MAGAZINE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80S01540R002200020007-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 33
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 15, 2012
• Sequence Number: 7
• Publication Date: August 10, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
i.! 0FAX 29
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY
INFORMATION REPORT
This Document contains information affecting the Na-
tional Defense of the United States. within the mean-
Ing of Title 18, Sections 793 and 794. of the U.B. Code, as
amended. Its transmission or revelation of its contents
to or receipt by an unauthorised person Is Prohibited
by law. The reproduction of this form Is prohibited.
CONEIDENTILL
SECURITY INFORMATION
DATE OF INFO.
REPORT
Magazine
DATE DISTR.
NO. OF PAGES
REQUIREMENT NO. RD
REFERENCES
THE SOURCE EVALUATIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE DEFINITIVE.
THE APPRAISAL OF CONTENT IS TENTATIVE.
le The attached issue of Czechoslovak Life is forwarded to
your office for retention.
2. Please note that while this memorandum is classified, the
enclosure is free.
Enclosure: 1 magazine
10 August 1953
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
STAT
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
MAY 1952
PRAHA II, OPLETALOVA 5-7
PREPARING FOR A PROFESSION (by Hilda Lass)
3_..-7
GOOD SENSE AND GOOD TRADE (Editorial)
8
NEWSREEL
9
THE VOICE OF OUR READERS
1o-- 11
ANOTHER FORWARD STEP IN SCIENCE
12---15
YOUNGSTERS DANCE INTO SPRING
16--18
EARTH'S GRANARIES ARE OPENED
1.9--21
CATHOLIC DIGNITARIES INSTALLED
22--23
A GREAT SEAT OF LEARNING (by Iris Urwin)
PLAYERS OF PROMISE (by Armour Milne) .
24---29
Our Postbag
WARMING ':I'HE HEART
Beloved Comrades,--I have been receiv-
ing "Czechoslovak Life" regularly over the
past twelve months, and I would like to
congratulate you on the consistently high
quality of both the articles and illustra-
tions in your splendid ragazine. It is far
superior to any publication here in Britain
and certainly better than the cheap and
tawdry importations from the United Sta-
tes. And where, in the capitalist world,
would one find a magazine whose entire
theme and content is devoted to the life
and work of the plain people?
"Czechoslovak Life" calls for peace and
friendship between the peoples of the
world. Over here we get articles on mili-
tary strategy, describing how the next war
is going to be fought----with Russia as the
enerny of course-along with maps shame-
lessly pinpointing cities in the Soviet
Union and the People's Democracies as
potential bombing targets.
Your magazine, which expresses the true
thoughts and feelings of ordinary people
everywhere, gives courage and inspira-
tion to all those in Western countries who
are disgusted--as I amwith the blatant
warmongering and hatred campaigns of
capitalist ,propaganda.
I like the items in "Czechosloz.'ak. Life"
so much that it is difficult to say which
I prefer, but I hope you will continue to
give us plenty of your magnificent photo-
graphs showing the new and happy life
of the Czechoslovak people, as these give
the lie to propaganda tales about "sla-
very" and "oppression" in your country.
It warms the heart to see the happiness
in the eyes of your working people who,
far from being "slaves", have at last found.
the meaning of true freedom: freedom
from poverty and want, from unemploy-
-nent and exploitation--freedom the wor-
hers in all lands would like to have if
only they were given the chance.
Let us have more photographs of the
outstanding workers of your country like
V. Svc,boda whose merry smile seems to
express the very spirit of life in the New
Democracies.
I wish the people of Czechoslovakia the
very best of luck in the building of their
country and. in the struggle for a lasting
peace.
Love and best wishes to you all.
SHEILA MacKELLOW,
Windy Ridge, Beacon Gardens, Crow-
borough, England.
ALERT TO DANGER
Sir,--Your magazine improves each
month. We enjoy the splendid pictures
showing the great progress made by your
young People's Government. With the
'Truman administration re-arming the Na-
zis in Germany, the mothers and fathers
of the I.J. S. A. will some day be grateful
that Czechoslovakia, Poland, Rumania,
Bulgaria, and Russia are alert to the
danger of a war to crush the People's De-
mocracies--a terrible atomic war plotted
by Adenauer, Churchill, Schuman, Gasperi
Franco, with the Pentagon master-
and
minding this crime against humanity.
Sullivan, Indiana, I1. S. A.
USE THE RIGHT WORD
Sir,-.I have read the April issue of
"Czechoslovak Life" and was very pleas-
ed with the article on "The Great Ad-
venture" written by James Miller Robin-
son. But I have one criticism, regarding
the use of the word "Native" in the cap-
tion under one of the photographs. This
term is used by the bourgeois and capit-
alist press to depict Africans as being in-
ferior to other races. Europeans are never
referred to as "natives". Either they are
English, French, Polish or Czech, etc.
I would therefore be grateful if you would
always use the term Africans as you did
several times in this feature.
OLUSOJI SMITH,
RENE\V SUBSCRIPTION S
Renew your annual "sub" for "Czecho-
slovak Life": six shillings or I dollar.
Subscriptions can be sent to any of the
agencies listed below or direct to our
editorial office.
Subscriptions may 1::
Cy at the following a(
Australia: c/o A. Kcesing, G. P. O. Box 4886,
Sydney, N. S. W.; or
c/o International Bookshop, 180, Exhibition
Street, Melbourne, C. I.;
Austria: c/o Globus, Buchvertrieb, Vienna :1,
Fleischmarkt 1;
Belgium: C/o AT
rue de I
Burma: c/o People's Literature [louse, No.
