322 



SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. LI. No. 1317 



THE SITUATION OF SCIENTIFIC MEN IN 

 RUSSIA 



To THE Editor of Science: The informa- 

 tion about Professor Pavlov conveyed in a 

 letter to Science (March 12) is somewhat 

 puzzling in its purport. It is customary to 

 make announcement of events which actually 

 occurred; as for instance birth, deaths, mar- 

 riages, etc. It would be a most unique pro- 

 cedure to treat the public to news items like 

 these: so-and-so has not yet been born, has 

 not yet died, married, got an increase in 

 salary. "Why then this item that on a certain 

 date A.D. Professor Pavlov was not yet dead? 



It seems likely, therefore, that the only ob- 

 ject of the note was to give publicity to a 

 quotation from a letter of Pavlov to some 

 other party to the effect that he was starving 

 and instead of engaging in scientific pursuits 

 was occupied in peeling potatoes. Now, this 

 alleged quotation bears earmarks of a spuri- 

 ous nature. It undoubtedly belongs to that 

 class of hoaxes which the daily press has been 

 imposing upon its innocent readers with an 

 invidious design. It is impossible to recon- 

 cile the two statements in the quotation, that 

 Professor Pavlov is starving, and that he has 

 so many potatoes to peel as to be obliged on 

 that account to forsake his science. Even one 

 not versed in the theory of nutrition would be 

 skeptical about the probability of starvation 

 in the midst of plenty of potatoes. (Consult 

 Hinhede on the nutritional value of the 

 potato.) 



Like all statements intended primarily to 

 force public opinion into a preformed mould, 

 it is not what is actually said but what is in- 

 directly implied that really matters. The 

 quotation from Pavlov's letter is obviously 

 calculated to rouse in us indignation over the 

 sufferings of the distinguished physiologist. 

 But does it not also insinuate a suggestion 

 that the genius which was the man's great 

 asset under the benign and enlightened gov- 

 ernment of the Czar of all the Eussians has 

 under the new regime become a crushing lia- 

 bility on him? So, ere we are moved to deep 

 pity over Pavlov's unfortunate lot, let us re- 



flect if with our well-meant sympathy we may 

 not cause him more distress than comfort. 



It so happens that I have some news of 

 another venerable savant. Professor Timi- 

 riazev, distinguished botanist of the Uni- 

 versity of Moskow, an Sc.D. of Canibridge, a 

 fellow of the Eoyal Society. As I have no 

 " obvious " reason for hiding my informant, I 

 may say that he is Arthur Ransome, whom I 

 herewith quote: 



He [Timiriazev] ds about eighty years old. His 

 left arm is paralyzed, and, as he said, he can only 

 work at his desk and not be out and about and 

 help as he would wish. A venerable old savant, 

 he was siting with a green dressing gown about 

 him, for his little flat was very cold. He spoke 

 of his old love for England and for the English 

 people. Then speaking of the veil of lies drawn 

 between Soviet Russia and the rest of the world, he 

 broke down altogether and bent his head to hide 

 his tears. I suffer doubly — he said — I suffer as 

 a Russian, and, if I may say so, I suffer as an Eng- 

 lishman. My grandmother was actually English. 

 I suffer as an Englishman when I see the country 

 I love misled by lies, and I suffer as a Russian be- 

 cause those lies concern the country to which I 

 belong, and the ideas which I am proud to hold. 



The old man rose vrith difiSiculty, for he, like 

 every one else in Moskow, is half starved. "If I 

 could let them know the truth — ^he said — ^those 

 friends of mine in England, they would protest 

 against actions which are unworthy of the Eng- 

 land we have loved together." 



S. MOEGULIS 



The Ckeighton TjNrvERSiTT 



RUSSIAN AND AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC MEN 



To THE Editor of Science: In Science of 

 March 5, I have noticed the report that Pro- 

 fessor Pavlov, still alive in Petrograd last 

 summer, was peeling potatoes when last heard 

 from. Without wishing to jest on this truly 

 pitiable situation, it may not be amiss to sub- 

 mit also the report that no small portion of 

 the professors of this country are now like- 

 wise engaged in peeling potatoes or similar 

 menial work, at any rate for a large part of 

 their time. Under present conditions they 

 can not get others to do such work for them. 



