ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES USSR IN 1954

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000700240032-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 21
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 11, 2011
• Sequence Number: 32
• Publication Date: September 8, 1955
• Content Type: REPORT

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ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES USSR IN 1 54
[Comment: This report gives the fundamental results o? the
scientific activity of the Academy of Sciences USSR in 1954, as set
forth by Academician A. V. Topchiyev, chief scientific secretary of
the presidium of the academy, in an address at the academy's annual
meeting on 2 February 1955. The report discusses the peaceful use
of atomic energy and other problems in the physicomathematical and
chemical sciences, problems of the technical sciences and industry,
natural resources, biology, the social sciences, publications and
information, cadres, international relations, and organization for
scientific research.
The speech was published in Vestnik Akademii Nauk SSSR, No 3,
Moscow, March 1955.)
The great extent and varied character of the work conducted by the Academy
of Sciences USSR makes it impossible to describe it completely in one report.
Before our traditional annual session, there were meetings of the de-
partments, at which reports of the Academician-Secretaries were given. It is,
therefore, expedient only to dwell on some of the basic results and.trends of
scientific work, as weL. as on some questions of planning and organization of
the scientific process.
The scientific investigations stipulated by the plan of the academy for
1954 were fulfilled in all basic respects. Unfortunately, however, there were
lags in some departments, caused for the most part by weak control and inex
actitude on the part of department and institute directors. Thus, the De-
partment of Physicomathematical Sciences did not fulfill 18 out of 432 as-
signments, the Department of Chemical Sciences 11 out of 444, and the De-
partment of Literature and Language 12 out of 130.
Results of Work in the Utilization of Atomic Ener for Peaceful oses
Scientific Investigations conducted by the academy in 1954 were die-
tinguished by the wider application of new methods which contemporary atomic "
physics puts in the hands of scientists.
In 1954, our scientists and engineers achieved great successes in the
utilization of atomic energy. Their efforts were rewarded by the construction
of the first industrial electric power station in the world, in which fission-
able substances serve as fuel.
The atomic electric power station of the Academy of Sciences USSR has a
useful capacity of 5,000 kilowatts, and since last summer has been providing
current for industry and agriculture in surrou,-ing regions.
Work on the creation of electric pow
with a useful capacity of 50-100,000 kilowat 3--
snow beingncarron c iedoout energy,
p-now =
.
In attempting to further the development of international cooperation in
the field of utilizing atomic energy for peaceful purposes, our government has
expressed its readiness to hand over the scientific and technical experience
acquired by the Soviet Union and to submit a report on the first industrial
atomic power plant in the USSR and its work to an international conference on
the problem of utilizing atomic energy. This conference, as is known, is be-
ing held this year by a resolution of the Ninth Session of the General Assembly
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of the United Nations. Our government has also passed a resolution extending
scientific, technical, and industrial assistance to a number of countries in
the development of research on the utilization of atomic energy for peaceful
purposes, in particular in the planning and construction of experimental atomic
reactors and o: elementary particle accelerators.
In the past year, investigations of various means of producing power through
atomic energy were continued. Some of them aimed at developing methods for a
direct conversion of atomic energy into electric power, and others into electro-
chemical energy.
Much research was conducted on the utilization of atomic energy for other
purposes than the production of power, particularly on the utilization of
isotopes as sources of penetrating and ionizing radiation, and also as indi-
cators in the method of tagged atoms. This work was conducted by numerous
institutions of the Academy of Sciences USSR and the academies of sciences of
the Union Republics, by branch institutes and by production organizations.
The academy coordinated this research on a nation-wide scale through the
Scientific Council under the president of the academy.
Some of the results obtained in the work on peaceful use of atomic energy
should be noted.
Radioactive isotopes, including radioact've cobalt, iodine, phosphorus,
and sodium, are being very successfully used in medicine. New data has been
obtained on the nature and the mechanics of the action of various kinds of
nuclear radiation on chemical elements and processes, and the possibility of
their use for the intensification and activation of important chemical processes
(poLymerization, oxidation, vulcanization, etc.) has been demonstrated. N::clcar
radiation is being widely used for the creation of new, more effective mearo
for the automatic control and guidance of various technological processes. Dur-
ign the last few years, a number of instruments have been built on the principle
of using this radiation, permitting many technological processes to be converted
to automatic operation. Among such instruments are, specifically, radioactive
meters showing the boundary of separation between two media, calipers for con-
stant contactless measuring and regulation of the thickness of metallic, paper,
rubber, and other sheets, for the control of metal tubes with walls of different
thickness, and the thickness of coatings of various materials.
Other results worth noting are: the application r? nuclear radiation for
"cold" sterilization of food products, and also for the breeding of highly pro-
ductive forms of microorganisms; the activating effect of radiation on the bio-
logical synthesis of ergosterol by microorganisms has been discovered; the
possibility of forming, under the influence of radiation, hereditarily fixed
cultures having an increased capacity for forming ergosterol, which is the
initial product for commercial production of Vitamin D and a number of other
valuable chemical elements, has been worked out.
During the past year, further use of the tagged atoms method has been
found in science and practice. Many important results of research carried out
by this method were reported by the Academician-Secretaries. I shall list
some of these works.
The tagged atoms method has found wide use in biology; it has permitted
deeper penetration into the complex processes existing in plant and animal
organisms. New interesting data has been obtained, which permits the expla-
nation of the chemistry of the metabolic process in the brain tissues, the
liver, the muscles, and in other organs and tissues.
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fectiveness of certain fishery arrangements. In particular, they have developed
a system of counting young fish in hatchery ponds; experiments have been made
on mass tagging of young fish released from the hatcheries for the purpose of
counting those which reach the sea.
The same method has helped to demonstrate that the physiological processes
in plants proceed very rapidly. Thus, the products of photosynthesis move from
the leaves to the roots (in sugar beets, pumpkins, etc.) at a speed reaching
70-100 cam per hour. This is of practical importance to agriculture in the
coordination of methods of tending plants with the "tempo" of their active life.
The use of tagged atoms has helped in determining the method of the for-
mation of saccharose, nicotine, and other economically -,aluable substances in
a plant organism.
In 1954, more than 30 scientific institutions in the Soviet Union carried
out large-scale experiments with tagged superphosphates in order to determine
the best means and periods for the introduction of phosphate fertilizers for
agricultural crops. More dependable data has been obtained on the rate and
speed of the assimilation of phosphates by plants in relation to the depth of
cultivation and the character of fertilizer distribution in the soil, the
dimensions of the superphosphate granules, and on a number of other questions
of practical interest to a rational system of applying fertilizers.
The nutrition of plants other than through the roots shows a possibility
of ensuring an additional supply of phosphate at definite periods of their
growth and a subsequent raising of the yield.