546, Merchant Street, P. 0. Box No. 709,
n; or
'eel, Letsegan, Mandalay;
Canada: c/o Progress Publishing Co., 738
Bathurst St., Toronto 4, Ont; or
c/o People's Co-op, Book. Store 337, W.
rider Street, Vancouver, 13. C.;
Ceylon: C/o .People's Publishing blouse, 85,
C'ott.a Road, Colombo;
China: c/o Guozi Shudian, I'. 0, Box 50, Pe-
c/o C'onnnercial Press Ltd., 211 llonan
Road, Shanghai;
Czechoslovakia: c/o "Czechoslovak Life",
Praha II, Opletalov:.i 5---'7;
Denmark: c/o Land og Folks Boghandel,
Bredgade 37, Copenhag,n K;
Germany: c/o Kohler and Volcknaar, Insel-
strasse. 20, Leipzig C. I;
Holland:
g tsus Lei(
41, Queens Road,
Hungary: c/o ''Kul tot
dapest VIII;
India: c/o People's Publishing house, Ltd.,
190---B, Khetw'adi Main Road, Bombay 4; or
c/o Current Book .[louse, Lotus Building,
ITornby Road, Bombay 1; or
c/o New Century Book [louse, 199, Mount
Road, Madras;
Indonesia: c/o "P0310S", Clerrteng Kali 6,
Surabaya;
Ireland: c/o New Books, 16, Pearse St., Du-
blin; or
Israel: c/o A. B. C. Booksellers and l:.ibrary,
Tel-.Aviv, Allenby Rd. '71;
New Zealand: c/o 'o-op Bookshop, Regent
Street, Christchurch;
Pakistan: c/o People's Publishing [louse, 3,
Nisbet Road, Lahore;
Sweden: c/o Arbc'tarkulturfarlag, K.ungsga-
tan 81,
l'urke.y: c/o Librairie Michelle, Succut'sale
de '1'urquie 469, Isiikial C'addesi, Beyoglu,
Istanbul:
United Kingdom: c/o Brilishs-
Friendship League, 20, .Pont
don, S. IV. 1.; or
c/o Collet'.s Subscription Dept., 40, Great
Russell Street, London, %V. C. 1.; or
c/o Central Books 1,1d. Subscription Dept.,
4, Parton Street, London, W. C. 1.;
United States: c/o Imported publications and
Products, 22 [East 1711, Street, New York 3,
N. Y.; or
c/o Progressi
Street, Los A
Vietnam: c'o lien Viet, Viet-Bac;
West Africa: c/o 'I'akar Publishing blouse,
12 1lughes Avenue, Yab i Nigeria;
All other countries remit direct to "Czecho-
slovak Life", Praha 11, Opletalova 5-.-7,
Czechoslovakia.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
Each year since 1919 more than
10,000 boys have elected Czechoslo-
vakia's proudest profession, mining.
Students train in two-year schools,
are then qualified miners and
immediately earn an adult wage.
F you don't study you'll go into the
mines! This was the way many mothers
admonished their sons in pre-war days.
At that time every miner's ambition was
to get out of the mines, or at least to see
that, his sons did not follow in his foot-
steps. Whether boys went into mining or
into other jobs, they went as unskilled
workers, with advancement; depending on
the slow process of picking up skill and
bits of knowledge by watching older
ens now study at the C.`ervenj7 llrideh
re Lord Iluncitnan met Ilenlein in 1939.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
Atter studying sul taco
the youngsters go do
workers. What this meant can be
seen from the fact that in 1934 ..more
than 80 per cent of all workers under
18 darned only 180 crowns a month
compared with the average wage of
800 crowns of an adult Ivor
Perhaps nothing is so much worth
celebrating this May day as the
change that has taken place in the
lives of such young people. And un-
questionably first place goes to the
right of every young person to a job
at an adult wage in the field of his
choice, and to training to equip him
for that joky. Since 1948 each industry
has given special care to the train-
ing of apprentices. Many have set, up
special schools, generally lasting fN o
. at which young people study.
live, work and play together, and
finally enter the industry with a
good general knowledge of the in-
dustrial process as well as a specialis-
ed skill.
These schools, originally establish-
ed by individual industries and run
intld up sound young bodies, by the separate factories or mines,
rly-asNailed day conies when And of course they dont go empty-handed. Here the instructor briets
to sr orlc for the first time, them on the miner's lamp, age-old badge of underground vt orkers.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
are now gradually being taken over
by the Ministry of Manpower, and
new ones will be established
dustries where they do not, exist.
This centralised direction will ensure
uniform practices and high educa-
tional standards in all industries.
First training centres to be affect-
ed by the new plan were in mining
and foundry work, as the need for
a permanent manpower supply in
these industries is essential to the
success of Czechoslovakia's industria-
lisation programme. Two import,,-ant
government decisions last year em-
bodied specific measures to step up
production in these vital branches.
They included in ruining, among
other things, a definite schedule for
the mechanisation and electrification
of the mines. the introduction of new
working methods and the securing of
20,500 additional permanent work-
ers. Therefore the training of young
miners has assumed a new import-
ance.
The new era for ruiners really
began in 1949 at Lany, the Presi-
dent's summer home, when Presi-
dent Gottwald launched the famous
annual Lamy campaign to recruit se-
condary school graduates for the
ruining profession. It was not an easy
task at that time to Overcome the
prejudices against mining inherited
from the old days, to convince young so the student must master many shills. Aiere the instructor guides a class in sv1
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80S01540R002200020007-4
Boys at this school in the Bohemian brown coal basin can follow man hobbies in
their free time. Model airplane building is popular. At some schools students fly real planes,
men and their parents that mining
is now not only an honourable and
well-paid occupation but a safe and
interesting profession with a future
before it. Yet in 1949---50 more than
11,600 boys volunteered for training;
in 1951 .the number rose to 12,263,
and in 1952 again more than 10,000
youngsters between 15 and 18 will
begin their mining education.
