not hide this. They do not hide the connections of the Basmachi with Enver. Basmachi songs about the defense of religion, Muslims against Russians caress, probably, the ears of very many 1. In my opinion, it would be necessary to throw out something like a people's congress, having previously carried out this experiment on the scale of individual peoples and regions 2. Allow a few influential non-Party people to the central government, maybe not with a brilliant past, declare an amnesty, etc. In a word, start a “new era of Soviet Turkestan”. Throw a certain amount for the restoration of the cotton economy, etc. As a result of the four-year war, an interesting phenomenon occurred here - instead of the dictatorship of the proletariat and the peasantry, feudal lords hatched - khans, who have their own armed people, their territory, their subjects. The local communists, on behalf of the Turkic Mission and the TurkCyka, are conducting peace negotiations with these feudal lords as equals. Leaving them inviolable property acquired by robbery, a few dozen armed people, and thus legalizing them. Despite such honorable terms of peace, they still do not agree and fool our heads. On the other hand,

The group standing at the head, although it seems to agree to everything, but unconditionally wants to remain masters of the situation. This is not worth doing. You need to dilute them. With decisive pressure from the Central Committee, they will not particularly kick. The public, if not cunning, seems to understand the state of affairs. Give them a firm, but certainly anti-colonizer (they will dump any colonizer and it will not work). According to all the reviews, Rudzutak can be like that, I consider Eliava very useful, who knows the region and enjoys great confidence. True, he is very malleable, but with Rudzutak and Baranov, this is nothing.

Gusev, as far as I looked, is too physically weak, and business requires energy and mobility. The current composition of the Turkburo has little authority. It might be inconvenient to make a change of predilection so soon, but the matter is hardly tolerated. The Turkburo consisting of Rudzutak, Eliava (he is also the plenipotentiary of Bukhara), Baranov, Legrand, Ryskulov, Tyurakulov, Rakhimbaev, Atabaev and the representative of Bukhara and Khiva - moreover, Bukhara affairs are decided by the plenipotentiary Khodzhaev and before. Rudzutak - will be authoritative *. At first, this is in order not to tease the Bukharians. Khiva can only participate by telegraph. I think it will be possible to work with the strong support of such a composition. Presidium: Rudzutak, Tyurakulov, Eliava, Candidate Ryskulov will replace Eliava. Khodzhaev and Sokolov are already with us. In the evening I will tell about the conversation with them.

That's all that can be transmitted over the wire. Now I ask permission to go home 3 .

RTSHIDNI; F.85. Op. 23. D. 55. L. 1-2. Autograph.

Notes:

1 In a personal letter to Stalin dated May 13, 1922, Ordzhonikidze more clearly expressed his point of view on the need to revise policy in Turkestan: “It is not true that the Basmachism is a gang of robbers, torn off and persecuted by the population. In some cases, they are the defenders of religion and life [...] It is necessary to radically revise our policy in Turkestan, resolutely refusing any kind of communist experiments, which is what the local, sufficiently frightened comrades are beginning to do timidly and unsystematically [. ..]" (RTSKHIDNI. F. 85. Op. 23. D. 49. L. 1-13).

2 On this occasion, Stalin, in a reply note to Ordzhonikidze by telegraph dated May 19, 1922, noted: “[...] It would be possible to switch to the system of people's councils only after serious military successes against the Basmachi, in no case before that, [ in] otherwise, Enver’s agents will end up in the people’s councils [...]” (Ibid. F. 558. On. 1. D. 2338. L. 1).

3 We are talking about the new composition of the Central Asian Bureau of the Central Committee of the RCP (b) (the new name of the Turkburo of the Central Committee of the RCP (b) since May 1922). In a reply note by telegraph dated May 19, 1922, Stalin wrote about this: “[...] Is [...] the list of the Central Asian Bureau final. Upon approval of the final composition of the Bureau, which will be announced separately, you can leave for Tiflis [...]” (Ibid.).

No. 157

A. M. Nazaretyan — G. K. Ordzhonikidze

June 14, 1922

Dear Sergo!

We've had such a frantic week that I couldn't sit down to write a detailed letter. Am I satisfied with the job? Yes and no. On the one hand, I go through a big school here and am aware of all world and Russian life, I go through a school of discipline, accuracy in work is developed, from this point of view, I am satisfied, on the other hand, this work is purely clerical, painstaking, subjectively unsatisfactory, black work that absorbs such a lot of time that you can’t sneeze and die, especially under Koba’s firm hand. Are we getting along? We get along. I can't be offended. You can learn a lot from him. Knowing him intimately, I was imbued with extraordinary respect for him. He has a personality to be envied. I can't be offended. His rigor is covered by attention to employees. We put the chain in order. The device has earned at least where, although there is still much to be done. I am sending you your book ration, also to Voroshilov. Kirycha sent. I will work until autumn, then I will ask for more independent and interesting work. Where do you rest? Send the family by the beginning of July, and if the summer wants to stay there, then send by the beginning of September. I got an apartment. Abel arranged for me in the house where he would live himself: (Povarskaya street, d[om] No. 11). The apartment is very good. Ilyich is healthy. He will now be under the constant supervision of experienced doctors. Still manages to take an active part in the work. There is no special news. The position is strong. In The Hague we do not think of making concessions Abel arranged for me in the house where he would live himself: (Povarskaya street, d[om] No. 11). The apartment is very good. Ilyich is healthy. He will now be under the constant supervision of experienced doctors. Still manages to take an active part in the work. There is no special news. The position is strong. In The Hague we do not think of making concessions Abel arranged for me in the house where he would live himself: (Povarskaya street, d[om] No. 11). The apartment is very good. Ilyich is healthy. He will now be under the constant supervision of experienced doctors. Still manages to take an active part in the work. There is no special news. The position is strong. In The Hague we do not think of making concessions1 .

I kiss you hard.

Your Amayak.

14/VI 22

RTSHIDNI; F. 85. Op. 1/S. D. 13. L. 6. Autograph.

Notes:

1 The Hague International Financial and Economic Conference met from June 15 to July 19, 1922 to consider claims against Soviet Russia for debts and for granting loans to it.