RESOLUTION AND NOTES ON A LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR
OF THE PULKOVO OBSERVATORY
June 20, 1920
To the Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars
The Main Russian Astronomical Observatory in Pulkovo, in order to ensure the cor-
rect and proper organization of scientific work at the ob-
servatory, considers it necessary to implement the fol-
lowing points, regarding the approval of which it submits a request:
1)
To subordinate the Pulkovo
Observatory directly to the central authority in Moscow,
granting it the right to communicate directly not only with the head of the central (Moscow) sci-
entific department, but also with the People's Commissar and Deputy People's Commissar
for Education, as well as with other central authorities...
Comrade Pokrovsky!
According to Gorky's review, assistance is nec- essary. Give me,
please, Your review.
Lenin
4) To pass the charter of the Pulkovo Observatory
through the collegium of the People's Commissariat of Education and through the Council of People's Commissars,
recognizing the necessity of the observatory's connection
in scientific matters with the Russian Academy of Sciences.
5) To recognize the very important significance of the Pulkovo Observatory
for the Russian Republic, as the observatory, according to
foreign specialists, is the foremost astronomical institution not only in Rus-
sia, but also in the whole world, as it prepares military geodesists
and naval hydrographers for practical activity, and finally serves
all government institutions of Russia and ships of the navy with precise time.
6) In accordance with point 5, to recognize all
employees, whose number does not exceed 50, as being registered in terms of military service
and not subject to mobilization, with the proviso, however,
that the strength of these people can be, in extra- ordinary cases, used for military pur-
poses, on the condition that they remain in service in Pulkovo.
7) To recognize the employees of the Pulkovo Obser-
They will receive at the House vatory as being subject to
in
provisioning
J
^ ‘
.
matters, to be provided with an increased ration, of scientists, at least no less than that of a front-line Red Army
soldier, as has already been done for some institutions.