Evening star., 1959-06-29

w tutS toteSt oI series ot reports
W. AveFell Harimon. ex-Ambossodo
10 Russio and Greet Brition, tell
whot he found in Tadxhikiston. uSSR
creased local responsibility
Even at the Tadzhik ballet
was struck by the increased
initiative with which native
artists are developing their ma
tional music and dancing.
In the history department
of the university, where re.
searchers are uncovering new
facts about the areas origins
and ancient culture. students
and professors boasted proudly
Of their national historic ac'
complishments.
Even among bureaucracy
once dominated by Russians but
now largely in Tadzhik hands
officials spoke almost freely oi
the facility with which Asians
have assimilated conquerors In
the past.
"In three generations" one
of them said, "the Mongul;
we're swallowed up by the
Hindus, Just as all conquerors
in Asia are"
His smile seemed to imply
that he hoped the conqueror:
from Moscow might undergo 9
similar conversion at least tc
the extent Of granting conces-
sions to national autonomy.
Academy Of Sciences
Perhaps the most significant
development has been the es.
tablishment Of an Academy oi
Sciences stated by native
Tadzshiks. When the academy
was founded 10 years ago there
we're few native scientists anc
most of its members were Rus
slams. Today 10 DER cent Of the
members are Tadzhiks and theil
proportion is steadily increas.
ing.
The president Of the acad.
emy, s. U. Umarov. a professor
Of theoretical physics. told me
with pride that he had beer
left an orphan as a small child
in O little town IN Northern
Tadzhikistan.
After finishing the only
primary school in the area he
had managed to get to Tash-
kent to finish his schooling anc
from there to Leningrad where
he had taken his degree.
Today his academy main.
tains 13 research institutes II
study the practical problem,
Of the area. A geological in
stitute is conducting a thor
ough survey searching for new
minerals.
Agriculturists are improving
livestock, soil cultivation anc
irrigation methods and better
grasses are seeded by aircraft
to improve sheep grazing in the
mountains which comprise 9(
per cent of the State. They art
also searching for better fod-
ders for the yaks which are
the principal livestock Of the
high eastern Pamir Mountains
Ancient Ruins Explored
Archaeologists have organ
ized q number Of field expedi-
tions to explore ancient ruins
bearing on TadzhikiStan's past
An institute Of orientology Ia
studying the racial relations OF
the Tadzhiks with their neigh.
bors in Iran. Afghanistan
Northern India and the Arabic
speaking countries.
Tadzhikistan Is only one Of
the Central Asian states which
has emerged from q backward
tribal community. In Alma
Alta. the capital Of Kazakhstan
Prime Minister D. A. Kunaey
told me that he himself hac
been born a nomad. His father
had shepherded his fiocks about
the steppes Of Lake Balkash.
Not until 80 years ago hao
the Soviet authorities induced
or compelled these nomads tc
settle on collective farms.
The examples these Soviet
Central Asian states provide oi
"a rapid improvement of the
economic life Of underdevelopec
people have not gone unnoticec
by the hundreds Of visitor,
pouring through the great in.
ternational airport Of Tashkent
the Soviet gateway to Southern
Asia.
They are giving telling am
munition to the Communist
Parties Of Southeast Asia which
offer people who have little
understanding Of the value oi
freedom a tempting alternative
to the slower procedures oi
democracy.
II the Western democracies