<<March 20, 1937>>

<<A coded telegram from Stalin to Kosior in Kiev regarding conducting elections by means of secret voting>>

<<1.31>>

Kiev

KP(b)U Central Committee to Kosior

Answer #20.

Conduct all elections by means of secret voting.

Stalin.

March 20, 1937.

23:00

Kiev

KP(b)U Central Committee to Kosior

Answer #20.

Conduct all elections by means of secret voting.

Nr. 335/sh – 22/s

Stalin.

23:00

20/III – 37

<<1.32ob.>>

Sent to Andreyev

Code

Sent from Kiev 17-34 20.III 1937. Received in the VKP Central Committee for deciphering on 20.III.1937 at 19:30.

Vkh. No. 302/sh

Deciphered on 20.III.1937 at h. 20 m. – Printed in 3 ex. Parshin.

<<A. Getty: The February-March 1937 plenum condemned regional party leaders for undemocratic practices that included appointment of their party committees (cooption) instead of election.  Based on Zhdanov's speech, the plenum passed a resolution condemning cooption and calling for new secret ballot party elections (f.558,op.11,d.18.doc.1.l.1-15.) Party secretaries were not pleased with the idea of holding secret ballot elections in their bailiwicks.  (See f. 558, op.11, d.18, dok.3.l.19.)  Here, Ukrainian party secretary writes to Stalin to again confirm that party elections were to be by secret ballot.  Stalin confirmed.

(For a discussion of this meeting, see Annals of Communism volume J. Arch Getty and Oleg V. Naumov. The Road to Terror: Stalin and the Self-Destruction of the Bolsheviks, 1932-1939, Chapter 10.) >>