Training schools for miners are
established in connection with the
chief mining centres of Czechoslova-
kia. These centres combine three
aspects of education: a home where
the boys create their own community
life; a school. where they receive
technical training and continue their
general education, and a pit, where
they actually apply their training
under the guidance of expert in-
structors.
In most cases these homes are
newly-built, with all the comforts of
a modern apartfne.nt house (central
heating, showers, ample wardrobe
space), spotless kitchen and dining
room, and complete facilities for
sl:>ort, and recreation. The Julius Fu.-
cik home in Ostrava, for example,
has its own cinema, special rooms for
individual interest groups, a library,
complete gym, a smoking room,
buffet and barber's shop.
When a student enters one of these
schools (in recognition of their new
status these trainees are no longer
called apprentices but simply stu-
dents) he is issued a free, complete
outfit worth 11.000 crowns. This in-
cludes
a dress uniform, four shirts,
work
clothes, overalls, overcoat,
'sork
coat, gloves, cap, gym
outfit,
dress
shoes, works shoes,
gym
shoes,
tennis shoes, rubber
boots,
socks, handkerchiefs, a pair of pyja-
mas and a tie. Cost of training each
apprentice is 100,000 crowns. In
1950--51 the State paid over 2,000
million crowns for the establishment
and equipment of these training cen-
tres and for clothing for trainees.
One 800.000 crowns item was for ice
hockey equipment for Ostrava cen-
tres.
Boys spend approximately 24 hours
a week in classroom study and 24
hours in practical work. Subjects in
the classroom curriculum include
Czech, Russian, social sciences, ma-
thematics, chemistry, engineering,
technical drawing, specialised tech-
nology and geology. Metal-working,
bricklaying, practical electricity,
study of soil composition, how to
defeat gas, discussion of new working
methods, are all part of the course,
Below ground. three or four stu-
dents work as a team with one in-
structor. This is productive work, not
just practice, and the work. of the pit
is planned so that each team has a
job to do. Gradually they learn the
graphy. Students also visit the theatre and go on skiing trips and excursions together, whole coal face job including propp-
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80S01540R002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
Youth and Song! In (_;zechoslovalcia these tsco
Voids are inseparable. Every training centre
has its own chorus and instrumental group.
ing, packing, rail-laying, installing
coal chutes and conveyor belts and
the operation and servicing of mo-
dern machinery: pneumatic harnrn-
e.rs, coal-cutters and combines which
cut and load the coal mechanically.
Emphasis is placed on work
according to what is described as
"graph of work cycles'", which are
being instituted in all mines as part
of the government decision on coal
production mentioned previously.
This may sound complicated but it
simply means that all work on a
given coal face----mining, propping,
packing and turning-aver rails---is
completed in one day. There are no
odds and ends left over for the next
shift to finish before it starts cutting.
With the growing mechanisation
of mining, the miner's job is less and
less one of exhausting physical
labour and more one of brain work.
The industry needs new workers
who can cope with the new techni-
ques, and the training of future
miners tends towards specialisation.
Graduates are experts in operating
certain types of machines and may
qualify for still more advanced
schools. Students are paid for their
work in the mines at the regular rate
for the type of work they do. This
money usually goes into a savings
account against a future motorcycle,
for the youngsters have no expenses
at school and receive pocket-money
into the bargain.
Graduates are guaranteed work at,
an adult wage and agree to remain
in the industry for at least three
years. While the new manpower is
allocated by the Ministry of Alan-
power, the trade unions are charged
with responsibility for these young
miners when they go to work and for
seeing that they are assigned to the
jobs for which they were trained and
not to less-skilled positions. They
must also ensure that their education
continues, that, they are suitably
billetted and that if they marry,
flats are found for them.
The best advertisement for the
mining profession are the satisfied
parents of boys who have elected to
go into the mines. Not many mothers
can boast, like Mrs. Zdenka Kumha-
lova of 'ova Ves, that their fourth
son has just followed his brothers
into training for the mines. But tens
of thousands of parents have watch-
ed skimpy fifteen-year--olds grow
into healthy, muscular 18-years-olds,
fully-qualified, proud of their work
and sure of their futt.rre, and mothers
today warn their sons: `You'll have
to study if you want to go into the
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
al
Over three hien.d red thousand
children killed in Korea; half
the world's population still
undernourished,; millions dead
front famine: these were only
a few of the startling facts pre-
sented to the International
Conference in Defence of C:h.il-
dren held recently in Vienna.
Millions of children, in the
capitalist world are still heng-
r?t, hopeless and illiterate,
Orphans from, the last mar-----
1,300,000 in France and eight
million in Germany --are still
wit hint care in lands where
preparations for another war
are already fur advanced. Al-
most every delegate, excepting
those from the Soviet Union
and the People's Democracies,
reported a shortage of schools,
teachers, materials and books.
And the 537 health experts,
teachers, and scientists from
the fig countries who c
the conference were con
that these things can be remedi-
ed--bat only if the money now
spent on war preparations is
devoted to the welfare of the
little ones. Western delegates
in particular were shocked to
Mote the disparity between even
the limited services for the
health and protection of child-
ren in the major capitalist
countries compared with the
virtual absence of such, facilities
for millions of children in co-
lonial and dependent countries.
