SOVIET SALARIES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 866, 9 January 1930, Page 13

SOVIET SALARIES

ENGINEERS BEST PAID CHANCES FOR ELECTRICIANS Scientific work in Soviet Russia is subject to social planning. This is natural, because all endowments for research come ultimately from the State,. The institutions for the study of various branches of science have been sorted out and placed in contact with those social institutions to which they are naturally related, -writes the scientific correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian Weekly.” Institutions doing research of industrial importance frequently receive their endowments from the Supreme Economic Council. They have to work in relation with the industry upon which their researches bear, and many extra endowments from the industry for doing special researches for it.

The large developments in departments of technical physics hinge on the five-year industrialisation plan. It was Lenin’s idea to electrify and industrialise the Soviet Union, and the start was to be made by a five-year intensive effort, according to a plan. This plan was actually commenced about a year ago. Since the Union is to be electrified, large departments of technical physics will he required, in which the deeper problems of upkeep and development can be studied. The Soviet is building an experimental electrical institute in Moscow which will cost, I am told, £1,500,000 for the first instalment. Scientists’ Earnings

With regard to salaries, scientists appear to be among the best-paid workers in the Union. A first-class scientists directing an important laboratory receives about £1,200 a year, if he desires. I heard of one important director who did not desire so much as that. I met several men receiving £1,200 a year. Some of these obtain their total salary by acting as directors of, say, three institutions at £4OO a year each. Men receiving these salaries have to work very hard for them, and are “on the run” from morning till night. The head of a department, aged 35 or 40, receives £4OO-£SOO a year. University scientists are less well paid. A senior professor receives about £250 a year. He gives four to six lectures a week during term for this, and if he wishes to increase his income he must do extra lecturing or directing. Engineers appear to be the best paid workers under the Soviet. I met one receiving about £1,750 a year. I understand that a few Russian mining engineers receive as much as £2,500 a year, and one or two foreign experts as much as £3,500 a year. Persons accepting salaries of this size are not considered to be “nice” socially. The Communist heads of the State receive very much less. I met one member of the Supreme Economic Council who lived in a bed-sitting-room such as one might find in Camden Town. What of the Future? What will come out of the Soviet’s integration of science, the State, and industry? In 20 years’ time, quite possibly the most powerful country in the world. In many parts, at present, only the scaffolding of the integration exists, but the idea seemed to me to be there. if the idea is successfully materialised, the rest of the world will not find the spectacle cf a scientifically developed and armed people of over 100,000.000 particularly comforting. For this reason it is highly important that relations with Soviet Russia should be carefully cultivated.

In conclusion, I suggest that young i English electrical engineers who possess a sense of humour and patience besides ability should seriously con sidev looking for jobs on the Soviet's electrical works. If they know their jobs and can keep their tempers while working within an unfamiliar social scheme they might easily obtain positions the equivolent of which thev could not hope to obtain in England until they were 35 or 40 years of age. If is not likely that they could expect to keep the job permanently unless they were Communists, for, obviously, the Soviet must try ultimately to fill all important posts with convinced Communists. But at pres- j ent there is a shortage of experts, j which must continue until a new gen- 1 eration of Russian students has re- j ceived a technical training, and it will j be years before this has been accom- j plished. |

Miss Nicholls Wins Championship Miss D. Nicholls is well known to Auckland players. Prior to going to Wellington she was a member of the Remuera Club. She has always shown exceptional promise, but her performances in first-class tennis have hitherto been disappointing. She hits her shots harder than any other woman player in the Dominion. In the past she has usually failed through becoming erratic at some stage of a tournament and this has been contributed to to some extent by indifferent health. She defeated both Mrs. Melody and Mrs. Adams in such a convincing fashion that if she can maintain her present form she must have quite a good chance of annexing the women’s national title this year. Mrs. Melody added to her laurels by winning the women’s doubles partnered by Miss Myers and the mixed doubles with N. R. C. Wilson. Her excellent courtcraft and match experience stand her in great stead in doubles play. Auckland Junior Championships After the excellent showing which Milne made in the doubles match with Lucas against Sturt and Stedman, it was expected that he would win the boys’ singles. This he did, but only after terrific struggles with Brownlee in the semi-final and Turner in the final. He beat Brownlee 10—8, C—B, 6—4, and Turner. 3—6, 13—11, 6—2. As the scores indicate there is little between these three promising young players in singles play. Milne has perhaps the best stroke production of the trio. He is inclined to hit wildly at times and go for too many outright winners. He should now endeavour to consolidate his game and if necessary