Document 43

Letter from M. Matiukhin to Kalinin on disarray in energy sector, 16 December 1932

RGASPI, f. 78, op. 1, d. 430, ll. 45-47. Original document.

The Early Hours of 16 December 1932

Dear Mikhail Ivanovich,

I'm of course very sorry that I haven't once written you but I've been busy building "the good life." In the summer, after a trip to the countryside, I kept intending to describe to you in a letter what I'd seen, but then decided not to, for my description one way or another would have had a different slant. Now, in a dark mood due to my son's sickness and having to keep watch at his bedside, I take up my pen to while away the time. I hope my writing will accomplish something [Matiukhin's letter consists of two parts. The first includes his impressions from being in the countryside, to which we will return to later. This is part two.].

I've always emphasized in my letters that the trouble with Soviet power is the fact that it gives rise to the vilest type of official--an official that carefully understands and carries out the general designs of the Supreme authority, one that always heaps blame on the sinister machinations of the devil. This official never tells the truth because he doesn't want to distress the leadership. He gloats about famine and pestilence in the district or ward controlled by his rival. He won't lift a finger to try to help his neighbor. And so now I serve at the Transmashtekh Conglomerate. There are at present six plants in this conglomerate. I direct the energy bureau. I know well the two plants I've visited. Haven't had time to visit the others yet. I think that even you see now the impassable bog Soviet industry is mired in and the catastrophic disarray of the nation's energy sector. This is of very, very great concern to me because it's my work. People always talk about what ails them. Mikhail Ivanovich, no matter how disastrous the situation, nonetheless it can be alleviated here and there. You know (though it's kept secret from the likes of us, it's an open secret), that many of our plants that use energy from raion generating stations to operate have fairly powerful reserve stations. These reserve stations are kept idle in case of enemy attack. But the enemy has already attacked. That's obvious. No blockade could pose a greater threat than the energy disarray we see at present [Here the energy shortages at the Kovrov and Kaluga plants are discussed in detail.].

And so, Mikhail Ivanovich, in 1933 the Kovrov and Kaluga plants will be in a state of paralysis. It's just bound to happen. I know where there are idle diesel engines. I'll take it upon myself to prove that they could and should be removed from where they are, and I want you to help me do this . I want to work toward overcoming the state of paralysis that's imminent as well as the one that already exists. Meanwhile all I see around me is loathsome politicizing, dirty tricks being played, and people being trapped for slips of the tongue. There's no end to the denunciations. You literally can't spit anywhere without hitting some revolting denouncer or liar in the puss. What have we come to? It's impossible to breathe. The less gifted a bastard , the meaner his slander. Of course, the purge of your party is none of my business, but I think that as a result of it the more decent elements still remaining in your party will be cleaned out. My observations relate to both party and non-party milieus. Vile hypocrisy weighs one down like a horrible nightmare.

I'll close. Life has become very hard. My child is sick. Another is expected in one and a half to two months. The second time I married was inopportune. It's heartrending to look at child who won't eat enough, while you're starving yourself for his sake. What lies ahead? If only the work were gratifying. But all you really do is write, write, write and give reports. And, you have given the best years of your life to Work and the Revolution, yet you expect every day that this or that bastard is going to profit at your expense and rise in the ranks. A proletarian in the proletarian state is suspect, and any hypocritical bastard turned into a proletarian by the will of the Revolution can drown you in a teaspoon of water at any given moment. These are the times we live in. Things used to be worse, but they weren't so vile. So, I ask you to see me officially for five or ten minutes for personal reasons as well as for the sake of the cause I serve. I want to prove to you with the full force of my will how good results can be achieved, if only to a small degree in a small area.

Yours, M. Matiukhin