1958-02-17 — Page 4

How the

THE CHINA MAIT

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 1958.

A UNIQUE GLIMPSE INTO THE MIND OF THE WORLD'S: BIGGEST ENIGMA: CHAPTER 2

Unknown Giant jumped up

seven places

AS late as August 1950 Nikita Krushchev was the man who only just managed to get into the picture when the Soviet leaders paraded in public. Now he stands where Stalin stood. What follows is the second instalment of a China Mail analysis of the mechanics In short: the factors of Krushchev's thinking and action. that shot him up from No. 7 to No. 1.

SI put together the

A$

bits and pieces from

one source and another

that make up the life

by SEFTON DELMER

miner-pensant's son, to be

one

He attends the anti-Leniniles'

he is careful not to enrol.

the rst to join up when war meetings, speaks at them. and career of the Soviet breaks out in 1914.

Union's new dictator

Nikita Krushchev I find

myself amazed.

Amazed that his col. I

On the run

the

Was

}}} {{{ન

was

There the villagers, the Krush- choy clan Included, are in full gallop, scizing the big estates of the landed gentry, looting the chateaux. and grabbing what Innd and machinery they can get..

the

Twenty-three-year-old Krush- chev, with his standing 08.0 revolutionary organiser to give him authority. gets himself elected chairman Kalinovka "Land Distribution Committee," his first organising job in the new revolutionary "Socialist" era.

of

would

9 KRUSHCHEV might easily ⚫ have become an officer the Red Army, which certainly have put pald to his curcer as far as his present posl- tion is concerned.

He was invited to join the Red Army in 1919.

That was in recognition of his But courageous leadership of what was grandiloquently called "the of First Proletarian Regiment

No mercy

rabble peasants,

At the psychological moment the Donetz"-un armed

of army deserters, he switches over to the Bolshe- miners, and industrial workers. viks. And does so with the samo right age-20 perfect timing he is to show 39 nothing years later during the struggle lengues in the Kremlin wrong with his health. He was for Stalin's succession, when he forder for the switches from identifying him- oligarchy, which took over ileal cannon

and ill-equipped self on Stalin's most intimate on Stalin's death, should Cor's -led

armies. But Krushchev escapes adviser to ruthless denunciation have so underrated him.

the army. To do so he goes on of Stalin in his famous secret the run-from town to town and speech. job to job. The inefficient Czarisi potice do not catch up

I suspect that what made with him until he is once more him switch to the Bolsheviks working in a mine when the in 1918 and

against Stalin in revolutionary workers' under 1956 is that his Interest in ground got him exemption as un poiltles is never ideological- "essential worker.”

just practical.

That they should have been prepared to dismiss him as a simple country yokel, a provin- elal born to obedient "yesman ship."

10 whom they could sufely entrust the Immense

and patronage of power Party secretaryship with a con- temptuous "He'll never set the Volga on Bre...."

the

So comparatively well-paid miner Krushichev is free to

In fact, his first and typical I am, of course, writing now agitate among his fellows and reaction to the revolution was

that a ́land-hungry peasant. spend his days off drinking But it seems with hindsight.

and dancing in the taverns.

to

Donouncement,

to me that there is a sure

Miner Krushchev fings down fooledness about Krushchev's

Not that he does not make his pick, leaves the pithead, and climb up the ladder, an nston-

His rushes home to his native vill- speeches, ishing shrewdness in picking brave, patriotic

Beer la good age of Kalinavka. the right pairons and allies, In siding with the future vietors for the Germans. But vodka is In critical moments of struggle the stuff for Russians," belongs that should have spelled out a to a tavern party at this time. warning to the luckless Malen-

koy and company.

Just look at his early record between 1914 and 1925:

YOU would expect young Krushchev,

HOW casily Krushchev

might have made the fatal

mistake of joining up with the anti-Lenin wing of the Socini- robust ists when In 1917 the revolu-

the tian broke cut.

TRANS PACIFIC

5TH

flights

TOUGH young Krushchev had led them in the bitter, fight- no-prisoners, no-mercy Ing against the counter- revolutionary Cossacks and the Germans.

The commander-in-chief, Leon Trotsky, himself offered him a permanent command.

Krushchev, however, turns it down and asks to be sent to

the new workers' "university" or officers of the Red revolu- ai Yuzovka.

tionary army-are bohlad Trot sky.

has sent on

the

Cummings

harangues the hall in favour of Trotsky. Only one, speaks up for Stalin: Krushchav.

fle spoke in simple, racy, down-to-earth language. And in spite of the booing, It clearly Impressed the crowd.

