Leon Trotsky: Letter to Sverdlov

Copy. Secret. (File outgoing papers No. I, from No. 1 to No. 500 for 1919, part 2, of the Field Chancery of the train of the Chairman of the RVSR) The Trotsky Papers 1917-1922, edited and annotated by Jan M. Meijer, The Hague. 1964, Vol. 2., p. 247, 249]

No. 197

January 10, 1919 (Gryazi)

To: Moscow - Chairman of the Central Executive Committee, Sverdlov.

I did not find the Ukrainians in Kursk. Hence I did not conduct any talks. I categorically state that the Tsaritsyn way of conducting matters which resulted in the total collapse of the Tsaritsyn Army cannot be permitted in the Ukraine. The only way out is the appointment of Podvoisky as Military Commissar, Antonov as Commander and Glagolev as Chief of Staff, The two last-named appointments have been given effect by us. But the authority of the Central Committee must be upheld, since among the Ukrainians there is a state of collapse and a struggle going on between the cliques owing to the absence of responsible and authoritative leaders. Okulov is leaving for Moscow. I recommend that you and Comrade Lenin pay the utmost attention to his report on the work of Voroshilov. The line of conduct of Stalin, Voroshilov and Rukhimovich spells ruin for the entire cause.

Chairman of the Military Revolutionary Council, Trotsky