Most optimistic and construe-
live reports cane from the So-
niet Union, China and the
People's Democracies. They
were able to record increasing
allocations for the health and
protection of their children ac-
c:onzpaused by rising health
standards. Conference conden.-
ned child labour, urged better
educational and health facilities
for all children with improved
opportunities for employment
for youth under proper cortdi-
tions. All forms of bacterial
warfare were also condemned,
delegates having earlier listen-
ed with horror and conderana-
tion to eye-witness reports
from Korea where the Ameri-
can forces and their allies have
practised this cruel form of
icar,
"11\TEN A RESUIVIP''ION of normal international trade relations Czecho-
_L slovakia could, within the next two or three years, have a trade turn-
over with private enterprise countries valued at 40,000 to 60,000 million crowns
per annum while maintaining and expanding our trade with the Soviet Union
and the People's Democracies. Czechoslovakia is both ready and willing to
renew her trade contacts on the former scale with a whole range of coun-
tries and to promote these contacts for the benefit of both sides. 'T'his is pos-
sible because the whole of our production and economy is developing rapidly
according to plan. is free from crises and because we can conclude long-
term agreements regarding specific categories of goods thus ensuring steady
supplies for the contracting party.
These were a few of the hard facts which emerged at the recent Interna-
tional Economic Conference in Moscow attended by 471 delegates from 49
countries. including Czechoslovakia. The object of the conference was to seek
possibilities of restoring and developing normal economic relations between
countries irrespective of their differing economic or political systems. Politic-
al problems, as such, were riot discussed. Conference discussions proved that
the object of the conference was both desirable and capable of realisation,
given goodwill from the West and trading relations on the basis of absolute
equality and of mutual advantage. The abnormal state of international re-
lations arising from the economic discrimination, exercised by certain coun-
tries against the Soviet Union and the People's Democracies, was universally
recognised especially the harm done to the economies of those countries
which had resorted to this discrimination. This had resulted in a consider-
able fall in international trade despite the earnest and continuous desire of
Czechoslovakia, among other countries, to maintain and increase such trade.
Provided we receive in exchange the goods in which we also are interest-
ed we could, within the next two or three years, export goods to private enter-
prise countries valued at 25,000 million crowns per annum. These could in-
clude: engines, industrial plant; and equipment, building and agricultural
machinery, instruments and automobiles. rolled material and castings, coke,
brown and black coal, chemical raw materials and products, textiles and
footwear, technical and flat glass, paper, timber, plywood, cellulose, matches,
hops, mak sugar, agricultural produce and food. This list is far from being
exhaustive. 1952-53 could see a 10 million pound trade agreement with Britain
provided Britain is prepared to play b:=ail. Only a few of the things we could
export in return to Britain include food, glass, wood pulp, timber for housing.
furniture and a wide range of industrial ceramics.
Our experience with the countries of South and South-East Asia, Africa
and Latin America in particular show that it is possible to co-operate with
satisfaction to both sides. Prior, and since the war, we delivered to India, for
instance, complete installations for sugar factories, mills, motors, Diesel engines
and various consumer goods and obtained ,jute. raw cotton, hides, coffee etc.
in return, Similar experiences could be quoted following our trading relations
with Argentine, Pakistan. Iran, Turkey, Egypt; Brazil, Mexico, and other coun-
tries, showing how Czechoslovak industries have contributed materially to the
economic expansion of these countries. For this we stress: we fully recognize
the right of these countries--- as we do of our own--to develop their own
industries, to utilise the resources of their lands and to dispose of them as
they will without interference from anyone. In this development we are pre-
pared to assist by supplying the necessary machinery and i installations. Our
aim is not capital exploitation. We wish only to contribute on a basis of
equality without political or other conditions apart from the normal ones
of trade. And we emphasize that this is no new venture for us. We have a
wealth of valuable experience in such tr. ading and production. For instance,
we are now building in Argentina the world's largest distillery. Czechoslo-
vakia there fore is ready to contribute in the widest measure to the develop-
ment of peaceful economic trading with all countries of the world. This is
not only good business but good sense. But we feel bound to add that should
the recent economic discrimination exercised against us by certain countries
continue we shall proceed triumphantly to surmount it in the future as
we have done up to the present. Necessity has indeed been the mother of
successful invention with us these last few years and the newly-awakening
continents, freed from economic inhibitions and alien political controls, to-
day beckon a welcoming finger to the commercial representatives of our people
and our land. And no one can be surprised if we heed them.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
One of our )lay Day "Peace .. , the baptismal
posters, expressive of name of the 20th cen-
the I)evv, happy and tury," said V. Hugo,
confident life being hose 150th birthday was
lived by our people. celebrated in Prague.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
Cepties to our December ctuestioi mire .still filter
through to us from varioims parts of the world. Printed
postcards and lengthy letters reseal the sustained
interest and affection which link oar readers to oar-
selres in lands of warping clone. Though Csechoslooak'
I ife" is published in h'aglish, our readers are to be
FINE SI11I'I_,E QUESTIONS posed on our readers'
questionnaire brought hundreds of replies from all
parts of the world. We asked our readers what best and
what least they liked in "Czechoslovak Life" and why;
were they able to use the magazine to promote peace;
how many people saw their copies and what. subjects, in
their opinion, ought we to cover in
The replies received were astonis
and scope, in the detailed sugges
Czechoslovak people who are now I
it is significant that our re
world, are profoundly interet
wish to learn precisely how
realising in practice the cre;
order in which poverty, ignor
eliminated forever through, the
issuing numbers.
their variety
they embodied
ed towards the
Socialism.
oval
ar shall be
found in nuray countries c
Iowa to Indonesia, Aucktaa
to Stockton, Calcutta to Cc
pore, Kalamazoo to Kiddi
Peking eounltess people
j'rienda'hip for C -ec'hosto
express thi
p, Seattle 10 Singa-
Iinked in a chain of
which, as the replies
the globe. These clearly
s C--echostocakia
at the same time,
life 'f'or her people,
people. "Tell us how you do this, how you control that,
what changes ensue and what effect it has on those who
achieve it?" 'rese are the dominant themes expressed in
almost every communication we receive.
