I don't have any other writers

Background

The original source is a conversation between I. V. Stalin (1878–1953) and party functionary D. I. Polikarpov, who oversaw the activities of the Union of Soviet Writers on behalf of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks). Polikarpov complained to the General Secretary about the various outrages committed by certain writers — drunkenness, an "immoral lifestyle," and so on. Stalin replied: "At the present moment, Comrade Polikarpov, we are not in a position to provide you with other writers."

Anatoly Rybakov, in his "Novel-Memoir" (1997), wrote (Ch. 28): "Few people at the time were unaware of Stalin's famous retort to Polikarpov, when the latter began complaining about the writers: 'I have no other writers for Comrade Polikarpov, but we will find the writers another Polikarpov.' The next day, Polikarpov found himself at the Pedagogical Institute as deputy rector for administrative affairs."

According to another version, the phrase — "I have no other writers for you" — was addressed to the chairman of the Writers' Union, A. Fadeyev.