Kaganovich sont for Krush- chov,

"You cannot stay hero," he told him. "We need speakers like you, young sons of the people who have worked with iheir hands. You must ' ́como back to Kiev with me."

And to Kiev young Krush- chov goes on the very next day-to work as chict. Public Relations man on Kaganovich's bcam. Public Relatios of a pecullar kind, mind you, in which murdero Ind orbitrary Arrests play as big a part (as speeches and baby-kissing,

When Stalin recalit Kagano→ vich to Moscow' to clean up the party uncle, Kizhchev very soon is sent for too.

Togeller with another soun fellow called Nikoki Bulganin -trom them on until today Krushchov's Inlinuto triad and stable companion Krushchev joins Kuganovich's team as his speclul houble-shpoter.

Pay-off

KAGANOVICH treats hia

bolstervius,

and energetic, ruthicss ittle paisant protege ne were his own son. Ho kat:oduces him to Stalin and Molotov.

+

In fact Kaganovich oven. went on supporting Krushchev In the faction fighting the leaders that followed Stalin's death.

But did the practical Kruh- chev allow gratitude for, this loyally to affect hirh 'when last summer he felt that his old batron was in his way?

Not for so much as the space. of three hoaribents,

In which, I suggest, there is a lesson for all those of us to ragard who may be having the dealings with Russia's DOW

dictator in the future.

This is Lazar Kaganovich, and making his mark with

Kremlin high-ups. whom Stalin special mission to cleanse The greatest and most de-

Ukraine of Trotskyism.

The showdown comer when attends Q meet- Kaganovich visive lest for Krushchev But shrewd Krushchev does

wife being of the college students, comes during the struggle be not

his young share thelr

Maybe tween Trotsky and Stalin In Trotsky's star. Maybe he had had just got married to follow to put the Stalin line. 1924. Krushchev's fellow stud- been talking with an old friend student Nina Surkova-had toid

this. Was his big Stalin's man is howled down. Hughes him that ents at the college in Yuzovka- from his days in the

student. after another most of them like himself form- steel mill.

chance of catching Stalin's cyo One

bellaf in

Thursday:

The murders along the way

The land where a dinner lasts

three hours

. and the chain store

menu has 50 dishes

OU can have the holiday of your life in Belgium.

Week Y provided you pack all the prescriptions you have faith

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in for an overworked stomach. The Belgians are among the world's greatest eaters, and it's all too easy to be

swept away by their enthusiasm.

Their day-to-day chatter is not about the weather (which is almost as bad as ours) but about their insides.

by SYLVIA

LAMOND

"Good morning. ." I over- lunch. three for dinner), and heard one well-built woman say not to fail into the popular to another, as they met in one habit of stoking up between ol Brussels'e thriving cafes, meals.

...and how is your liver toxlay?"

This way helped my ilver

and also inade time for some worthwhile sightseeing.

"Not so good," replied her friend, biting dolefully into her mid-morning mock -- a bot sausage clapped between two

There is the Grand Place, for alices of spicy brend.

instance, a marvel of seven- "Well, intely I find It's the teenth-century Flemish orchi kidneys. But I've got a ma tecture. vellous new

cure you must

But you can bet your life, it point I cancelled my you are taken there by a order for a hot chocolate loved selgian friend, as I was, that with cream, turned and flod your real target is snother back into the Rue Neuvo-the Flemish marvel.

L'Epauio cobbled "Oxford Street"! Brussels.

try,

At

Time limit

of

I decided there and then to 1lmit my time at the table to six hours a day (half-hour for breakfast, two and a half for

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·KOWLOON

64, Castle ParkTM Road,

600K, Nathan Road,

400, Prince Edward Road,

de Mouton, just around a corner from the Place, It's a world- famous restaurant, considered by many food-fanciers to be the best in Europe.

The Shoulder of Mution is an incredible restaurant. Smail, Edwardian In decor, with only seyen tables seating 28 customers and everything-Including the 00 specialities of the house-- cooked in front of the customer. Nobody could describe how good. the meals tro here without running out of adjectives,

When Lord and Lady Bland. ferd seribbind a message to the proprietor after eating here, they used the words "delightful exceptional, charming, wonderful tu an 11 word

Sesaat.