Positive suggestions are included with almost every
aiding and encouraging us to improve our work on
this magazine in order to better our presentation of the
manifold facets of our developing democracy. Short,
fashion and articles describing religious observances
appear to be the only controversial subjects which spur
our well-intentioned readers to splash the invigorating
ink of criticism over their otherwise agreeable pages.
should like another couple of pages of fashions,"
s Miss Iiot,hery of Wallasey, England. But Mr. E
r, Chadwell Heath, England, expressed his distaste
in terms so succint and definitive as to permit little
further discussion on the subject. "I am a male," he said,
laying us low with a single blow.
Mr. Murphy, Birmingham, England, thinks the space
devoted to religious subjects could be much better used
while Mr. Sharp, Harrow, England---a minister of reli-
gion----likes them. "I realise the necessity of knowing
how my neighbour lives," he writes. Support comes from
,:t correspondent in Vancouver, Canada, who says such
articles "expose the untruth that churches are outlawed
and Christianity prohibited" in Czechoslovakia. Mr. M.
Young of California, U. S. A. wants more articles like
"Priests' World Peace Appeal," published last December.
The newsreel could be longer, suggests Mr. J. Mawson,
Denholnmre, England. Articles on places of historical in-
terest are desired by J. F. Macfarlane, Glasgow, Scot-
land, while short biographies of leading personalities are
favoured, by W. J. Hughes. Bebington, England. From
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, U. S. A., Joseph Buresh, a printer,
compliments us on a "neat piece of (printer's) art" and
Eleanor Percival, Melford, England, thinks the magazine
is "well-balanced, beautifully illustrated and attractive
to simple and sophisticated alike."
The absence of "sensations and militarism" is approved
by P. Varenius of Stockholm, while a magazine "cleans-
ed of eroticism and decadence" is also liked by E. C.
Chancellor, Sevenoaks, England and by J. Johnson,
Bishop Auckland, England, who says that "Czechoslovak
Life" is like a "breath of fresh air after the foul air of
the contemporaries" on sale in his country. "A breath of
sanity" is the verdict of E. Hopkins, London, E. 6., while
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
J. Hope, a reader from Bristol, England, likes us because
we write about the "life of ordinary people, people who
really matter and not about a lot of insipid dummies and
unfortunate freaks."
Regrettably this opinion is not shared by Miss B.
Thornton, 29, Lees Rd., Hillingdon. Middx., England. She
reluctantly concedes that "there is some basis of truth in
the articles but those working people's flats seem to be
a put-up job; all the women look dowdy and very colour-
less ... Don't your young boys ever wear ties, scruffy
little urchins ..." Miss Thornton also assures us that the
articles she likes least include 4' ... anything purporting
to be a peaceloving organisation." A different appraisal
of the magazine however comes from F. Siezak, Berwyn,
Illinois, U. S. A. who thinks the magazine should be.
"three times larger" and who says he "could use around
50 copies" of it.
Mr. Thos. Bisset, Glasgow, Scotland. says "Czechoslo-
vak Life" helps promote peace. He distributes it, among
the shop stewards "so that they can put the real facts
before their meetings". Others, including M. R. C. Smith,
Auckland, New Zealand, (a Z,itopek fan) says it helps
enormously to "expose the lies about your country which
are fed to us daily in the capitalist press and over the
radio". Mr. D. A. Lamb, jn:r., Canton, Cardiff finds it
provides useful facts for him when debating on life in
Czechoslovakia. Mr. Murray I:)oord, Golder's Green. Lori-
don, England, says it, helps him also in his struggle for
world peace. Nor can we remain unmoved before the
poignant cry from the warden of a Youth Hostel in
Yorkshire, England, who tells us he has riot: "the freedom
to propagate peace openly within the movement. In spite
of that, I do much work and your magazine helps
greatly". Perhaps even more moving is the reply, enclos-
ing two dollars to renew his subscription, from a man
in Vernon, Pa., U. S. A. who requests that we do not, use
his name in connection with his heartwarming message
because this "may lead to my persecr.rtiorr".
Such messages make: us ever more conscious of our
duty---and privilege---to help every sincere man and
woman to strengthen the fraternal desires which unite
us despite a physical separation of perhaps thousands of
miles. By getting to know each other better, even inti-
mately, we jointly recognise how little separates us and
how much unites us. Never before have we felt so closely
united to our readers as now. From all parts of the world
their letters come to sustain us, to inspire and encourage
us to continue in what we believe to be a useful service
for our readers: the propagation of the truth about our
people, our country and about peace. Armed with that
we are all better accoutred to withstand the shafts of
malice and distortion unloosed by the enemies of peace.-
ful mankind in order to disarm us both mentally and
morally before plunging us all into bloody conflict for
purposes which none of us will ever support: the aims
of capitalism.
