Industrial Research 



215 



tion, anaong other things, of scientific research. An 

 example of its activity is an exhaustive study of the 

 strength of naaterials required for high tension electric 

 lines and high pressure turbines. Such researches also 

 lead to more fundamental investigations into the prop- 

 erties of matter. 



In the Council of Peoples' Commissars, Commissar- 

 iats ha\-ing most to do with research are those of educa- 

 tion, which is concerned with schools, universities, and 

 science schools together with their laboratories; of 

 health, which has direction over hospitals and medical 

 research institutes; and those of the several industries. 



The Commissariats of the industries are particularly 

 concerned with research through their control of techni- 

 cal traimng colleges, the various research institutes in 

 fields of pure science, the numerous industrial research 

 institutes, and the factories and their laboratories. 



Most of the fundamental research in the So\-iet is 

 conducted in research institutes such as the Physico- 

 Technical Institute of Leningrad, the Institute of Chem- 

 ical Physics of Leningrad, the Optical Institute of Len- 

 ingrad, the Karpov Institute of Physical Chemistry, 

 the Physico-Technical Institutes of Kharkov and of 

 Dniepropetrovsk. Research in these institutes is con- 

 cerned with the fundamental principles of the physical 

 sciences underhnng the technique of industrial processes. 



Mam' of the Commissariats of the industries have 

 their own industrial research institutes for carrying on 

 research in the entire field of the industry concerned, 

 such as oil, coal, m'trogen, shipbuilding, ferrous metals, 

 nonferrous metals, chemicals, foods, textiles, and leather. 

 In addition, several Commissariats have research sta- 

 tions or experimental plants for conducting research, 

 including new processes, in the plant itself. 



Fields of industry in which notable progress is claimed 

 to have been made include aliuninmn from ahmite and 

 nepheline, phosphates from apatite in the Kola penin- 

 sula, potash, sodiima salts at Karabugaz near the Cas- 

 pian Sea, hydroelectric developments, high tension 

 electric power transmission, automobiles and tractors, 

 airplanes, gold mining machinery and technology, phar- 

 macy, photography, rubber, metallurgy, milling and 

 baking, sugar, subtropical products. 



The Russian Academy of Sciences was founded by 

 Peter the Great about 1724-25. There was no great 

 change in its working organization until about 10 years 

 after the revolution. Upon inauguration of the First 

 Five-Year Plan the Academy was reorganized to advise 

 on the many scientific problems arising from the changes 

 in creating the new form of social life, and the remnants 

 of the Czarist days were destroyed. Now its principal 

 function is to coordinate the scientific activities of all 

 the Commissariats as related to the planned economy of 

 the Soviet. The Academy runs numerous laboratories 



engaged principally in long term research, and has plans 

 for the erection of many new ones. Among the labora- 

 tories under its direction are the Biological Institute, 

 the Institute of Human Biology and Medicine, and the 

 Physical Institute. 



Two of the best features in Russian research are the 

 many research institutes which have been built, and as 

 previously pointed out, the coordination and planning 

 among all the agencies engaged in research, but the 

 effectiveness of all this is a question upon which infor- 

 mation is lacking. 



Research in China 



A movement for national science in China began 

 about 1925. Since the occupation of a large part of the 

 coimtry by Japan, however, research has suffered a se- 

 vere blow. Most of the capable scientific and technical 

 men have had to devote their energies to other tasks. 



The development of small industrial units in the 

 interior of China, which has commenced since the 

 Japanese occupation, is not conducive to research, con- 

 sequently the Government and the universities are 

 doing most of it. Nevertheless, in the remote western 

 part, many scientists and engineers trained in the 

 United States are engaged in development of unit opera- 

 tions as short cuts to industrial processes on a small and 

 decentralized scale. In the Government the Depart- 

 ment of Industrial Research was doing important work 

 at Nanking in 1937, since when activities have been 

 transferred to the interior. Metallurgy and motor fuel 

 substitutes have been important subjects of investiga- 

 tion. 



The Chinese universities are doing considerable work 

 in applied fields and some in fundamental fields where 

 objectives are expected to be obtained reasonably soon 

 and benefiting industries such as leather, paints, and 

 ceramics. The University of Peiping is mentioned in 

 this respect. 



Several technical and trade associations in China 

 have been active, among them the Cliina Pharmaceuti- 

 cal Society, the China Textile Institute, the National 

 Medical and Pharmaceutical Association, the Chinese 

 Chemical Society (which publishes a journal), and the 

 Chinese Society of Chemical Industry (also publishes a 

 journal). It is reported that the engineering societies 

 in China have lapsed. Among these were the Chinese 

 Institute of Mining and Metallurgy and the Chinese 

 Engineering Society. 



The National Academy of China was founded in 1928 

 for prosecuting scientific research and promoting and 

 coordinating programs in the country. It has estab- 

 lished nine institutes for the following branches of 

 science: Astronomy, meteorology, geology, chemistrj', 

 engineering, psj'chology, history, and philology, and the 



