COMPREHENSIVE PUNNING

Evening Star, Issue 24002, 29 September 1941, Page 3

COMPREHENSIVE PUNNING

WORLD’S POST-WAR NEEDS H.. MAISKY ADDRESSES SCIENTISTS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 37. The Russian Ambassador, M. Maisky, opening the session on ‘ Science and World Planning ’ at the London conference of international scientists held under the auspices of the British Association, said that there would doubtless come a day when, a system of comprehensive planning—economic, social, and political—would embrace the whole globe, but this day was not yet very near. “ I come from a country where planning is the very foundation of onr economic life,” he said. “In this tho Soviet Union lias reached a very considerable degree of perfection. It took us more than 20 years to build the present system of planning, in spite of the fact that we had to reckon with difficulties which originate from the existence of private property in the means of production and distribution. If such was tho position in a single country with a strong and nnifipd control of administration, how much more difficult it will he to bring about economic planning on a world scale. “ Obviously this is not a matter for to-day or even to-morrow,” M. Maisky continued, “ and yet I think the problem of large-scale planning in international affairs will become an acute one very soon after the war is over. 1 have no doubt that the burning question which will animate millions of human beings all over the world .will bo how to escape a repetition of the great catastrophe through which we shall have just passed, and how to ensure immunity from war for our children and our children’s children.” Adding a warning that the most important need of humanity to-day was to destroy the system of German Nazism, M. 'Maisky said that _ scientists must help to solve this immediate problem. Explaining that Russian scientists were unable not only to attend owing to communication difficulties, but also the relay of broadcast speeches could not be made owing to German interference, M. Maisky said that the Moscow Academy of Science had sent the following message:—“ Soviet scientists are fighting for mankind against a common enemy shoulder to shoulder with their colleagues in Allied countries, and will spare no effort to achieve final victory. But it will he a victory of freedom, culture, science, and civilisation over barbarity and tyranny.”