The method of tagged atoms has proved to be very fruitful in the stuG?-
of chemical reactions. Valuable results have been obtained, extending and
broadening our knowledge in this sphere. A study of the reactions of the
hydrogen exchange of aldehydes has been made, and the rules governing these
reactions have been established. With the help of radioactive sulfur, the
reactions of the formation and disintegration of polythiamates have been
studied; the data obtained permits conclusions as to their linear structure
to be drawn. It is interesting to observe that a similar surmise was first
made by D. I. Mendeleyev, and has been discussed in scientific circles for
80 years. With the help of the kinetic method of using tagged atoms, which
permits the establishment of the succession of the elementary stages of a
reaction and the measurement of their speed at different moments during the
process, the mechanics of the oxidation of butane, cyclohexane and crude-oil
cracking have been successfully studied.
The tagged atoms method has not yet, unfortunately, found its due appli-
cation in studies of the mechanics of the formation of organic compounds.
This is, to a great extent, the fault of the Institute of General and Inorganic
Chemistry imeni N. S. Kurnakov.
In the technical sciences, the tagged at"-is method has been used in the
study of diffusion and interatomic interaction in alloys, in the study of the
stability and wear of metals and machine parts, in the study of cast iron and
steel, in the carrying off and solubility of salts in thermal apparatus work-
ing at high parameters, etc. In 195',, such research was already being carried
on in large enterprises of the metallurgical, machine-building, and textile
industries.
A large-scale study was made of the wear of machine parts and instruments
by branch institutes and plant laboratories. The Institute of Machine Science,
where the specialists on wear have been concentrated, is the only place where
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this work was poorly conducted. And I would like to recall that as far back
as 1952, the Presidium of the Academy entrusted the guidance of such research
to the institute. The Institute of Automatics and Telemechanics also does
not take a sufficiently active part in the work, although it should have taken
the initiative in using these progressive methods of scientific research as
widely as possible.
Among the work on theoretical and experimental nuclear physics, we must
note research in the field of the quantum theory and the theory of elementary
particles. This work has, to a considerable degree, assisted in the elimi-
nation of contradictions in the existing theory, and in overcoming mathemati-
cal difficulties.
Work on cosmic rays was basically directed at the investigation of protons
and neutrons possessing high and superhigh energies, with atomic nuclei, and
the study of the nature and properties of elementary particles. The joint ex-
perimental work of scientists of the academy and of Moscow University has, to
a large extent, clarified the picture of the elementary action of nuclear inter-
action which takes place in that region of energy not attainable by even the
most powerful modern accelerators.
Study of the recently discovered elementary particles has shown the presence
in cosmic rays of charged particles of a new type, having a mass exceeding the
mass of the nucleon, and differing, apparently, in their stability from analo-
gous particles. Similar work has been carried out at the same time by in-
vestigators abroad with the help of a different method.
In the field of study of the beta- and gamma-spectra of radioactive ui,--
ments, a number of scientific institutions have worked on gathering tlirthe:?
information on the system of decay of various unstable nuclei. In some canes,
this research has permitted making important generalizations, as, for instance,
on the closeness of the decay system and the systems of lower excited states
of certain nuclei. A system o lever of the cerium-140 nucleus, a nucleus
with a charged neutron shell and having unisually high excitation energy of
the first level, has been established. This information has considerable
importance for defining more precisely the so-called shell theory of the
structure of nuclei.
We have cited only individual instances of the extensive work carried
out in our country on the use of atomic energy for peaceful means. One must,
however, remember that we are at the very beginning of the atomic age. Each
year, atomic energy will penetrate further and Further into the various fields
of science and the national economy. The development of new ways for using
atomic energy for peaceful ends is an important task for all the scientists
of our country and especially for the Academy of Sciences USSR.
Other Problems of the Physicomathematical and Chemical Sciences
We shall consider briefly some other problems of the physicomathematical
and chemical sciences, research of which gave the most significant results in
1954.
In the field of physics and mathematics, further development of the most
important problems of theoretical physics, semiconductors, calculating tech-
niques, luminescence, acoustics, physical methods of prospecting, etc., were
continued. sr
Among the investigations in the field of theoretical physics, one should
mention the work on the quantum theory of waves, the theory of metals, and
the theory of superconductivity, which are being successfully conducted in the
Physics Institute imeni P. N. Lehedev.
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In work on the problem "Semiconductors and Their Technical Application,"
new data has been obtained, which defines more accurately the physical basis
of the theory of rectification in semiconducting instruments and the theory
of physical processes of amplification in crystal instruments; large scale
research was done, and recommendations have been worked out for the utilization
of new materials for these instruments.
In the recently formed Acoustics Institute, much work is being done on
the problem of the diffusion of waves in various nonhomogeneous media, and
also on the problem of diffusion of waves over uneven surfaces.
In the field of calculating techniques, a series of important mathe-
matical computational problems, formerly requiring nn;;y years of labor-consum-
ing work by thousands of highly qualified specialists, have been solved with
the help of high-speed machines. The calculation and issue of basic mathe-
matical tables have been organized. Five large collections of tables have
been published during 1954 alone, while during the preceeding 9 years, the
Institute of Mathematics and the Institute of Precise Mechanics and Calcu-
lating Techniques together issued only one collection , ~r year.
Work was completed on the inverse problem of Galois during 1954. A
valuable monograph Matematicheskiye Metody Massovogo Obsluzhivaniya (Mathe-
matical Methods of Mass Sex-. icing) was written.
The Laboratory of Spectral Analysis of the Physics Institute imeni P. N.
Lebedev has obtained important results on the control of metal production by
the spectral analysis method. The introduction of this method will permit
improvement and acceleration of control of the quality of steel and alloys.
Thus the analysis of phosphorus in steel by this method requires one fourth
to one fifth the time required for a chemical analysis.
Interesting results have been obtained in research on the theory of
waves of finite magnitude. A calculation method has been worked out for
forecasting the temperature of the sea and the time when ice will appear
in coastal regions.
't should be noted that the academy has devoted insufficient attention
to developing the very promising problems of low temperature physics and the
physics of ultrasonics.
In the field of geophysics, interesting information connected with the
development and improvement of prospecting methods and seismic depth sounding
methods has been obtained. In particular, the depth of high frequency seismics,
especially important in prospecting for oil, has been greatly increased.
A cross section of the earth's crust in Central Asia was studied to a
depth of 500 kilometers and new information on the "roots" of mountains was
obtained by the seismic depth-soundings method.
The aerogravimetric expedition of the Institute of Geophysics completed
a high-precision relative determinations of the acceleration of gravity.
The fundamental directions of research in the field of the chemical
sciences were: the solution of theoretical questions relating to the further
development of the theory of chemical structure and the reactivity of chemical
substances; the development of the scientific principles of heterogeneous
catalysis; the synthesis of intermediate products of the industry of basic
organic synthesis from natural gas and the gases from oil processing; the
chemistry of high molecular compounds, rare and dispersed elements, organo-
elemental compounds, biologically active elements, and complex compounds;
geochemistry, hydrochemistry, analytical chemistry.
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Among the most important achievements of the chemical sciences is the
development of methods of synthesis of various organic compounds, having a
practical significance for the national economy, public health services,
and the development of new techniques.
