DEAR MR. MERRILL,

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP61-00391R000100180033-5
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 10, 2000
• Sequence Number: 33
• Publication Date: April 1, 1958
• Content Type: LETTER

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STANFORD UN: ERSTff
Stanford, California
April 1, 1958
Mr. Frederick Merrill
Director, East-West Contacts Branch
Department of State
Washington, D. C.
I have eecently received a letter from Mr. P. F. Shvetsov, Director
of the Permafrost Institute in Moscow, in vhich Mr. Shvetsov expressed a
desire to arrange a direct exchange of information pertaining to the study
of permafrost through exchange of visits between the scientists of our
country and the Soviet Union. Copies of the translation of Mr. Shvetsov's
letter and aqy acknowledient -of same are enclosed herewith. As you viii
observe, my reply to Mr. Shvetsov vas in s very general scope, without
specific commitments. It has been svSgested to me that I contact you for
instructions and suggestions regarding the procedure to be followed in
making arrangements for such an exchange of personnel and to guide me in
my future correspondence with Mr. Shvetsov. It goes without saying that
the proposed exchange of visitors will be of great mutual benefit to all
concerned.
As I visualize the course of action to bring about a realization of
the proposed plan, there are five fundamental points which need to be
worked out :
(1) Selection of personnel from among the scientists exigaged
in the study of permafrost in the United States.
(2) Formal action of approval, visas etc., by the State
Department
(3) Arrangement of itinerary and selection of institutions to
which Soviet scientists will be invited during their visit in
the United States.
(4) Preparation of itinerary and institutions in the Soviet
Union to be visited by our scientists. This should also in-
clude the approval of the Soviet Goverment of such an itiner-
a y?
(5) The financing of the exchange.
If I may be permitted to offer suggestions regarding acme of these
jicints, I wish to make the following statements:
State Dept. declassification & release instructions on file
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(~) U.S.A. personnel. I know of several individuals, members
of the US Geological Survey, who are now actively engaged in
various phases of permafrost studies. if a formal participa-
tion of a Government ageancy--US Geological Survey--is not perm-
issible, I would like to suggest that these individuals, should
they desire to make the trip, be given a leave of absence from
the Survey and be alloyed to travel to the Soviet Union as
? private individuals. I urvuld also strongly urge that should
same be given an opportunity to avail themselves of an inten-
sive course in the Russian language that is offered at a number
of universities in this country. I believe that Dr. John C.
Reed of the US Geological Survey would be the most logical
person to contact regarding the general, policies of the Survey
and about the personnel.
Mr. James B. G41Iis of the Snow, Ice and Permafrost
Research Establishment (SIPRB) is also in a position to sug-
gest other scientists who would be interested in participating
in the exchange.
(2) Not being familiar with the current policy of the State
Department regarding such matters, I have no comment to make
on this point.
(3) If the policies of the Snow, Ice and Permafrost Research
Establishment do not prohibit visits of the Soviet scientists,
I would suggest that the personnel and facilities of that orb
nisation be included in the itinerary for the Soviet visitors.
Perhaps John C. Reed of the Geological Survey and James E.
Gillis of SIPitE can elaborate on the itinerary by adding other
places of visit.
(4) The Institut Merzlotovedentys (Institute of Permafrost) in
Moscow is the main center of scientific work in permafrost in
the Soviet Union and should be included in the itinerary for
visitors from the U.S.A. In my opinion, the American scientists
who will represent the United States should also have an oppor-
tunity to visit one or mare permafrost experimental stations in
the USSR. Perhaps they themselves will wish to make the choice
of places to be visited. In passing I will only mention the
most active permafrost stations at Vorkuta, Igaurka and Yakutsk.
A visit to the railroad EM (Bayka1i nur tegistral') which is
stAi, under construction, should give our men a valuable experi-
ence in seeing the solution of permafrost problems on a major
railroad project.
(5) I hope there will be no difficulty in obtaining the necessary
money to finance the trip of our scientists to the Soviet Union
and to learn of their progress in the study of permafrost. Per-
haps the National Science Foundation could see its vey to foot
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Mr. Frederick Muxri11
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the bill. The urging of our representatives to take an inten-
sive course in the Russian language would contribute greatly
to the benefit they trill derive from the visit. It will be
a vise investment on the part; of the Ooverrment to see that
this plan goes through.
I em mr,v in the process of arranging dates with Mr. Leggett in Canada,
Mr. Gillis at SIP, Colonel DeGoes and Genera. Sibley at Boston to visit
them during the latter part of April. After visiting these institutions I
intend to stop over at Washington and hope that I wilt have an opportunity
to see you personally and to discuss various phases of the proposal out-
lined above. In the meantime, if you gilt be good enough to brief me on
the rules and policies which in one w W or the other vita, effect the car-
ryying out of this project, I will be able to discuss this matter within
the limits of propriety with the people whom I intend to visit during the
forthcoming trip.
Sincerely your&,
/$/
8iemon Wm. flier
Professor of Oeolo&r
81/en
Enclosures, 2.
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