The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-07-22
PASSING or THE LEADER
ENDED An ERA FOR REDS

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saw solemn-faced men and women
dressed in white vino looked to be
nurses. I can't say the men were
doctors, for II there's any distin-
gushing look about . Russian
doctor, ! don't know Il.
I saw Marshal VorOsniIoy On one
occasion. Ny ear Was standing
before q red traffic signal when
his long. black ZIS lliterally. fac
tory In the name az Stalin1 rolled
slowly past. He just looked like
VoroshilOv as I'D seen him 50 many
times; there was no sign Of
emotion.
On another occasion / recognized
Lazar KagsnOyicn, highest placed
Jew in Russia. but I was more
interested in the procession and
Il was almost that--of ambulances
and medical cars.
As long as they kept coming and
going Il was reasonable to suppose
that Stain was alive.
Then one day / didn't see any
lof them.
Early the following morning they
announced the death of Stain, the
man Of SO many myths, the i'm.
Iperishable, the everlasting, the
perpetual. The leader and teacher.
According to propaganda, the wis
est genius Of all time.
His body was to lie in state
but not for long-in the Hall Of
Columns, In the House Of the Trade
Unions. Oddly, perhaps, in this
building where the great purge
trials were held.
The American Embassy at that
time was located between the
Kremlin and the Hall Of Columns.
The people there had 4 first-handI
view Of traffic along the streets
almost deserted By now, for the
authorities had closed them to
ordinary traffic and the people and
the police were out BY the thou.
sands.
An embassy friend saw me on
the street.
They've carried the body over, |"
he said. I'VE were amazed. It
wasn't any huge and shiny us,
or any super-plus hearse. Just an
ORDINARY looking closed body truck.
| II was blue"
'Are you sure?"
''0f course" he said. at came
slowly up past the stables THE
old ezarist stables now used as 4
Kremlin garage, past the embas-
81, backed up to the Hall of Col
umns and they took out the coffin. !"
Who's they?"
How would ! know?" he said.
s'Seven or eight guys. =
Seven or eight guys. An ordinary
truck. What was happening
The doors to the Hall of Columns
were opened shortly after that to
an amazing spectacle.
The yellow corpse in the fawn-
c0l0red semimilitary jacket. His
hands stretched out stiffly, parallel
with the length 81 his body. The
rouged cheeks. The enlarged nos
trils Of the dictator as you looked
at him from the position Of his feet.
Those surprisingly delicate hands
and tapered fingertips.
The almost scornful look Of this
very tough man, 4 look taken into
death. His decorations lying on Z
silk pillow at the lower end Of the
coffin. The wilderness Of flowers,
some real, some artificial. The ebb
and flOw Of stringed music sawed
out BY sweating and slightly be-
5wildered musicians. The soaring,
dazzling arc lights. The pinpoint
spot lights. The high whine Of
movie cameras. The slug, slug,
slug Of thousands Of pairs Of feet
passing BY the bier. A tear or two.
And hundreds upon hundreds of
curious stares from the Russian
people who couldn't get near this
man when he was alive. Now they
could, providing they had The
strength and courage to stand long
hours in long lines. For the great
lleveler had come by. And they
lsaw for themselves that Joseph
stain died just as other mortals
lido. A mans life had ended, and
an era had ended.
Noxf. Tia enfd ,gaR AgeA ha.., 4