In the Institute of Organic Chemistry imeni N. D. Zelinskiy, a new type
of synthetic rubber was developed under laboratory conditions from technically
accessible raw materials (monomers). Preliminary evaluation indicates that
it has better properties as compared to the existing industrial emulsion rubber.
A new reaction of cyclization of paraffin hydrocarbons accompanied by the
formation of five-membered rings has been discovered and studied. This en-
larges the prospects of using hydrocarbon raw materials and gives a new idea
on the problem of the origins of cyclic hydrocarbons contained in crude oil.
The Institute of Organoelemental Compounds studied some new types of
phosphor organic compounds, which indicate the possibility of obtaining a
number of vaulable preparations having increased insecticide properties. One
of them surpasses all previously known phosphor organic compounds in its ef-
fect on the harmful eurygaster.
New methods have been developed for synthesizing new types , organic
compounds of phosphorus, silicon, titanium, fluorine, and chlorine.
The Institute of High Molecular Compounds obtained, as a result of re-
search in the field of polymerization, laboratory samples of copolymers with
increased resistance to heat and suitable for manufactur{ ransparent
plastics. The synthesis of a new type of nonacid ion exchange resin con-
taining hydroxyl groups has been developed. These resins should find wide
application in the industrial refining of antibiotics.
The Institute of Physical Chemistry has developed a ferrocarbon element
with high specific energy and power indexes. Nonpolarizing electrodes for
gauging low currents in the sea have been developed and are already being
used at one of the polar stations. The same institute has made a study of
the mechanics of anodic oxidation of binary aluminum alloys, has established
the regularity of the growth of oxide coatings, and has clarified the me-
chanics of corrosion in dry and humid soils.
The Institute of the Chemistry of Silicates has successfully introduced
into production the progressive technology of grinding and polishing plate
glass. This has permitted a sharp increase in the productivity of automatic
machines and an improvement in the quality of production.
An organosilicon coating, which, when used to process various materials,
makes them waterproof while admitting air, has been developed.
The Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry imeni N. S. Kurnakov
has developed a new method of desorption, with liquid ammonia, of gold and
silver cyanides from industrial cyanide solutions, permitting improvement
and simplification of the process of extracting gold and silver from ores.
Work on Problems in the Technical Sciences and the Problem of Introducing
Scientific Results Into Industry
In the field of the technical sciences, there has been considerable
development in research on radio engineering and electronics, the theory of
automatic control, the theory of plasticity, gas dynamics, the theory of com-
bustion, the theory of stability, the theory of mine pressure, etc.
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A notable achievement of the Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics
is the development of the theory and the construction of models of special
electron tubes for ultrahigh frequencies.
Considerable success has been achieved in the development of the theory
of the process of intermittent control in nonlinear systems. The Institute
of Automatics and Telemechanics has worked out a number of electronic instal-
lations which permit modeling diagrams of automatics and the prccesses taking
Place when various systems are controlled.
An experimental industrial installation for reprocessing Baltic shale on
the principle of a method proposed by the Institute of Power Engineering imeni
C. M. Krzhizhanovskiy has been put into production. The introduction of this
method permits a one third to one half reduction in the cost of the oil and
an increase of output of 1.5 to 2 times.
Frequency regulators proposed by the same institute have been installed
and are in operation at the Shcherbakov, Dnepr, Zuyev, and Tsimlanskiy {hydro-
electric power stations.
The Institute of Automatics and Telemechanics has completed the develop-
ment of a method and the equipment for directing the drilling of wells along
a coal seam in subterranean coal gasification.
The Institute of Metallurgy imeni A. A. Baykov has created a new tech-
nique for reprocessing complex ores, which considerably increases the output
of metals contained therein. Industrial tests are being made of the method
of desulfurization of cast iron outside the blast furnace. Alloys have been
obtained possessing many properties valuable to modern practice.
On the basis of theoretical and experimental research conducted by the
Institute of the Physics of Metals of the Ural Affiliate, Academy of Sciencea
USSR, together with the Trust "Uraletallkonstruktsiya," an induction apparatus
for heating metal structures when they are welded under low temperature con-
ditions has been developed.
The Institute of Mining, together with the West Siberian Affiliate of
the Academy of Sciences USSR, has investigated means for intensifying the
drilling of deep wells in hard rocks and ores.
As a result of research on the technique of coking, the Institute of
Mineral Fuels has obtained, from a model, batches of metallurgical fuel from
the low-clinkering coals of the Donbass, Kuzbass, Karaganda, and Bureya.
The Institute of Petroleum has produced equipment for radiometric re-
search of wells and for locating oil deposits; they have proposed new, highly
active catalysts from raw materials which are readily available, and which
ensure a gasoline with an octane rating of about 80.
New technological processes for processing crude oil and heavy oil waste
have been developed: high-speed cracking, hydrogenation under pressure, and
the removal of asphalt from crude oil by dissolving it in compressed hydrocarbon
gases.
The introduction of these processes into the oil industry will permit
considerable intensification of the conversion processes of oil and will
ensure better utilization of petroleum stocks.
The Institute of Mechanics has been successful in solving theoretical
problems. Important results were obtained in the theory of plasticity, the
statics and kinematics of free-flowing media, in the field of wave dynamics,
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and also on some problems of gar
formulated, which, together with theepres A theory Of Plastic flow has been
processes in the previously developed theory modeling
proach to the planningsofn complex by pressure, will permit a a better ap ap-
mplexex technological ul operations.
The hydraulic method of protecting the blades and chambers of ynamos
from cavitation erosion, which was developed by the Institute of Mecchanichanics, is
being widely introduced in the installations of the Canal imeni Moskva. theoretical
rest
pract
cal work donetby cademiciannP. L. Kapitsa onithe hydrodynamic is attached to the
cation of rotating parts. P. L. Kapitsa has evolved aahidrod nam c quati-
ion
for the flow of a viscous layer when a cylinder or ball is rolled overuit.
It shows that (owing to the formation of an oily layer), the pressure of the
ball bearing at the place of contact is distributed over a wider area than
under static load, and that therefore the stress on the metal is considerably
reduced when rotating. Further application of this theory will make possible
a new approach to the rational construction of ball bearings, an important
part of modern machines.
The theory of lubrication of rotating parts can also be extended to
transmission gears.
A number of important investigations, the results of which are being
adopted by industry, have been mentioned; the sum total of such work cannot
be conside:,.,i satisfactory, however, because many institutions of the Academy
of Sciences USSR have not taken advantage of all possibilities in this im-
portant matter.
Ministries and agencies must take steps to introduce all the results of
scientific research work completed by the Academy of Sciences USSR during 1954.
