The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-07-24
D EppY clLMoRE


PARIS N-Wh0's running Soviet
Russia today?
Is Il really Georgi n. MalenkDv?
Could Il be v. n. MoaOsov? Is
Nikolai Bulganin the real man in
charge? Is Il possible that Nikifa
IKhrushchev Is manipulating things
from the dark corners Of the
Kdemlinl Or Is Il government by
committee as the Communist party
would have MS belieye-a commit
tee composed Of the party, the
government and the Supreme Sow
LET?
Or. Is Il the army?
Frankly. I don't know and l
doubt Il anyone outside the Krem-
Lin knows.
The dismissal Of L. p. Beria-
listed officially as Malenkoy's No.
II lieutenant-has narrowed the
field. But Il has also confused II.
A wise Western diplomat, with
many years experience in Soviet
affairs, Is not completely convinced
By the IBERIA story. He explains:
This could De another grand
piece Of Russian make-belieye and
deception. They may be trying to
confuse the West at this extremely
important moment of our times.
The IBERIA disgrace could be q huge
hoax"
/ do not hold with this diplomat
(which, I'll be the first to admit,
doesn't mean very much.
believe Malenkov is in charge
and has been in charge since Stain
was stricken. / believe he saw
Beria stealing up behind him and
out Of the corner Of his quick,
Slavic eye, caught 4 gIimmer Of
the knife In Beria's hand. That he
felt strong enough, or desperate
enough, to eliminate the high chief
tain Of the political police, with his
principal henchman.
If this Ii true then d lot more
people are due for disgrace and
ldenunciation in Russia. For IBERIA
had lot Of friends and followers.
He was Z policeman and in any
dictatorship there are i lot Of
policemen. They don't like to give
up their authority lightly, or at
an.
A marvel Of contemporary Rus
sian history has been how Malen-
kOv was able to bring off the de-
lnunciation and firing Of his right
hand man, the fellow who nomi-
mated him to the post Of Premier.
Il took an unusual man, or men,
TO work the trick.
The rivalry between Malenkov
and Beria was apparent to q num-
Der Of Western diplomats before /
LEFT Moscow. A certain Western
envoy used to refer to Malenkoy
IN conversation as No. 1, to Beria
IS No. z and to Mo.Otov as No. 8.
Many times / heard him say,
mo. 2 IS No. l, and No. / is No. 2.
And my arithmetic Is not good
enough to do addition and sub.
traction with Nos. 3, and S.
What do we know about Malen.
koy? Not much. I've seen him 4
lot Of times. But I've never had
such . good look at him as that
Sunday afternoon in mid.March
Just after Stains death and bur-
lial. That was when the Supreme
Soviet met In the KremIin and
elected him chairman Of the COun-
Icil Of ministers, or Premier, on
Beria's endorsement.
] thought Of Stains character
istic entrances onto the platform
IOf the Supreme Soviet's meeting
place. I'd seen the old Georgian
saunter onto the podium so many
times. He would look neither 20
his right nor LETT, but out ever the
audience. No smile. No frown.
Just that cold Stain stare. Then,
after many minutes, when you
wondered If the applause was ever
going to stop, he'd sil in one Of the
rear rows on the platform.
MOlotov, Malenkov or IBERIA
would usually Sit closest to him.
but never in the seat Immediately
next to Stains. They always left
q seats space between the dictator
and themselves. Stain seemed 10
like It this way.
So thought Of Stain when
MalenkoE walked onto the stage.
He looked out over the audience
and seemed to give the deputies
some recognition. The applause
was loud. Eat Malenkoy didn't
applaud himself as Stain used to
applaud himself. He let the clap
ping 50 q little while and then
halted it BY sitting down. And he
sat down with the rest Of the boys
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