G

ing the pincakes, I decided, because the Grand Place at night is a spiritual experience.

Dellcate spires fretting the night sky, old gabled buildings carved and enriched with gold leaf, burnished with the shean from golden lumps.

I had one split minute to take it all in before I was whipped back to the Shoulder of Mution, just in time to see my pancake ice-cream. rolled around sprinkled with liqueur and set on Bre.

ד

in

Even tho chain stores Brussels serve food which would satisfy a man used to the best kind of home cooking.

I was doubtful when first told to sample it. By the time Td picked my store, pushed my way through the crowds into a restaurant which looked as big 05 Wembley Stadium, and chosen a table as far away as possible from a little Pain Court Orchestra playing Charmaine-Į was quite with out hope.

Well.

It shows how Wrong you can be.

Usted The menu

some 30 dishes. I cautiously chose roast chicken, which turned out to be a plump, white juicy wing, kentical to our milk-fed capon. With it comme a platter heaped with crisp, golden potatoes, a

lay down the wine in their own cellars.

Our bill, including tips, came to 216--and, of course, we'd chosen the two most costly dishes on the menu.

Brussels is probably a better elly than Faris for good eating if money is an object. In fact. Brussels la a sort of Paris without the Oo-La-La

Marten

Palace

"You've got the biggest attrac grey-green landscape, and the tlón of all-a personal appear- brooding

of King ance by Prince Philip. The Bandouin in an adjoining park. best the Iussians can do is the

It's the only globe with a Bolshoi Ballet.”

small restaurant-but don't bank on getting up to it.

Speed-crazy

"*

Apart from the emphasis on cientifle achievement (I'm told 4hat every nation has set aside a corner of a site where it will The night life is more brash, do its lovel best to split ап the cabarots more fleshy. And

ntom for the viewing public) Paris the club whereas in

there is a lot to interest parents bustesses tond to look disp-

and children. The Austrians En pointingly like you or me

planned the perfect and gloves-in lurve: decent black Brussels they really look se Freudian Nursery. If you want to know how to straighten out hostesses, with sequins on the bosorn and gold fillings in their your mixed-up Atomic-aga tealb.

toddlers, you will be able to get advice hero.

•

This year, of course, the great attraction of Brussels is the World Fair, from April 17 to October 19. It's the first Inter- national Fair since before this war.

But what I couldn't resist was the half-finished dist-track where our speed-cmry sons can Moas goggles put on Stirling and roar round at 15 miles nu hour in special electric racing From the air the exhibition cars supplied by Mercedes looks like a great city on Mars. Benz.

The atmosphere, as In most compole of sharp apples (It There, is the Russian Pavilion,

in sounded a pleasant alternative of hushed to a vegetable and was) and a OLC

good, amall restaurants Brussels, Jo meditation.

Set on fire

It seemed irreverent to nudgo my host and remind him that he had promised to show me the Grand Place it up. (It was '10 minates to 12 and they switch off at midnight.)||

salad.

My companion had rump' stoak, which literally "cut liko butter," and wo both followed with plate-sized portions of meling cherry plo, topped with whipped cream and coffee with a jug of cream.

A bottle of smooth red wine costs only 25, 6d. Why is

Towering over the vast sito all geometric and functional, with a flight of steps an army of the Fair is the Atomium-a could march up leading to a structure of ricel girders and huge statue of Lenin.

tubes supporting nine great globes. It is intended to look There

the American if the structure of an atom, Pavilion. The biggest round greatly magnslited.

the world." KLKA building in

"We don't But apart from the symbolism American, told me. count the Colomeum because 1: there's fun to be had. In the ham't got a roof."

Atomium Thero in fondething

to do and see in ouch globo, and The French have built a thero are escalators di running. fantastic job, which rears up, through the linking tubon

As we allpped' out of the door. It so chosgi? Department stores and curte against the sky like a tako you

in

the pancakes for our demort în Brusela haye their own switchback. Our buildläge look a were being prepared for the chalemÈR dame. But it was worth apoll- import direct

01

“Pranci Thay icma spectacular than those From the top globje there is and beltle and three-but as the Belgians my; a wonderful, view - Over

the

When that enticing national smell of frying mussels Soups down the steel tubes-X for, and wouldn't care to be in the crush at the receiving end.

| POCKET-CARTOON by OSBERT LANCASTER

*1 man say Warm greas comfort to know that every. thing's going do metrumsbygly that Parliament, con

time of în dijcuan shat Boph