Many of the institutes of the academy, however, have not given due attention
to coordination with ministries of measures which would speed up the intro-
duction of Organoelemental Compounds, iwhicheworked inTclosepcontact o ithethesti-
tute Ministries of the Consumer Goods Industry, the Chemical Industry, and the Food
Industry USSR, and succeeded in introducing into production artificial resins,
and fibers made from them and other materials, has shown the important results
which can be obtained when cooperating with industry. the
ies do not
give of speeding theotheintroductr hand,
ofnnewrtechnology into the nhtiattenonalteconion proButms
it is still the presidium, the departments, and the institutes of the AAccademyt
of Sciences that are primarily to blame, in that a number of results of scien-
tific work (important for the development of heavy industry, and its heart,
machine building) have not been introduced into industry. It cannot be toler-
ated that the achievement of the main purpose of scientific creative genius
--
assistance to the progress of production -- should be delayed because of all
kinds of noncoordination and other bureaucratic interference.
Study of Natural Resources
Much work has been done during 1954 on the comprehensive complex study
of the natural wealth of our country.
The Institute of Geography has investigated the geomorphological, climatic,
and other conditions in the areas of new agricultural reclamation; they have
produced a preliminary plan for a natural division into districts of the terri-
tory where virgin and waste lands are being reclaimed in five oblasts of
Northern Kazakhstan and the Altay Kray.
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On the basis of material obtained by the Aral-Caspian Expedition, the
Council for the Study of the Productive Forces has worked out a proposal for
the further development of cotton growing in Central Asia, agriculture and
irrigation in the lower reaches of the Amu-Darya, and the use of pastures
in Ust'-Urt and other desert areas in Kazakhstan for cattle breeding. To-
gether with the Institute of Economics, they have developed and sent pro-
posals for the development of industry and agriculture in the Buryat-Mongolian
ASSR.
Resulting from work on stratigraphy, tectonics, petrography, mineralogy,
and other branches of geology, the Institute of Geological Sciences has pre-
pared mongraphs giving theoretical principles for searching and prospecting
for a number of useful minerals: Fosforitonosnyye formatsii i klassifikatsiya
fosforitovykh zalezhey (Phosphorite-Bearing Formations and the Classification
of Phosphorite Deposits), Verkhnemelovoy i ka ozo ski ma tizm i metallo-
geniya Vosiochnogo Sikhote-Alinya (Upper Cretaceous and Cenozoic Magmatism
and Metallogeny of Eastern Sikhote-Alin), and others. Geological maps of a
number of areas in Central Asia and the Far East have been completed.
An expedition of the academy has discovered a new type of boron formation,
a fact which changes considerably the prospecting indications for boron for-
mations and the criteria of their industrial evaluation.
A number of important scientific deductions have been made regarding the
geology and petrography of the Polar Urals.
The Institute of Oceanology continued its exploration of the northwestern
part of the Pacific Ocean. The work of the 1954 expeditions showed that tiie
submarine Hawaiian mountains stretch as a solid range from the Hawaiian Islctuds
to the submarine Mount Obruchev and Komandorskiy Islands, thus dividing the
northern part of the Pacific Ocean into two separate basins. The structure of
the ocean bottom has been found to be very complex, as opposed to the prevail-
ing opinion on the leveling of the sea bed. New types of animals inhabiting
the ocean have been discovered, as have new zoogeographical features of the
distribution of bottom fauna and plankton.
The Institute of Frost Studies has carried out investigations on the
problem of the origin and propagation of subterranean vein ice in the north
and northeast of the country. The frost and hydrogeological conditions of
exploitation of the most important coal and iron ore deposits and the con-
struction of large industrial installations in the east were successfully
studied.
One of the substantial shortcomings in the geological activities of the
academy's institutions is the poor development of scientific research directed
at learning the laws of the entire complex of geological processes and phe-
nomena in their natural historical development. This is, to a large extent,
explained by the fact that the Department of Geological and Geographical
Sciences has not, up to now, directed the large-scale geological research being
conducted on the te-ritory of the USSR. It is only the participation and
leadership of the institutions of the Academy of Sciences USSR that can raise
the scientific level of such projects as the generalization of material on
drilling with casing (opornoye bureniye)t the compilation of the multivolume
work Geologiya SSSR (Geology of the USSR), and other tasks.
The situation with regard to the use of physical methods in geological
research is still bad. It should also be noted that the Presidium of the
Academy is still not giving sufficient assistance to some institutes of the
Department of Geological and Geographical Sciences. In particular, normal
conditions have not been created for the work of the Institute of Frost Studies,
which is conducting investigations of importance to both science and practice.
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A serious defect of all the expedition activities of the academy's insti-
tutes is their poor cooperation with institutions of other departments; the
result- of research are not given to local interested parties fast enough.
This also applies to exploration done in the areas of virgin and waste lands.
Problems of Biology
The scientific research in the field of the biological sciences, done on
the basis of using the tagged atoms method, has already been mentioned. In
1954, the scientific institutions of the Department of Biological Sciences
continued both the development of theoretical problems and work of assistants
to agriculture.
Theoretical research in the field of biological sciences dealt with the
following problems: protein and metabolism; heredity and its variability;
problems of Pavlov's physiology; questions of radiobiologyj the nature of
microbes and the control of microbiological processes; cellular and noncellular
forms of animate matter and their interrelationship in development; the flora
and fauna of the USSR; problems of forestry, soil science, photosynthesis; and
others. Positive results have been obtained in all these fields.
A number of completed works related to the solution of essential practical
questions can be mentioned.
The Soil Institute imeni V. V. Dokuchayev, jointly with the Ministry of
Agriculture USSR, has performed a preliminary computation of unreclaimed virgin
lands _-*d has given direct assistance to local agricultural and planning organi-
zations in selecting lands for sowing. Land.suitable for cultivation has been
designated in a number of oblasts of the Trsnsbsykal and the Far East for the
establishment of new areas for grain production.
The Botanical Institute imeni V. L. Km mrov has carried out geobotanical
work in the areas of virgin land reclamation in Kazakhstan, Altay, and Western
Siberia.
The Main Botanical Garden continued work on the production of new and
more promising types of wheat.
The Institute of Plant Physiology imeni K. A. Timiryasev succeeded in
finding a way of overcoming the decrease of protein content in hard summer
wheats through irrigation by means of supplementary feeding of nitrogen b,,'
spraying during the period when the ears are being formed. Research on the
physiology of wheat has been done when the soil was cultivated according to
T. S. Mal'tsev's method in the Shadrinskiy Rayon, Kurganskays Oblast.
The Institute of Genetics has obtained new, early-ripening types of
maize.
Practical assistance to agriculture has be... given by complex research
on the problem of drying seed grain done by the Institute of Biochemistry
imeni A. R. Balch together with the West Siberian and Ural Affiliates,
of Sciences USSR, and a number of scientific research institutes. In many
areas of the USSR, the harvest moisture racris 20-30%. Preservation of seeds
with high humidity leads to their qualitative deterioration and a lowering of
yield. The institute has developed a system of drying seed grain in driers,
and also a system of drying grain destined for food.
The Institute of Microbiology, while studying nitrifying bacteria, has
proved for the first time the possibility of oxidation of ammonia by noncellular
compounds of such bacteria; intermediate products have been obtained, and the
dependence of the activity of bacteria on the conditions of their habitat has
been established.