That is why we welcome the practical suggestions
advanced by our readers to improve our work on their
behalf. For instance, Mr. A. Wollin. Tel-Aviv, Israel,
wants more articles on "living standards and your up-
ward trend for all and on the personal freedom enjoyed
by all law-abiding citizens compared with the "free
Western world". Mr. Wollin also uses `Czechoslovak
I _:r e pictures as a wall-gazette. ";for home-use and
clubs". Dr. A. Blurne.r. Amsterdarn. Holland. wants to
hear more about Czechoslovak science, the struggle
against cancer. infantile paralysis, plastic surgery for the
masses and rheurnrtism, Rubicund Mrs. R. Aubrey. Ga--
balfa, Cardiff, Wales, a former nurse who suffers from
rheumatism, also wants to let her Women's Co-operative
Guild know how Czechoslovakia deals wit hi this, with
the use of physio-therapy, the provision of clinics and
the cost of treatment. We can answer the latter question
immediately. Treatment costs no patient a single penny
over the arnourrt deducted monthly for National Insu-
rance which covers practically everything of this nature.
Other suggestions for articles, covering almost every
sphere of life in Czechoslovakia, include agricult
building, education. Sonic readers want to hear, more
about the youth and their camps, others about health.
One asks to know snore about our waiters, another about,
our bakers. about our cookery and our views regarding
capital punishrncnt. Conscious of the unique relationship
existing between Us. without which our work would be
infinitely less fruitful, we shall, as in the past. strive our
utmost to satisfy our readers' desires. We also thank our
readers for the care they have displayed in sending to us
their detailed criticisms and suggestions. We gladly
assure them that: their trust in us is not misplaced. We
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
Poiarography is an analytical method used to detect and determine
substances in solutions. Professor J. lleyrovsky, its modest and genial
inventor who is pictured on the right, first discovered it in 1922, This
method is now used in virtually every industry and chemical laboratory
in the world. But lleyrovsky-with the fine modesty of genius-is con-
vinced that without his pupils there would have been no polarography.
TIIE NATURAL, SCIENCES, espe-
cially mathematics and physics,
were the favourite subjects of youth-
ful Jaroslav IIcyrovsky who, today,
is known throughout the world as the
inventor of polarography. Perhaps in
no other field of science do the
names of Czechoslovak scientists
appear so often as in this one. Se-
veral years of investigation of the
surface tension of mercury by Pro-
fessor Heyrovsky were crowned by
his final success. the invention of
polarograph,y, for which he became
a State Prize Winner, During these
investigations a dropping mercury
electrode, first applied by his
to ac he.r, Bolrurnil Kucc ra, Professor
of Experimental Physics at the tlni-
versit:,y of Prague. was used. This
electrode, consisting of a capillary
glass tubing out of which mercury
drops fall in intervals of two to three
seconds, has the advantage of its sur-
face being rene\ved repeatedly. Hey-
rovsky found that when a solution of
salt, acid or base is electrolysed- _
using a dropping mercury electrode
to investigate the dependence of
current on applied voltage the re-
sulting characteristic curves can be
recorded graphically. The genius of
I-Ieyrovsky may be seen particularly
in his immediate. realisation of the
great importance of these curves for.
scientific research as well as for their
practical application. Since then he
has devoted his utmost attention par-
ticularly to these curves.
To comprehend the principles of
polarography more easily, let us first
consider the decomposition of a solu-
tion by means of electric current.
known as electrolysis. The necessary
device is quite simple, consisting of
end of polarographic analysis is this. The solution to be
analysed enters the polarographic vessel above a mercury
layer used as one of the electrodes. The dropping mercury
electrode is then submerged into the solution aahereupon the
process begins. A curve from which the quantity and quality
of substances contained in the solution may easily be deter-
mined, is automatically recorded by the instrument. The
discovery meant a complete revolution in analytical che-
mistry, opening new possibilities for physio-chemical re-
search. It is now keenly studied throughout the world.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007 -4
oxygen and hydrogen observable on submerged
electrolysing a Nvealc solution of sulphuric arid,
two electrodes made gal sn :
n0nl sheets connected to an
lator and submerged into a solutio
containing salt, acid or base, Whei
for- example, the electrodes, are sub-
merged into a weak solution of sul-
phuric acid, a vigorous developrnent
of oxygen and hydrogen may be seen
surface of the solution immediately
nected to the electrodes, "1:'ht
ment can be repeated, u
give electrode in th,
wire and Srihniergi
seers that when
Lion and b
tact. When the
to approximately
vessel
plest
is being deposited on the surface of
the electrode. 'these experiment
have s1rawn that the i lectrolyt1Ci
process is accompanied by 4a
electric current flowing through
a certain voltage has been
reached. That no current can be
nie:asau-ed at a lower voltage is ex-
plained by the existence of an oppos
ing voltage called polarisation on the
shall electrode which acts in tha
opposite direction to that of
accumulator battery, Should the ex-
t be repeated, using the samw
electrolytical
if but with the applicatir
the electrode has been changed by
the deposition of metal. Tc
orld's first polarograph reduced the time I
e curve from five hours down to five
'y for the completion of a polaro-
es-.-a great saving for industry.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15 :
cyrovsky's methods
Prague, and made there
?vn in their eounlries.
the same results it would therefore
be necessary carefully to clean the
small electrode before every experi-
ment. Consequently. Professor Hey-
rovskj' has used the dropping mer-
cury electrode, the surface of which
remains the same, being renewed
with every drop of mercury. As a
Beam retleeted by mirror of the galvano-
meter records the curve photographically.
second (non polarisable) electrode, a
layer of mercury at the bottom of the
electrolysis cell was used. When
electrolysing various substances with
the use of this electrode, Prof'..Hev-
rovsky discovered that the depend-
ence of current on applied voltage
forms a curve, the so-called polaro-
graphic wave, by means of which
both the nature and quantity of the
substance contained in the solution
can be determined. Thus the. polaro-
graphic method was born. This in--
genious method of chemical analysis
was, however, not suitable for practi-
application immediately because
eats are made annual),
r product of'TOS Vrsovi
necessary to apply the various volt,-
ages to the cell manually and to
measure every current separately to
obtain the current-voltage curve.
