SPEECHES AT THE MEETING OF THE CC OF THE RSDLP(B)

From SPEECHES AT THE MEETING OF THE CC OF THE RSDLP(B) FEBRUARY 24, 1918

Minutes

L. D. Trotsky’s statement about his resigning the post of People’s Commissar for Foreign Affairs was discussed.

Lenin pointed out that this was unacceptable, that a change of policy was a crisis. That a questionnaire on policy had been distributed in the provinces, and that to polemise a little was not at all harmful.

He made a practical proposal: the Central Committee would ask Comrade Trotsky to postpone his statement until the next meeting of the CC, until Tuesday. (Amendment—until the return of the delegation from Brest.). . .

L. D. Trotsky declared that since his statement had not been accepted he would be compelled to give up appearing in official institutions.

Lenin moved that it should be voted: the Central Committee, having heard Comrade Trotsky’s statement, while fully agreeing to Comrade Trotsky’s absence during decisions on foreign affairs in the Council of People’s Commissars, requests Comrade Trotsky not to keep aloof from other decisions.

Adopted.

V. I. Lenin, Collected Works,

Vol. 27, p. 55