REASONS FOR FAILURE TO MEET PLAN IN KLADNO COAL REGION OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100422-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: R
• Document Page Count: 4
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 25, 2011
• Sequence Number: 422
• Publication Date: February 3, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/25: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100422-0
COUNTRY
SUBJECT
HOW
PUBLISHED
WHERE
PUBLISHED
DATE
PUBLISHED
LANGUAGE
CLASSIFICATIfIN RESTRICTED
SECURITY RPfATION
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS
Economic - Coal mining
Daily newspapers
Prague
8, 12 Aug 1952
... + r taro .Wrla .n.c n.. ..... .r....
or r.a u~no mm?? ., r,.ruur. or nn, of Lmno.,
? o n.. or r,. ua. co..~ ., aao.o. i n r u.,nua a+ .n.~
snot ar m co.n.n ro o+ +murr n ., wr.ou:.o ru.ar u
REPORT
CD NO.
DATE OF
DATE DIST. 3 FEB. 1953
NO. OF PAGES 4
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
REASONH FOR FA'TITRE jD MM yl,pp
IN KLADNO COAL REGION OF CZECHOSLOVAKL4
HITS SLOW ::JTROWCTION OF NEW METHODS, -- Prague, Rude Pravo, 8 Aug 52
The nation's coal consumption increases daily. It produces more steel and
needs more electrical energy, which is being more than adequately supplied by
thermal electric power plnnts. The development of coal mining and miners' pro-
ductivity, therefore. are the main prerequisites for successful expansion of the
economy.
The coal beds in the Kladno coal region are rich. They could supply all of
the country-s needs. Rowever, some of the coal regions are not fulfilling the
plan and thus are not assuring industry of an adequate supply of raw material.
The Kledno region ranks second in importance in coal mining, the Ostrava
region being first. With the exception of the Zapotocky, Ceskoslovenska Armada,
and Gcttxald mines, none of the other mines J.D. this region is fulfilling the plan.
The worst record is being made by the Ne,jed]y I'end II rpits 7 of the Gvoooda
mines,, and Fierlinger I and II of the Benes mines, their production being a de-
termining factor for the entire region.
The fact that it is possible to fulfill the plan, even in the Kladno region,
is best exemplified by the Gottwald mine in Svermov, near Kladno? whici, until
April 1952, was in last place in the region. However, due to the hard work of
the party organization at the mine, and that of the Communists in directing the
enterprises the enterprise council, the technicians, and the miners, the mine's
standing jumped from last to first place in the region.
It was a difficult time for V. Turjanica, Pekrto, Frank, and the other miners
of the Gottwald mine when, upon leaving the shift, they paused at the diagram on
plan fulfillment, on which the curve indicating fulfillment fluctuated around the
90 percent mark. The miners would not reconcile themselves to this unsatisfactory
conditionf oa the contrary, they were inspired to seek a remedy.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/25: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100422-0
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/25: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100422-0
At th" beginning of the fourth year of the Five-Year Plan, the miners of the
Gottwald mine developed an extensive campaign for a pre-May Day competition, They
pledged to fulfill the plan 101 percent before 1 May and, at the same time, in-
vited workers throughout Prague Kraj to follow their example. The pledge and
invitation mobilized not only the mine's personnel but also the other miners of
the region.
In March, at a meeting of the central committee of the enterprise party organi-
zation, Turjanica spoke about the high performance of Soviet miners. Thu
party organization, as a result, took the proper course when it authorized
the Communists to make arrangements for a Stakhanovite school within the
enterprise. In this school, the miners and technicians became acquainted with
proved Soviet coal mining methods. The result was that a new work method was
introduced ii. the mine, a method which best serves local conditions: mining
in small layers with artificial roofs. The difference, as compared with the
old method, is that instead of digging the coal out of the entire bed, a
layer 2 meters thick is worked first on the upper portion of the bed, a wooden
ceiling being laid on the remaining layers or coal, The wooden roof keeps
out stones and the miners, thus protected against a cave-in, are able to mine
cleanly and safely. The fire hazard is eliminated when all of the coal is
extracted. Besides., this method increnars the-income of the enterprise, since
it eliminates dynamiting for coal; a great deal of the pressure of stones is
reduced, and the coal is more granular. The value of this type of coal is 50
percent greater.