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In the past year, microbiological research has been carried ut for the
firsttablishedtimethatin thetheregionre
entiofmasstheofNohwaterrt Pole.underTheseice
oldinvestigations have es-
, as well as the bottom
of the ocean, is populated with microorganisms.
The method proposed b
organize y the Institute of Biochemistry has been used to
anemia. production of vitamin B12, which is important in fighting pernicious
The most urgent task of the biological sciences is still to
assistance in carrying out the resolution of the plenums of the Central Com-
mittee of the CPSU on the problems of develo give active
plies also to problems of grain as well as to~thnose oft technical cropssand
fodder, and especially to problems of animal husbandry, where our scientists
have not performed their duty.
The following must also be mentioned about problems of biology, As is
well known, a violent discussion has recently developed in numerous biological
Journals. The fact that these publications conduct discussions on urgent
vitally important problems should be welcome. Unfortunately, however, the
tone of some of these writings is insulting in character and thereby prevents
the clarification of scientific truths.
The Department of Biological Sciences must speak authoritatively on
certain debatable theoretical problems.
Of course, in science, the truth emerges as factual experimental material
ierhapss and a correct materialistic generalization is made.
P yet time that some limited conclusions facts
should be drawn ral conclusions, but it is
The scientific community is waiting tc dear particularly what the bureau
of the department, a collection of the most prominent scientists in their re-
spective fields, will say with regard to the discussions on species and their
evolution, on the role of noncellular types
logical problems of living matter, and other bio-
.
Work in the Social Sciences
Of the books published during 1954, a textbook on political economy,
hwhich helps to raise the level istorical,, and other social sci nces,{ must the
be mentionedefirstt of all. Philosophic,
textbook is an important achievement of Soviet economic science.
Members of the Institute of Economics have made certain attempts to
strengthen the ties with economic and planning organs, and, in particular,
t
hey took part in working out scientific methodic problems of the Sixth
Five-Year Plan
studied problemsfoofr
indthe ustry national
agricul ure the USSR, and
question of the economics of modern capitalism, the Institute issuedha mono-
graph I erialisticheska Bor'ba za Istochniki S
Struggle for Raw Material Sources The Imperialistic
In the field of philosophy, a book entitled Bazis i Nadstro ka v Sovetakom
Obshchestve (Foundation and Superstructure in Soviet Society was published in
the last year, and a textbook on logic for higher educational institutions is
ready for. publication. In addition, a number of other works on economics and
philosophy have been issued.
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--u.~ wvuuar-mvenno Sotsialistichesko Sobstvennosti
(The Law of-- State Socialist Property and Grazhdansko-Pravova Okhrana
Sotsislietichesk Sobstvennosti (Civil Law Protection of Socialist Property)
have been published on the subject of law.
A series of works in the field of history has been published and pre red
for publication. Many years of work spent in writing the multivolume pa
Ocherki
Istorii SSSR Periods Feodalisma (Outline of History of the USSR in the Period
of Feudalism have ended. Volume I of the textbook Istoriya SSSR (History
of the USSR) is ready for printing. Volumes III and I4 ;f Istoriya Mos
the (History of Moscow) have been Published; they give a vincing picture of
outstanding part played by Moscow in the social-economic, sociopolitical,
and cultural development of our country.
In connection with the 50th anniversary of the first Russian revolution
of 1905-1907, collections of documents have been prepared for the printers.
Special attention has been given to the elaboration of the history of
socialist society. A conference on this subject was held in Moscow, as well
as a session in Tallin. A special session of the Academy of Sciences USSR
was devoted to the 300th anniversary of the reunion of the Ukraine with Russia.
A collective work entitled An li aka Burzhuazna Revo tsi XVII
Veka (The English Bourgeois Revolution of the ]nth Cant
The first volumes of Vsemirna_va Istoriya has been published.
prepared. (History of the World) have been
Studies of urgent scientific problems connected with the building of
socialism in the people's democracies and the history of the literatures of
Slavic nations have been made. The first volumes of Istori a Pol'shi (History
of Poland) and Istoriya Bolgarii (History of Bulgaria have been published,
and the second volumes of these books, together with the first volume of.
Istoriya Chekhoslovakiva (History of Czechoslovakia) have been sent to the
printers.
Among the books on Oriental studies, the single-volume Istori a Mon ol'-
skoy Narodnov Respubliki (History of the Mongolian People's Republic) compiled
by Soviet and Mongol scholars must be noted.
In the series Narody Mira (Peoples of the World), the book Narody Afriki
(Peoples of Africa) has been published; this is the first book presenting the
ethnography of all the peoples of the African continent. Two other volumes
in this series, dealing with the peoples of Siberia and the peoples of Aus-
tralia and Oceania, are in process of being printed.
Anthropologists have obtained interesting data on the origin of man and
the most ancient settlements in the territory of the Soviet Union. The skele-
tons of men of the Upper Paleolithic era permit following up the relationship
between the a:..tent population of the Central Russian Plain and that of the
areas of Central and Western Europe and Near Asia.
The work of the Rhorezmskaya expedition on the study of ancient irrigation
systems was of great interest to science as well as to the national economy.
Excavations in Novgorod produced new, interesting finds: letters to
prominent Novgorod "posadniks" (deputies of the ruling prince], a document of
importance regarding the history of the appearance of the "Russkaya Pravda,"
an agreement between the peasants and feudal lords regarding the amount of
quit rent, and alphabet on a small wooden board, representing the first school
appliance known to science. A model of a building which was found gives an
idea of Russian architecture in the 10th century.
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the book Ruaska a -,uriya Russkogo Iskusstra (Histc+
of the First Half ArktheeI th Cent Polovi = '_f (RRussian Architecture
n o bee Veka (Russian urY have also been
of the natural s published.
There was a considerable increase in the scope of works on the history
Natural
volume of ciences and engineering.
and ng has The Institute of the History
v RosEsniigineeri prepared the first es of the
publication pf (History of the Natural Sciences in Russ- ural Sciences
ocu
which
mefor publication; a collection Iz Istorii Nauki i Tekhniki Kits
the History of Science and Engineerin o on
the Czech scientist Bol'tsano ~ B in China
h pCzecs el [Bolzano?j and a rorkaph r
being printed. , as well as many other works, are
e
The study of problems on the history of religion and atheism has
revived, due to a certain extent to V. D. Bonch-Bruyevich. A c has
been set up to coordinate research da been
step in the realization of the resolutionsToftthe Central Coosotee ofon e
party on scientific atheistic however, is only the first
s
aitinic and propaganda. It is essential tstresstheh
serious attentionpolfromiticothe-ideacademyalistic of this work, which should
receive
In the field of linguistics and the history completed on Rusk{ OOrfograficheskiy Slovar' of literature, work has been
the most complete of such dictionaries compiled (Russian Orthographic Dictiona
II (in two parts) of the scientific na G mpiled duri eera. Volume
Russian Language), rasm.,atika ng the Soviet era.
