Speeches at the Reception for the Papanin Expedition in the Kremlin, March 17, 1938

Comrades, Comrade Chkalov is an able man, a talented man, the like of whom there are few not only in the USSR, but in the whole world. (Applause) Over there, in the West, in France, in Germany, in England, in America, they do not produce heroes, I assure you.

Here is an interesting business. Papanin and his group experienced a great crisis on the ice floe. We learned -- previously we had not understood this -- that ice moving from the Pole is driven toward the shores of Greenland, and if there happen to be people on the floe, they perish. Previously we did not know about this; then we found out and were alarmed. Schmidt says there is no danger. We began to scold him -- that is wrong. He wanted to begin the campaign at the end of March. But we said: no, excuse us, begin now. The Norwegians addressed us with an offer of help. What help -- it is laughable! We have, they say, fishermen on the shores of Greenland; if the Papanin party is driven there, they will help them. We told them: thank you for the help, help however you can. Some pilot, probably a big swindler, proposes to fly over those places and render assistance. We say: by all means, help. But we ourselves know that these scoundrels -- pardon my crude expression -- cannot render any serious assistance. They are only pretending. For where is the advantage, in the foreign way of thinking, the profit? Now, if there is gain, advantage, profit, then one can help a little, but only without risk. If there is risk involved, then you may lose capital and men alike. That is how they reason.

For outward appearances, we said that we are grateful, ready to show every courtesy to those who help, but at the same time we mobilized our own comrades and said: help. One icebreaker was sent. Not enough? Send another. Another was sent. Not enough? Send a third. A third was sent. Not enough? Send a fourth. (Stormy applause)

The money spent will be terribly great, incomprehensible to the Europeans and Americans. But we believe: four talented men are in trouble -- we shall save them without fail. What this costs -- no European or American can assess. There is no such criterion in the world for assessing a human being. There is one goal: gain, advantage, profit. But to assess a man's courage, his heroism, how many rubles that costs, what capital it costs, a man little known but a hero who bursts into a calm atmosphere and turns everything upside down -- nobody knows this. But we decided: spare no money, spare no icebreakers. Comrade Schmidt, your icebreakers up there in the North got stuck (laughter), got stuck where they should not have. Ulyanov went first -- there is a man for you, a real sea wolf! He had a little boat; how he floundered about in it -- you know yourselves, fellows! Schmidt tells him: look at the edge of the ice. But what is the use of the edge of the ice when there are people sitting there, four heroes.

And so, comrades, here is a toast: that the European-American criterion of gain, advantage, profit be buried in a grave with us. To the proposition that people learn to value brave, talented, capable people, little known perhaps, but beyond price. Who knew Shirshov, Papanin, Krenkel? Krenkel was known a bit more. But they were little known. What are they worth? The Americans would say: "Oh, two dollars." (General laughter, applause) The French would say: "Ten thousand francs!" And the franc is worth a kopek. But we say: heroes are beyond price, they are worth billions.

To those who were previously little known, but are now known to the whole world -- our heroes, the Papanin expedition!

To the proposition that we Soviet people do not grovel before the Westerners, before the French, before the English, and do not fawn upon them!

To the proposition that we Soviet people finally adopt a new measure for valuing people, that people be valued not in rubles and not in dollars! What is a dollar? Rubbish! To the proposition that we learn, as Soviet people, to value people by their deeds! And what is a deed, what is it worth? No American, no Frenchman, no Englishman will tell you, because he has only one measure -- the dollar, the pound sterling, the franc. Only we, Soviet people, have understood that talent, a man's courage, is worth billions upon billions of contemptible dollars, contemptible pounds sterling, contemptible francs. (Stalin's words are met with a stormy ovation from all present)

I have not finished yet. Comrade Chkalov says -- "I am ready to die for Stalin." A remarkably able man, Comrade Chkalov, a talent. (Chkalov: We will die for Stalin!) I very much apologize for the rudeness, some people consider me rude in general -- any fool is capable of dying. (General laughter, applause) To die is of course hard, but not so very difficult. We have suicides who die, but they are far from heroes.

I drink to those who want to live (fervent ovation), to live as long as possible, for the victory of our cause!

Chkalov. On behalf of all the Heroes of the Soviet Union, I assure Comrade Stalin that we will fight in a way that even he does not know. (Chkalov calls together all the Heroes of the Soviet Union present.)