Despite these efforts, the Gottwald mine failed to fulfill its plan in the
first quarter of the year because the mine was being worked in tl;te old way, that
is, with pillars. According to this method of mining, the coal is mined along
the entire section of the seam, which is 8 or more meters high. The pressure
of rocks often causes a cave-in, making it impossible for the miners to do a
thorough job, and pieces of coal remain which ignite when they come into con-
tact with air, each fire necessitates the is. ation of the entire field;
furthermore, a number of extraordinary precautions must then be taken and. new
work areas must be found to replace those in the isolated field,
The enterprise management worked out a detailed plan whereby mining in
the sixth region was to have begun in April on two small layers. The enter-
prise party organization made political preparations before mining in the new
way was begun.
The personnel director, Cermak, was at the forefront of the technicians
during the installation of this new :pining method, and the Communist tech-
nicians even managed to get the cooperation of Jiracek, the chief engineer, who
at present directs he work connected with introduction of new methods through-
out the en'?ire mina.
In this manner it was possible to begin work in April in the small layers
in three coal beds instead of just two, and the new method helped the miners to
fulfill the plan 106 percent.
Turjanica expended a great deal of effort to accomplish these wonderful
results. He and his brigade achieved excellent results in quickly boring pas-
sageways in the preparations for small layers. For his efforts he received the
citation, For merit in construction." Furthermore, the Gottwald mine exceeded
the plan requirements for May. Work in the small layers, however, requires
preparatory work, so that the mining brigade, after it had completed its work in
one bed, could immediately proceed to the next. However, the miners forgot about
this. In June they rested on their laurels, the result being that by working in
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/25: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100422-0
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/25: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100422-0
the small layers they were ble to mine the coal at an accelerated rate but new
layers of coal were not ready to be exploited when needed. The mining plan was
fulfilled 102 percent in June, but it could have been exceeded by a much greater
percentage.
Although the miners and technicians of the Gottwald mine demonstrated the
possibility of making up plan deficiencies, workers in other mines failed to
follow their example, and they generally use the old system.
The reason for poor plan fulfillment in the Kladno region is due, first to
do not fight stubbornly enougn for tte adoption of new work methods. Basis or-
ganization committees discuss plan fulfillment problems, but their decisions are
not aimed at the main links in the chain, that is, at overcoming outmoded ideas
At the well-known Zapotocky mine, even when plan requirements are exceeded,
serious deficiencies crop up. The mine's branch organization failed to extend
the new mining method throughout the mine, and failed to propagandize on the fact
that two, "Order of the Republic" winners are working at the mine and are using
the new methods.
The Communists at the Neiedly I mine have also failed to install progressive
work methods. This was revealed in a June meeting of the enterprise's party
organization. The comrades spoke about initiating work in small layers. But
bow was this to be done? First, the difficulties had to be considered; for
example, the new method demands considerable preparatory work and financial
outlay. Furthermore, even though the committee members knew about the favor-
able results obtained in the Gottwald mine by working coal in small layers, they
failed to neut? .line the unfavorable attitude regarding the new method. The
result was that the new method was not adopted.
The slow development of innovators' methoce is the kitdeM'rsgdon is the
main, but not the only, obstacle to fulfillment of the Huai mining plan. The
ICladno region is handicapped by the fact that the miners continue to observe
the old-fashioned custom corcarning every fourth Saturday, at which tim there
is a significant number of absences. In the Nejedly I mine, for instance, more
than 11,000 tons of coal have been lost $!}is year because of absences on such
Saturdays.
Prime Minister Zapotocky, addressing the chairmen of enterprise party or-
ganizations in the Prague regica on 6 June 1952, sharply criticized the high
absentee. rate at the Nejedly mine; however, the comrades failed to derive an.-
benefit from this criticism. Neither the party organization' at the mine, nor
the okras party committee in Slane, took any corrective action. The mine's
absentee rate failed to decrease; in fact, it reached 56 percent on Saturday,
12 July 1952, the daily plan at the mine being fulfilled only 4h percent.
In the Kladno region, the fourth Saturdays represent a loss of many thou-
sands of tons of coal.
The government places the work of the miners in the most honored category.
The Kladno miners must march steadily forward in the revolutionary tradition.--
J. Zaz rslicky
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/25: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100422-0
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/25: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100422-0
COAL M29ES WO 1C TB.ES SHIFTS -- Prague, Prace, 12 Aug 52
The brown coal mines in the Most area, in the North-Bohemian Brown'Coal-Basin,
have c by to a three shift--24 hour--workday, in order to increase planned --
hav _ y 700,000 tons of brown coal and removal of earth by 3,200,000 cubic meters.
So erlow is are already working around the clock and the remainder are expected
Severe floods in May caused a deficit of some 470,000 cubic meters of earth,
which has since been partially made up. An important aid in the operation of
the mines is the reactivation of giant excavator No 52.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2011/10/25: CIA-RDP80-00809A000700100422-0