dealing with syntax and concl diko o sz r (Grammar of the
Volume III of a dictionary of mode,? Russian cluding this large work, and
published. literary language have been
There will soon be published collections on problems of the study of
texts and of modern foreign literature. Volume II of a
creative York of Mayakovskiy is being prepared. A11-Union Cc,amess monograph on the
g of Soviet Writers, which has l y On the ocexce t i of the Second
im-
portant role, not only in the development of belles lettres,~cbutalso in Soviet
literary criticism, outlines of the histories of Russian'; im-
russian
russian Soviet literatures, valuable monographs on Tolst
and many and Belo-
others were published. .~'i Gogol , Fonvizin,
Literaturnoye Nasledstvo (Literary Heritage), continuing its
important work, has prepared current volumes of historical and literary ma-
terial on Gertsen, Ogarev, and the Decembrist writers. great and
There was some improvement in the preparatory work on scientific editions
of'Russian classical writers. Five volumes of the writsr
published. The publication of a 30-volume collection ofGorokiy's works were
nearing completion. Publication has been started of collections of works by
Gertsen and Lermontov. Y's works is
The total results, however, of work in the field of social sciences cannot
be considered to be satisfactory.
A lagging in literary science, pointed out in the greetings of the CPSU to the Second All-Union Congress of Soviet Writers, characteristic even in the case of our literary ngs of the Central
enough work on theoretical research and urgent institutes, which dis
endue.
P problems of modern Soviet not
liter-
The unsatisfactory state of work on scientific
roblems robles~y So+etskgy Na,rki [problems of Soviet Science]) consti (the aeries a shortcoming in the activities of the departments of social sciences.seThe~
Department of Economic, Philosophical and Legal Sciences has not
set up groups of scientists for doing this work.
yet even
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A struggle for the purity of the Marxist-Leninist theory is an essential
condition for the further d
evelopment of Soviet social science. The firmness
of the principles of Marxism-Leninism is an inviolable law for the development
of all Soviet science.
Some theoretical workers, however, have recently tried, under the guise
f "discussion", to revise the Marxist theory, the principles of Marxism, and
to of our party.
he genelyl alien line
Marxism and Ind ividu lleconomists have express?~i rules ~er osocialist economics, have revised the rP.,iucala ri cimeipa on some topics
Ma ar is
on the preferential growth of t:.: ^r ,ruction of the means off production, rs of on
the more rapid rate of growth of the production of the means of productions
as compared ,, there twereo
mists,
econo-
Instituted of so on. Economicsn(P. Mst_slavskiy
others).
Under the cover of fighting dogmatism in science, the vulgarizers of
Marxism tried to foist upon the editorial boards of the journals
Ekonomiki (Problems of Economics) and Vopro V ros
sy Filosofii (Problems of Philosophy)
a discussion on the basic questions of the Marxist-Leninist theory of Economics.
Although the editorial boards of these journals declined the articles of these
newly emerged revisionists, they did not submit their views to public cirti-
cism, and the Journal Y22roav Ekono_:ki even printed the vicious article of
1. Vekua. In this, the editorial board showed lack of
atoriness in the consideration of the most important principle of and Marxi tstili-
Leninist theory. It must be said that the administrationofthe Institute has committed a serious errc. in not rebuffing the actions oft the of
revisionists.
The importance of discussion as a creative method for the development of
science is evident, but it cannot be permitted that, under the guise of dis-
cussion, attempts are made to revise the basic premises of the Marxist-Leninist
theory and the general line of our party, since this can only harm our scien-
tific and practical work.
It should be noted that the work of our economists, philosophers, and
jurists contained other errors and shortcomings which were justly criticised.
The journal VOprosv Filosofii has not yet been able to throw much light on
philosophical questions of natural sciences of Soviet and
progressive
scientists. A. A. Maksimov, Corresponding Member of the Acade S ences
ine
USSR, who was in charge of the physics section of the Journal permitted
serious mistakes in the evaluation of modern scientific achievement, and
thereby discouraged natural scientists from participating in the work of the
journal. There were also errors in the journal Sovetskoye Gosudarstvo i Pravo
(Soviet State and Law), which does not, in general, sufficiently develop
questions of theory.
It would be erroneous to assume that the need for strengthening the
struggle for the party line in science and the stability of the principles
of Marxism-Leninism concerns only the humanities. It =at not be forgotten
that the successes of our scientists in the realms of physics, chemistry,
biology, physiology, and other branches of science, have been achieved
primarily on the basis of Marxist-Leninist methodology and the principles
of dialectical materialism.
The idea that each scientist should have his own school has been ex-
pressed more and more often of late. We are of the opinion that each scien-
tist should have all the conditions necessary for creative work by himself
and his students. One should remember, however, that such schools, being
definite fields or trends in scientific work, can develop successfully only
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inevi-
tably become just "little schools" when they abandonthe-basiseof this method-
ology and cease adhering to party line principles in science.
Publications and Scientific Information
The number of publications by the Academy of Sciences USSR has increased
considerably during 1954. Originally, the plan for ':suing books and journals
by the academy's Publishing House was approved for 17,000 author's pages, but
later was increased to 18,174 pages; in actual fact, 18,574 pages have been
published, representing 125.3% of the preceeding year's publications.
A number of very valuable scientific works have been published, both of
a theoretical and a practical character. More books giving direct practical
assistance to the various branches of industry and agriculture were published
than in the preceeding year. There is still much to be done, however, to in-
crease the output of such publications.
Work on the publication of Referativnyy Zhurru;_ (Journal of Abstracts)
has been increased in scope, the seven series of which contained more than
3,000 pages last year. In addition to new series of this journal, the new
periodical Fisiologiya Rasten (Plant Physiology) began to appear in 1954.
The tremendous importance for the establishment and organization of
scientific work in our country, that in 1954 alone, the Referativnyy Zhurnal
(Abstract Journal) published over 100,000 abstracts, cannot be overestimated.
The flow of world scientific literature is so great that no single scientist
can now work productively without a well-organized information service. TL:
organization of the Institute of Scientific Information and the publication
of the Referativnyy Zhurnal, the size of which in the past year alone equals
35 volumes of the Bol'shaya Sovetska a Entsiklopediya (Large Soviet Encyclo-
pedia), required, of course, an enormous effort. It was even found necessary
to delay the publication of less urgent works.
The publishing work of the academy continued to be hampered by the insuf-
ficiently careful preparation of manuscripts; problems in this connection
were discussed in detail in November 1954 by the Presidium of the Academy of
Sciences USSR with regard to progress in fulfilling the publications plan of
the departments of social sciences. The presidium noted that the scientific
standard of many works was not high; they contain mostly descriptive material
and draw few scientific conclusions permitting judgement of the new points an
author has derived from his investigation of a problesi. Consideration was
also given to the unnecessary length of some works and the poor preparation
of manuscripts. The presidium passed a resolution directed at improving
preparation of publications and a further increase in their numbers.
