Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1953-07-13
By NichoIos de Rochefort
PROFESSIONAL Lecturer in Political Science
American University.

By Nicholas de Roehefort
Professional Lecturer in Political Science
American University.
~ ne Of the top policy makers OF
~ Communist Russia, companion
in-arn1s Of Stain, the master of the
dreaded secret police Of the Soviet
state and chief-guardian of it's security,
the pitiless Communist fanatic who sent
many thousands of his countrymen to
the concentration camps and other
thousands to their death, is awaiting
his trial by the Supreme. Court of the
Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.
The accusation against Beria is a
proletariat. Beria, allegedly, betrayed
his duties and conspired against the
welfare and security Of the Soviet
Union, Gin the service of a foreign
power"
The situation is not a new one in
Russia. Before Beria, at various periods
of the short but bloody history of the
Soviet state, many prominent leader
OF the party, many an outstanding
member Of the government, many
hero Of the Wars of the Revolution,
were declared 'lubric vipers," enemies
of the people, traitors to the state and
to communism. There were zinoviev,
the chairman of the Third (Communist)
Internationale; Bukharin, whose "ABC
of Communism" was the textbook of
the party; Yagoda, the head of the
political police, who "liquidated" so
many Of his comrades before he was
liquidated himself; Tomsky, the able
organizer Of the Soviet industry; Tux
hachevski, the brilliant strategist of the
Red armies.
Is it possible that. like his predeces-
sors. Beria will confess" his crimes
before the court-and before his people?
Or that, like some others, he will COM
NIT suicide, while awaiting his trial?
(The Soviet citizens use, in such cases,
the picturesque and meaningful ex-
preston: "He was suicided"O
The fall of Beria has a far greater
significance than any probable changes
in the Soviet policy.
The periodic repetition of such
downfalls casts penetrating light on
the true nature Of the Soviet state.
The event has an immediate signifi-
canoe, in brutally showing the widen
ing Of the creviceS, both in the structure
of the Soviet state itself, and in the
Soviet empire, formed of the enslaved
satellite countries of Eastern Europe.
There was no higher-ranking man
than Beria in the double Soviet hier-
archy OF the state and of the Com
munist Party. Malenkov and Molotov
were his equals, not his superiors. In
the statements and declarations of the
party line, both for internal and for
external consumption, it was emphat-
ically stressed that the unity of the
collective leadership was complete. The
Communist world was dramatically
urged to unite around it unf1inchingly,
with faith and devotion.
Now, both the Soviet government
and the party declare that their conf
dence in Beria was misplaced. They
confess to bewildered world that they
Numbered in trusting him with Joint
leadership. If they were wrong about
Beria, would not someone be equally
wrong in trusting Malenkov, or Molo-
TOW? Perhaps they, too, are only "lubric
v1pers," only smarter and shrewder for
the time being than Beria. Perhaps,
in his manipulations of the party APP
paratuS, in his capacity of Secretary
General, Malenkov filled all the main
offices of the party bureaucracy with
secret counter-revolutionaries, and pre-
pareS to proclaim himself as the new
Car OF the Holy Russia. Perhaps Molo-
tov will confess eventually that he was
bribed by Hitler into signing the Soviet
German Pact Of August %, 1889, which
gave the green light to World War II;
and he will be made responsible for
the unspeakable sufferings of the Rus
sian people. Henceforth, the dictations
and rulings from the Kremlin will be
received by the faithful in the satellite
states and elsewhere, not with faith and
devout submission, but with doubt and
suspicion. Who could tell whether the
signature under the decree is the one of
a genial guide of the toilers, or of a
lubric viper?
In the past, at least, when a demi-
god of communism collapsed and be-
came Satan himself, the faithful had
a safe anchor Of faith in the person
of the supergod. Stain was above the
melee, the supreme being. After his
death, there is no dogmatic certainty
left. Nobody in whom to trust.
Thus, the ignominiouS fall of Beria
cannot but reflect catastrophically on
the standing of the Soviet Union in
the world public opinion and politics,
and on the prestige of the Soviet Com
munist Party with its subservient
branches abroad-the National" Com
munist parties around the world.
The international standing of the
Soviet government with the other
great powers will suffer. Even Sir Win
ston Churchill, who insisted SO much
on Big Four parley, will be less
concerned with it. There would be lit
tie sense in discussing with one of the
top Soviet rulers. if within a month
or two it is to be revealed that he.
too, was a criminal" and traitor"
The worth of any agreement with the
U. S. S. r. will seem of little value.
Whether Beria is guilty or not, only
the most drastic need of the Soviet
government coll1d have forced his eX.