Evening star., 1950-01-31

II have an idea, Sam, a Won
derful idea! The other day I met
nice foreigner, a German refu-
gee think. If I'm not mistaken,
he said something about going
into architecture or the decorat-
ing business. I gathered that he's
not rich. but could put up a few
thousand dollars if he met up
with the right guy. It's just a
hunch, of course, but let me bring
you two together"
Cuts Relations With Man.
I did, and a small interior de-
corating establishment was born,
in a brownstone on Fifty-fifth
street off Madison avenue. To the
world, and to the authorities-if
they should ever catch up with
him-Victor was just another i'm
migrant trying to make new be-
ginning in America.
Having carried out my assign
ment, and chalked up another
success on my record, I cut all
relations with both the real and
the phony interior decorators. This
regretted so far as the Czech
was concerned, as we had friends
in common in Europe, and he was
fanatic in his hatred of the Nazis.
i liked, too, the way in which
Victor had derided these ridicu-
lous Russians in a heart to- heart
talk one night soon after our ini-
tial acquaintance. Dislike for the
self-important Soviet officials was
fairly common among Rus
sian comrades and was fully
matched by the disdain for for
eigners" on the Russians part. But
apparatus discipline was rigid on
this score and I was never again
to see Victor.
Partner Baffled by Friend.
I could not avoid running into
Sam, however, since we moved in
the same social orbits. Embold-
ened by his stroke of Moscow
made luck, he promptly got mar
ried. Evidently the new business
venture was not going too we'll.
In any case. was apprised by
Fred, in annoyance, that Victor
was obliged, to make further in
vestments to keep the silly firm
af1oat.
Sam thought his foreign part
ner rather eccentric, and strangely
Indifferent to the progress of their
Joint business. Victor would show
up regularly to collect his mail
and messages, none of which
seemed to have any relation to
interior decorating. and pretended
to discuss business ideas with his
partner. But he didn't really seem
to have his heart in it for some
reason, Sam complained.
Six months later Victor dropped
out of Sam Imber's life as sud-
denly as he had dropped into it.
From Fred I gathered that our
Czech friend had been summoned
to Moscow. Whether has had sue
ceeded or failed in his brief and
mysterious mission I had no way
of guessing.
Convert Enrolls in Party.
How and when poor Sam real
lied that he had been a pawn in
a game beyond his comprehension
l cannot say. That he did become
aware OF the truth-and even
took pride in twas clear from
his knowing manner in later
meetings. I suppose that Victor's
influence in those six months of
association had completed the
Communist indoctrination I had
begun. Not only Sam, but his
brother Max were soon enrolled
in the party.
A few years ago I ran into Sam
on the street. We hesitated a split
second. then stopped to talk, out
of mutual curiosity. His tone of
voice and expression gave me
sharp notice that he knew of my
detection and regarded me as
so-and-so renegade.
No, he told me with sour
scowl, he was no longer in busi-
ness. For comrades who are not
traitors, there were more impor-
tant things to do. Did he ever. 1
asked him unkindly. pay back the
money he owed the Soviet net
work? That's all Strengthened
out with the party" he replied.
AS for brother Max, he was doing
his bit for the cause as organizer
on a big national trade union.
Mail Drops" Organized.
I wondered. as we parted,
whether either of them was in
an apparatus. And I wondered
also whether "those ridiculous
Russians" were still using the
Czech who had served them for
half a year in New York.
The setting up of mail drops"
incidentally, was another of my
routine jobs. Only the most ardent
supporters. naturally. could be
trusted to act as post Offices"
The technique was fairly stand
ardized:
Suppose that Jane Jones had
agreed to help. Letters intended