The approved plan for publication of books and journals in 1955 calls
for over 25,000 authors pages, representing an increase of 406 over the 1954
plan.
New journals will be initiated in 1955: Sovetsk a Vostokovedeni e
(Soviet Oriental Studies); Istoricheski Arkhiv Historical Archives ; and
Akustic ,cloy Zhurnal (Acoustics Journal . During the current year, therefore,
the academy will publish more than 50 periodicals. It is essential that more
attention be devoted to their work. This refers particularly to the periodi-
cal Doklady (Reports), which is especially important, since, being the organ
of the academy, it has the duty of publishing the first short reports on
everything new produced by the research work of Soviet scientists. There have
been delays during 1954 (up to 8 months) in publishing important works while
the journal was filled with matters of lesser importance. This is primarily
the result of a lack of team work by the editorial board.
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The aim of the publishing activity of the academy is not only to
25,000 Pages, but also to present in them the best
mation, to advis
S
e
possible scientific infor-
oviet science, culture scientific
econom the
country of the greatest possible amount of theoretical ia d practiccalo chievements.
Scientific Cadres
During the current year, as formerly, the number of scientific cadres in
the academy has been constantly increasing, and their qualifications have be-
come higher. The number of scientific workers increased by 1,855 persons dur-
ing l95 , inclsdingcan increase of 113 among doctors of sciences
workers have been engaged for work intthe~institutionstofic and technicalamong
A special feature of the academy.
mainly Of this increase in personnel is that it consisted
corgi young people. During the last 4 years, the academy
ng to plan, about 4,00o young specialists with a higher rbspecia, sc-
ary
ary school education; of these, 1,552 were accepted in 1954r or special second-
In many of the institutions of the academy, the trains
fied
personnel is still lagging. Thus, not a single d training df sertt quali-
was
defended in 1954 by members of a doctoral was
tutes of Geophysics, Physics- ProblemsrimeninS. I. Vs, among them the Insti-
Insti-
some others. I. avilov
Mechanics, and
on doTherma ner sertationsin from other agencies are selected for work
ministries !- .re often sent to institute is not
Deparfaenoro. For inalance
as candidates for doctoral degrees the Department of rethosel Sc.:;.TPS
the most promise as scientists rat ere hose who aoboe could men
not or those who
assigned to them. , but rather those or
perform the work
The task of bureaus of departments and directors of institutes is to
formulate Practicable plans for raising the qualifications of scientific
workers and to give the necessary support and assistance to those who are
preparing doctoral or candidate dissertations. Young specialists should
have all the necessary conditions for raising their qualifications and for
demonstrating their abilities. Special attention should be
training of scientific personnel in various branches of physics
of engineerin given to the
fronds
g, and other lines of science (theoretical phypics' new
radiophysics, telemechanics, electrochemistry, kinetics of combustion, gases,
dynamics, etc.)
A special characteristic of heads of the academy's scientific institutions
is that they must combine administrative and scientific activities, and must
be up to the standards of achievement in their respective fields of
knowledge.
The heads of institutes must personnally conduct planned scientific research,
since they would otherwise have neither the authority nor the kn to
direct correctly the activities of scientific groups in the l
common truths have to be reiterated, for we still have some and
who think that they are required only to direct and not to ca ~' All these
tific work. "We direct and do not 'rite," say ?~ institute heads
scien-
members of the administration comrads from out he
of the Institute of Economics. (There can beano
doubt but that each leading worker must carry out research work. A resolution
was passed long ago on the inadmissability of holding several offices
pecially by leading scientific personnel; there are still, however
es-
of persons holding several offices. This . es-
must be ended without deleYe~ cases
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The responsibility of the bureaus of departments and institute heads for
work with cadres must be increased
rememberin
th
t i
,
g
a
n any position, the di-
rectives of the party on the correct selection of personnel according to their
political and professional qualifications must be unswervingly followed.
International Relations
The year 1954 brought about further development and strengthening of
creative cooperation and ties between Soviet and foreign scientists.
The Academy of Sciences USSR has, during the past year, sent its repre-
sentatives to participate in various international congresses, meetings,
conferences, and consultations. Scientists of the academy took part in 65
scientistsntraveled national
the People's meetings, Republic congresses
of China, the conferences.
the Soviet European
Peoples' Democracies, India, France, England, Italy, Austria, Belgium, Holland,
West Germany, Switzerland, the US, Pakistan, and Iran.
At the invitation of the Academy of Sciences USSR, the Soviet Union was
visited in 1954 by delegations from the Czechoslovak and Slovak Academies of
Sciences, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the Arab Academy of Sciences in
Damascus, the Institute of Sciences in Albania, a group of Indian scientists,
and delegations of Norwegian scientific workers and British historians.
The academy has conducted scientific sessions commemorating the fifth
anniversary of the People's Republic of China and the fifth anniversary of
the GDR.
Representatives of the science of astronomy from 17 countries were
present at a solemn session' which took place in Leningrad on the occasion of
the reopening of the restored Pulkovo Observatory. Foreign astronomers also
participated in observations of the solar eclipse on 30 June 1954 from the
territory of the USSR and in the work of the Fourth All-Union Conference on
Problems of Cosmogony.
There has been a considerable increase in the number of books exchanged
with foreign academies, universities, institutic'ns of higher learning, re-
search institutes, scientific societies, libraries, etc. In 1954, the Academy
of Sciences USSR sent abroad as exchange'items over 350,000 copies of books
and journals.
It is desirable to establish even closer international relations for
Soviet scientists, to organize a regular exchange of scientific information,
especially with the peoples' democracies. Firm scientific ties between all
the countries in the socialist camp should substantailly assist the cause
of the development of their economies and culture.
Organization of Scientific Research
In conclusion, let us dwell on some questions of the organization of
scientific work. Much work has been done lately by :he Academy of Sciences
USSR on analysis of the present condition of science and the separation of
the most important problems. Groups of scientists assigned to this work
have, jointly with the representatives of production, drawn up plans for
developing each of these problems. The results of the activities of these
groups were widely discussed by the departments and in the Presidium of the
Academy.
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shod be This is a new qua
litative stage in the planning of science
a
B
th
d
t
.
ut it
-115 w will
if
e ins8itutes,
expected results only
the
leadersoof work,panduthetbureaus of the de
ents
place research on the designated problems at the center of their entire
rscientific and organizational activities. This is essential as much for
improving the work of the institutions of the academy as for having the
academy itself fulfill its role of a directing and coordinating scientific
center.
It must be plainly stated that so far, the Academy of Sciences U: Z
has not yet become the kind of scientific center in our country which
would ensure ideal centralization of the efforts of all Soviet scientists
in the most important and decisive directions. We still lack sufficiently
close contact with institutes subordinate to ministries and administrations
and give them little help.
The Academy of Sciences USSR, in its capacity of highest scientific
center of the country, must direct the work of the academies of sciences of
the Union Republics and also of scientific institutions subordinate to ad-
ministrations, must evaluate their work, give them scientific problems, uti-
lize their forces, invite representatives of these institutions to its sessions,
and have them read reports.