Stalin. To the health of those heroes -- old, middle-aged, and young -- and to the health of that young generation that will outlive us old folks with relish! (Applause)

Chkalov. No one present here will wish to outlive Stalin. (Cries of approval) No one will take Stalin from us; we will not allow anyone to take Stalin from us. We can say boldly: if our lungs must be given -- we will give our lungs to Stalin; if our heart must be given -- we will give our heart to Stalin; if a leg must be given -- we will give a leg to Stalin.

Stalin. How old are you?

Chkalov. My heart is healthier than yours, and I will give it to Stalin.

Stalin. How old are you, after all?

Chkalov. Thirty-three.

Stalin. Dear comrades, Bolsheviks, party and non-party; and sometimes it happens that the non-party Bolsheviks are far better than the party ones! I am fifty-eight years old, going on fifty-nine. Comrade Chkalov is -- (teasing) "thirthy-three." (Loud laughter) So, I advise you, dear comrades, not to set yourselves the task of dying for someone. That is an empty task. Especially for old people like me. The best thing is to live and to fight, to fight with all one's might in every sphere of our economic and political life, in industry, in agriculture, in culture, in the military sphere. Not to die, but to live and to smite the enemies. (Stormy ovation)

I drink to those who, of course, pay due respect to old men and old women, but who do not forget that one must move forward from the old men and old women. To the people who move forward, to our brave, courageous, talented comrades! To Chkalov -- he is "thirthy-three"! (Laughter, noise, applause)

* * *

I have a small amendment to Schmidt's toast. The amendment is that Comrade Molokov is one of those heroes -- modest, simple, who fear the light and the glitter, who fear noise and the great outpouring of sympathy toward them. I drink to Comrade Molokov not only because he is a hero, but because he is a modest, simple man who does not demand great fanfare. (Stormy applause)

* * *

To those who convey the feelings of the people on the stage. To Moskvin! (He draws Moskvin toward him: "Now we've got him, he won't get away from us.") To Stanislavsky! Is it worth drinking to his health? (Moskvin: It is.) To Nemirovich-Danchenko! Is it worth drinking to his health? (Moskvin: It is.) To the Moscow Art Theater! To Moskvin, to Stanislavsky, to Nemirovich-Danchenko, and to all those who strive through the theater to express the feelings of the Soviet people, the feelings of the workers, the peasants, the intelligentsia. (Comrade Stalin's toast is met with fervent applause)

* * *

Comrades, Bolsheviks, party and non-party! They want to harness our fellows to work -- Papanin and the others. I think we should give them about ten days' rest. Let them rest for 8-10 days, and then we can harness them to work. But here is how our people are -- you have arrived, now get harnessed. That is wrong, that is wrong. I drink to the proposition that our fellows -- Papanin and his mates -- get 8-10 days of rest, without anything, and then, after 10 days, let the people discuss what to do with them. Understand, the fellows suffered 9-10 months without their wives. I apologize, I will speak plainly. They were there alone with the dog Vesyoly, and that was their only companion. (General laughter) So, I propose giving the fellows 10 days to rest, without loading them with anything during that time.

Papanin. Thank you, Comrade Stalin, for your fatherly concern.

Stalin. What fatherly concern? I am a Komsomol member! (Approving laughter) He is more likely my father than I his. (Laughter)

They definitely need to rest for 10 days, and then we shall discuss. Papanin does not object, and we agree.

Papanin. I am ready for any work even tomorrow.

Stalin. That is all talk, do not believe him. I know him. But I asked Papanin's wife, and she says: "Ten days of rest, that is the minimum." (General laughter) Of course, I trust her more than Papanin. Give the Papanin party 10 days of rest, and then we shall see.

RGASPI. F. 558. Op. 11. D. 1121. L. 25-30;
F. 71. Op. 10. D. 130. L. 105-110.

Note:
According to the polar captain K.I. Voronin, "at the evening with the Papanin party in the Kremlin, Comrade Stalin spoke approximately as follows:

Over the course of the last several centuries, people have learned to value only precious metals -- gold, silver. But this world, where metal is valued more than people, is fortunately on the other side of the border.

'There,' continued Comrade Stalin, taking Valery Pavlovich Chkalov by the arm, 'with what treasures can this man be compared? No, there are no measures in the world by which one could value -- could measure -- such people as Valery Chkalov'" (Leningradskaya Pravda. December 28, 1939).