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April 19, 1908 

Dear A. M.,

    I have received the telegram from you and M. F. and am sending my refusal today or tomorrow morning. I repeat, on no account is it permissible to mix the disputes of writers about philosophy with a Party (i.e., factional ) matter. I have already written about this to An. Vas.[380] and to avoid any misinterpretations or incorrect conclusions from my refusal to come I repeat it for all the comrades. We should continue to conduct our factional work harmoniously: none of us has regretted the policy which we pursued and implemented at the time of the revolution. Hence, it is our duty to defend it before the Party. We can only do this all together, and we should do it in Proletary and in all Party work.

    If, in the course of it, A should inveigh against B, or B inveigh against A, on account of philosophy, we must do this as a thing apart, that is, without interfering with the work.

    I shouldn't like you and the comrades to put a bad construction on my refusal to come. I am very sorry, but the whole situation and the state of the editorial board prevent my coming.

All the very best.          
Yours,     
Lenin 

    We are expecting to receive the promised article about the Rome strike from An. Vas. as soon as possible. We are expecting help for Proletary from all writers: we are all answerable to our comrades in Russia, who are dissatisfied with it. Let Al. Al. concern himself seriously about money! They are crying out in Russia for lack of money.

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  [380] This letter has not been found.    [p. 394]