Despite these difficulties Professor
yrovsky continued his research to
d a method which would make it
possible to record the electroly
process quickly and thus invented
the first polarograph in 1924. By
mechanisation and by automatic re-
cording on photographic paper, the
time Accessary for the completion of
such a curve was reduced from five
hours to five minutes. By rotating a
drurn with resistance wire the volt-
age is slowly increased and, sir-null -,
Yolaragraphs are now manufactured in series.
National Corporation, exported all over the world.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy
neously-, a cylinder, carrying a roll
of photographic paper, is being rotat-
ed in a light tight. housing. A ver.y,
thin beam of light is being projected
on to the mirror of the galvanometer,
by means of vvrhUh, the current is
measured, from whence it is reflect-
ed to the moving photographic paper.
the result of which
record called a pol
Almost every
inents were rnade
ments are now ma
of ographic
e instru-
rie s, The speed of the process no less
than the accuracy of the analysis has
made the inventor of polarography
famous throughout the world, This
method enables the detection and de-
termination of various substances
even in cases where usual methods
fail completely, and the analysis can
be completed and even several cur-
ves be recorded within 30 nwiim.rt.es
instead of the hours and sometimes
days necessary when using the. old
methods. Everyone re discs the value
of tin-ie in industry; that is why the
polarograph is valued so highly
wherever it is used,
Polarography has today become a
separate field in science in which
there are more than three thousand
papers in eighteen languages and 13
books published in all world lan-
guages which deal with it. Special
lectures are also devoted to it in
various universities. It is to Professor
Ieyrovskv, together with his pupils
roam lv Professors Brdicka and
Itkovic to whom we are indebted
for the fundaniental development of
the theoretical principles of polaro-
gr'aphy. After Professor Ilcyrovsky.
became Ordinarius Professor ofPhy-
sical Chemistry at Charles University
pproved for Release 2012/05/1
Prague, scientists from many
visited him to study his
nethods. Some years ago, Pro-
s Shikata, Sernerano and Kolt-
visited Professor lleyrovsl~v's
ratest type mieropoiarograph, features up-
to-date equipment Suitable for quick analysis.
Institute in Prague and. as a result,
important: polarographiccentres have
been founded in Japan, Italy and
North America. Following the com-
pletion of her studies in Prague, a
Soviet student, Varasova, returned
to Leningrad and, by translating
Professor Ileyrovsky's book on pola-
rography in 1937, made known his
methods in the U. S. S. K. Professor
Ileyrovsky's lectures in the U. S.
during 1933, as well as those deliver-
ed in U S. S. R. at the 1934 centenary
celebrations of the great Soviet,
scientist, Mendeleyev, followed by
lectures in Great Britain, Sweden
and I)emmnark after 1945, represent a
considerable contribution to the de-
veloplnent of the polarographic me-
thod. Professor hleyrovsky is fortu-
nate in having devoted pupils and
co-workers to whom he, in turn, is
devoted. Ile follows their problems
as eagerly as his own. It is also re-
puted that when their work is pu-
blished, his name rarely appears on
the papers but when it, does appear
considerably more than fifty per
cent of the. work has been carried
out by the professor himself. This
close attachment between Prof. Hey-
rovskv and his pupils has proved to
be most fruitful for polarography bc-
cause his numerous and enthusiastic
students have spread a knowledge
of it throughout; the world.
I'holos i,ti emn tesv of, I
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
I' his IoIk -song a ucl dance gIoo1) of Siovalc Pioneers %N a,,, created in 1919
by the director (it' the elementary school in hiptovske Sliace to help keep
alive souxe of, he Host vivid yolk art in the country. In 1950 it won tb
district, regional. Slovak, and linalty the national youth competition.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
Liptovske Sliace is typical of the many Slo-
vak villages which are rich in natural artistic
talent, and today folk-art groups are sl
ing up everywhere sahich draw from these
wells of creativeness to preserve the best in
Czechoslovak national traditions and build on
their Inundations. These groups meet with a
ready response from the working people.
t'he Sliale Pioneers have found patrons in
the factory club of a cotton mill, and the
factory recently published a three-page
article about the youngsters' activities, sug-
gesting that the workers might put in a few
extra hours at the machines to help the
group financially, The hand-embroidered co-
stumes they use are worth 160,00(1 crowns.
10-year-old .Marta fllndrejkova (right) and
friend still enjoy watching the boys rehearse
though they've seen it often. It's training
that helps create poise and sell-confidence.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
ys they chased me, but they didn't catch one." ('amour
about outlavts wbo robbed from the rieh to help the poor.
3-year-old Blaiena Fri7?ova is on hand to show off her costume, typical
of the imaginative a':oIourluI creativ mess of central Slovakia. The 50-member
group took part last year in the Strdi ,,nice folk festival and performed
for nearly a week to delighted audiences in the Prague Amy 'T'heatre.
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
1Z[4CIl()SLOVAKIA'S industrial
production is soaring. Iron and
steel, chemicals, machine-tools and
power equipment, tractors and har-
vesting machines, textiles and foot-
wear, books and gramophones; these
and an infinite number of other pro-
ducts have been pouring from our
factories in ever greater quantities.
Having exceeded pre-war output by
about, two thirds last year, Czecho-
slovakia's industry is scheduled to
raise production by another 21 per
cent in 1952 .and to double its 1948
output by the end of next year.
