Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov 'leader of the working class'
A leaflet published by the Bolsheviks in mid-July 1917 responding to allegations in the Russian press that they were receiving financial support from Germany reads:
Proclamation of the C.C. [Central Committee] of the R.S.-D.L.P.
Concerning the slander against Lenin
To the population of Petrograd! To the Workers! To the Soldiers! To all honest citizens!
The slander must be exposed! The slanderers must be haled to trial!
An unheard-of accusation has been brought against Comrade Lenin: it is alleged that he has received and is still receiving money from German sources for his agitation. The newspapers have given wide publicity to this monstrous slander. Underground leaflets are already being printed, indicating former Deputy Alexinsky as the source of their information. Cries for the death of the Bolsheviks are already being heard. Lists of those who are to be killed are already being circulated among the deceived soldiers.
The purpose is clear: the counter-revolution seeks in the simplest fashion to behead the revolution by instilling alarm into the masses, by inciting them against the most popular leaders, against the most loyal fighters for the revolution.
We declare that all that is being said about financial and other relations of Comrade Lenin with German government circles is a lie and a slander.
The initiator of the affair is Alexinsky, a notorious slanderer, who has accused a great many people of being in pay of the Germans and who has himself been convicted of dishonest actions by the unions of Russian, English, Italian and neutral journalists in France; who was expelled from all democratic organisations in Paris for a malicious slander, and who was not admitted to the Petrograd Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies.
We demand that the Provisional Government and the Central Executive Committee of the Soviet of Workers' and Soldiers Deputies immediately and publicly investigate all the circumstances of this vile conspiracy of the pogrom-makers and hired slanderers against the honour and life of the leaders of the working class.
It is necessary to bring this whole affair into the full light of day. And the whole people will be convinced, by this investigation, that there is not the slightest blemish on the revolutionary honour of Comrade Lenin.
To court with the calumniators and spreaders of slander! To the scaffold with the pogrom-makers and liars!
Central Committee, R.S.-D.L.P.
Collected Works of V. I. Lenin: Volume XXI: Toward Seizure of Power: Book II, International Publishers Co., Inc., 1932, pp.300-301.