The absence of close ties between the academy and institutes subordinate
to Rdmin!s+.-strops harts both parties. Institutes are not sufficiently
equipped with theories in their researches; they are strongly, and sometimes
overwhelmingly, empirical. At the same time the academy is in danger of re-
moving itself from, or lagging behind in, practical questions. Among insti-
tutes subordinate to administrations, there are some mature scientific instal-
lations, which in no case should remain hidden from the view of the academy.
In some cases these institutes have achieved results of such importance that
they cannot remain the property of a single institute or even of one single
branch of industry. The task of the Academy of Sciences USSR is to make them
the property of all Soviet science. In this way, institutes subordinate to
administrations cannot develop without the participation, cooperation, and
assistance of the academy, and the academy cannot productively develop with-
out absorbing all the best which is offered by the institutes.
Scientific and technical societies must play an
ing into the creative scientific process the widest range ofnscientistsbring-
teachers, engineers, and inventors. Scientific societies within the academy
have recently become more active. An All-Union Astronomical and Geodetic
Congress was recently held, as was the Second All-Union Congress of the
Geographical Society of the USSR; congresses of physiologists, biochemists,
and pharmacologists will also be held.
There are 25 scientific and technical societies in our country, which
have over 450 republic and Oblast branches and about 8,000 primary organi-
zations at enterprises and institutions. These societies have memberships
of tens of thousa?. = of engineers, technicians, scientific workers, and
inventors. The creative initiative of these promoters of technical progress
is a powerful weapon in the struggle for the further development of Soviet
science and practice in the fight against stagnation, routine, and conser-
vatism. Unfortunately, the Department of Technical Sciences does not pay
sufficient attention to the activities of these societies, although it has
been shown in practice that conferences and other steps taken by institutes
of the academy jointly with scientific and technical societies have given
valuable results. Engineers, technicians and inventors need methodical
scientific assistance from the academy, while the societies can give much
help in introducing the results of scientific research work done by the
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academy's institutions into production. The Department of Technical Sciences
must assume the role of a scientific center coordinating the activities of
the societies.
Certain trends in the development of the academies of the Union Republics
and ec,,ecially of the affiliates of the Academy of Sciences USSR cannot be
approved. These scientific institutions try, as a rule, to develop all branches
of science without exception, regardless of their personnel capabilities or
the needs of the national economy of the given republic or oblast.
It is essential that consideration be given to the creation of scientific
research centers in many towns of the country.
It must be remembered, for instance, that V. I. Lenin gave great attention
to the creation and work of the Nizhegorod Radio Laboratory, the first large
Soviet radio engineering scientific research institute. On 5 February 1920,
Vladimir Il'ich addressed his well-known letter to the head of this laboratory,
M. A. Bonch-Bruyevich.
In Gor'kiy and other towns of our country, numerous scientific and
engineering cadres have grown up. It can hardly be considered right that there
are no academic scientific institutions in these towns. It is necessary, ap-
parently, to study carefully the possibilities of establishing new scientific
i:.atitutes outside Moscow.
In this connection, the examples of successful work of the Kazan', Ural,
and West Siberian Affiliates of the Academy of Sciences USSR cannot be over-
looked. The scientific work of other field institutions of the academy should
be brought to the same level.
It will apparently be necessary to review the duties of the scientific
councils of institutes of the academy and the bureaus of its departments. The
scientific council of an institution of the Academy of Sciences USSR cannot
limit itself to the interests of its own institute alone; it must have a feel-
ing of responsibility for the development of the given branch of science in
the entire country. Its duty is to unite not only the scientists of its insti-
tute, but also to direct the activities of scientists in the given branch of
science on a country-wide scale. This will multiply our forces and will enable
us to solve successfully the most complex problems.
Soviet science is developing under the guiding influence of principles
and ideas expressed in the resolutions of our party. Under the leadership
of the Communist Party and the Soviet Government, Soviet science has gained
the first place in many important fields. This does not imply, of course,
that we can disregard the achievements of science abroad. There are among
our scientists, however, some who, under the guise of the struggle against
cosmopolitanism, are ready to ignore the achievements of science abroad and
to exaggerate their awn achievements. This cannot be of benefit to Soviet
science.
We must study carefully the experiences of science throughout the world;
while criticizing and exposing its ideologically reactionary, undemocratic,
and bourgeois trends, we must at the same time adopt everything possitive
offered by foreign sciences in the fields of natural sciences and engineer-
ing.
In putting into practice the slogan about overtaking and surpassing the
achievements abroad, some of our scientists see only the quantitative aspects
of the problem. Nevertheless, the slogan itself and its aim concern the
qualitative aspect.
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One must not reason as some comrades do; if, they say, abroad somewhere
there are 20 laboratories working on research on a certain series of problems,
we can say that we have surpassed their standards only by establishing 21 or
22 laboratories at home. This is wrong. One should bear in mind that in the
capitalist world, laboratories and institutes are in many cases brought into
existence through a competitive fight between monopolies.
One of the important shortcomings of the academy's organization is the
poor work of its departments in directing the activities of scientific insti-
tutions. The departments, which should be the leading scientific and organi-
zational centers, offer no direct leadership to the institutions fording a
part of them, and have very little influence on the work of these institutions.
The present position, which places institutes organizationally not under the
departments, but directly under the Presidium of the Academy, does not help
in improving the leadership and causes parallelism in the work of the presidium
and the departments.
At the same time, the structure of the presidium is unwieldy, and it has
superfluous structural subdivisions which duplicate each other's work. A com-
pletely unjustifiable centralization exists in making separate scientific and
organizational problems. In many cases, the presidium assumes the functions
of the bureaus of the departments in passing on problems which should be ex-
amined and decided by groaps of scientists in the departments and institutes
themselves.
In order to concentrate the activity of the academy of Sciences USSR on
the execution of its basic functions, the Presidium passed a resolution on
7 January 1955, listin6 a number of steps to be taken to improve the leader-
ship of scientific institutions, increase the importance of the Departments;
eliminate serious defects in the organizational structure, and get rid of
excess personnel in the entire apparatus of the academy. In 1954, the pre-
sidium made efforts to improve the organizational forms of scientific work,
and especially its leadership. All that has been done represents only the
first steps in the proposed reconstruction.
There are still many shortcomings in all fields of our work, both organi-
zational and also strictly scientific. Many important and true critical re-
marks have been made at meetings of the departments. The reports of the
Academician-Secretaries have been widely discussed. An exception was, un-
fortunately, the report of Academician D. I. Shcherbakov in the Department of
Geological and Geographical Sciences, probably because it was insufficiently
critical. Shortcomings in the work of the presidium, the bureaus of the
departments and especially the Bureau of the Department of Biological Sciences,
were pointed out at the meetings.
The bureaus of departments and the presidium of the academy must care-
fully study the proposals submitted. The tried method of criticism and self-
criticism, the clash of opinions, and the creative discussion of scientific
problems must be fully utilized for the development of Soviet science.
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