Such a rapid rate of development
naturally poses a crucial problem:
how to secure the. necessary raw ma-
terials to cover not only the current.
plan of production but. also further
increases of industrial output in
future years. The basic answer to
this problem lies of course in a rapid
development; of indigenous raw-rna-
terial resources. In the past: it, had
been usually assumed that Czecho-
slovakia, apart from coal, timber and
china-clay, had no substantial raw-
material resources of her own.
In particular it was held that the
development of the heavy industries,
the very industries whose output is
to increase most under the Five-
Year Plan, was hampered by a
dearth of basic minerals and ores
produced from domestic resources. In
retrospect it. seems surprising that
this view should ever have gained
currency not only abroad but also, it
must be adnritted, within Czechosl. s
vakia. It is surprising because even
a slight knowledge of the economic
history of this country reveals that
the mining of ores and minerals was
one of the most important of all
economic activities in the past.
From the Middle Ages onwards.
Bohemia and Slovakia gained fame
for their wealth of precious and
other metals. They were, in fact,
among the earliest important centres
of the raining industry. For centuries
the iron ore mines supplied the Czech
and Slovak foundries which were
known throughout Europe. With the
later development of capitalism this
mining industry declined. The cause
of this decline was, however, not to
be found, as was usually assur
but, rather in the fact that,
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
unprofitable
conceptions held by cap
as iron ores were cancel
that. Czechoslovak ores
'['his.
expel
n be used very sum
fully if subjected to modern pro(
tho
used in 0111? foundrir
dies s of the fact that the
of the Soviet Union and,
matter also of some capital.-
revised Five-
Czechoslovakia has
blocs to these and similaur antiquat
views and considerations. It provides
for a striking increase in the output
of iron ore. Six disused mines will
resume production, sixteen others
will be expanded and four new
nines will be constructed, By 1955
seventeen new processing plants will
be in operation and Czechoslovakia
will take its pla'~'e among' the fore-
most producers of iron ore in Europe.
The case of iron ore is only one
example, Pyrites, one of the most
inrportant raw-materials for the che-
mical industries, provides another,
until recently Czechoslovakia'
s of pyrites were covered
almost, exclusively by imports. A
geological survey carried out not
long ago showed however that
are sufficien
ovalia's rapidly
growing clrernrical industry
the pyrites- -higlrgrade lay
needs.
In this
People's Democracy
l;ia is already reaping
for the tremendous care i
on the development of scienc
scientific research. The State Geolo-
gical Institute, for instance, today
more than ten time
ny geologists as were employed
aother important element in Ill
velopment of our domestic
material resources call be found
the fact that it is no longer ham
pored by foreign monopoly interests.
1\'Ionopoly groups like the "Societe
l\'liniere de C.inabre" %vhic
the war, controlled our mer
mines, or the "Antimony Srneltin
Co." or the Swiss groups who had
firm grip both on the copper-or
mines and on the copper refine)
of Czechoslovakia, were often not,
all interested in developing produc-
tion but, on the contrary, in its re-
striction and even discontinuation.
The most striking instance of this is
probably that of the Vacuum Oil
Company. This oil trust, having
gained concessions, made successful
borings in our country, It then pro-
ceeded promptly to have the borings
filled with concrete--this being the
beginning and the end of its "pro-
duction activity" in Czechoslovakia.
"Influences" of this kind no longer
operating in our country, it is hardly
surprising that the production of
mineral oil has made considerable
strides. Output, in 1953 is planned at
three times the level of 1950.
The development of synthetic raw-
materials is another important; means
of solving the problem of raw ma-
terials, For instance, the Five--Year
Plan provides for fhe production of
plastics on such a scale that a
as 8,000 tons of non-ferrous metals,
15,0011 tons of iron and about 2,000
tons of hides and rubber will be
rnsion
material productic
course, mean that C
or, for that, matter desires, to achieve
"autarchy". Foreign trade will in the
future, remain .in important; elc~-
nlent iii satisfying the country's
growing requirements for raw ma-
terials. Linder the. five-year trade
t, concluded between Cv zechoslo-
ia and the U. S. S. Ii, in 1.950,
Czechoslovakia imports vast quanti-
ties of such raw materials as iron
ore, non-ferrous metals, oil and oil
derivates. raw materials for the che-
mical industries, as well as textile
fibres anc:l many other commodities.
Under the recently concluded a:,r.ee-
lnent for the current year the im-
port: of raw materials frorrr the So-
viet Union exceeds considerably the
volume imported last year. Sirnilar-
Iy, Czechoslovakia irnports many
important raw materials in great
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/15: CIA-RDP80SO154OR002200020007-4
quantities under, the lore-ternr trade
argrcements with the People's I)erno-
cr,acics and the Chinese People's
RcpubliC.
As far as capitalist. countries Lire
concerned. the volr_rrne of Czechoslo-
vakia's raw-material imports has. in
recent years, remained below the
level of what is possible and desir-
able. But this tact stems from no
willingness of Czechoslovakia '.o
exclude those countries from her
foreign trade but sterns rather iron
the abnormal state of' world trade,
caused by the Arne rican policy of
economic discrimination. Czechoslo-
vakia's desire to expand her trade
with all countries and to participate
in genuine international economic
co-operation has frequently been
manifest. In particular it has been
expressed in the rnost specific terms
at the recent International Economic
Con ferencc in Moscow. Raw rnate-
rials are one of the many
which Czechoslovakia offered tc
irrrpcrrt from any country willing to
enter, into rnutr~ally advantageous
conmerc.ial relationships. Thus the
expandbig ra\v-rnateri