Milford chronicle., 1956-04-13
WHAT is BEHIND THE STAIN PURGE?


Someone recently said, in effect that
Stain died just in time to keep from being
purged.
That was a wise-crack, of course, but il
does illustrate the incredible change in the
expressed attitude of Russia's rulers a
change that stunned and confused the whole
world when Khrushchev laid down the new
line at the 10th Communist party congress.
AS chief of the party, Khrushchev is gen.
orally considered the No. man in the Kren1-
lin. Going by his speech, nothing is too bad
to say about the dead Stain. Stain was de
scribed at great length and in grim detail
as a maniac a murderer, a traitor, coward
and a tyrant. Among his crimes, according
to Khrushchev, was the torture or children
And Khrushchev went even farther than the
most Jealous anti-communists in tearing
down Stains reputation. He said that Stain
0bstructed the war effort, was grossly stupid
and incompetent, and ran the war from q
school globe of the world without even know
ing what a proper map was. By contrast
Winston Churchill has stated that Stain, fol-
all of his sins, has a remarkable grasp of mil
itary and related affairs.
This, it should be remembered, is the
same Khrushchev who, on the occasion of
Stains birthday in 1949, said: "Ail the peo-
Piles of our country put exceptional warmth
and filial love into their words when they call
leader, and brilliant teacher"
With Khrushchev's late speech, came ac-
ton. Busts and pictures of Stain, which
were everywhere in Russia, swiftly disap-
peared. His tomb, where he lies embalmeo
beside Lenin, was closed to visitors. And the
shock to the Russian people must have been
of almost unbelievable severity. 1t is report
ed that in Georgia. Stains birthplace, there
were riots that had to be subdued by police
and soldiers.
What is the reason for this unbelievable
about-face? There are number. One set
has to do with internal policy. Discomfort OF
Russians with their lot can now be blamed
on Stain, and the promise of better days tc
come, under an enlightened leadership, hello
out. Also, by denouncing one-mal rule, the
new leaders may hope to persuade the pop
ulace that day of more representative ano
understanding type of government has dawn
ed.
The other set of reasons is far more i'm
portant and far more ominous to the West
There is no doubt that the new leaders in
tend to present themselves to the world, anC
particularly the neutralist nations, as mer
of reason, who want international peace anC
friendship, and are bent on outlawing war
There is also no doubt that this interpreta
ton is making headway.
To American eyes, the Russian gesture
seems totally phony. AS Norman Thomas
has put it, the new men in the Krenlin shave
yielded no power. (. Z. The last Communis
congress was the same old rubber stamp fol
them as it had been for Stain" But Rus
sia's successes in the field of propaganda anC
diplomacy are forcing a reconsideration o1
u. S. and allied policy. The new soft glove
covers the old iron fist-as Mr.. Dulles anC
other responsible men are fully aware.
<~Se&E
"16 TONS"
One of the current hit songs isSentitle6
Sixteen Tons"-a lament depicting ths
hard lot of thecoal miners. 1t makes gooe
song but it's to be hoped that no one gain!
the impression its describes tOday's condi
tions in the mines. Changes in coal mining
have been revolutionary with power taking
the place of muscle.
The coal miner is one of the highest paic
industrial workers in the nation. Moderl
machinery to accomplish almost every tasl
connected with the production of coal is rap
idly making hand labor thing of the past
The miner is becoming a highly skilled me
chine operator. Just in the last five years
progress has been phenomenally rapid, will
production per man-day increasing from
634 tons to approximately 10 tons.
Mechanzation, in addition to easing tn,
loS of the miner, has also been of prime i'm
portance in the industry's efforts 50 meet th'
competition of other fuels, and provid
abundant high-grade coal, tailored to fit tn
needs of every class of consumer from larg
industrial boiler to small home furnace.
Yes, the old coal industry depicted j.
Sixteen Tons" is long gone in America. Al
forecasts indicate that the energy demand
of our nation will grow at an increasing rat
for as far as we now can see into futnr
years. All forms of energy, whether the.
be oil, coal, gas or atomic, will be called upol
to carry heavy burden. Coal is a basi
fuel, and it must be maintained as an eff
cient productive industry able 10 meet tn
demand which rapidly increasing energy re
1uirements will place upon II