MALENKOV’S FUTURE

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27921, 19 March 1956, Page 11

MALENKOV’S FUTURE

Effect Of Power

Struggle

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, March 17. “What Is Mr Malenkov’s future?” This question was being asked in London last night after the publication of the speech by Mr Khrushchev. Mr Malenkov’s rival in the Kremlin struggle for power, th*» political corresnondent of the “Daily Mail” reported.

“The speech implies either that Mr Malenkov was unhelpful when the Ukrainians appealed to the Kremlin for arms at a critical stage of the war. or that he encouraged Stalin to turn tn deaf ear to the appeal. True or false, the text of the speech has shocked the Malenkov delegation in London.” said the correspondent. “Experts on Russia point out that the attack on Stalin means an attack on Mr Malenkov, who was his righthand man and was chosen bv him as successor. As the anti-Stalin campaign grows. Mr Malenkov’s stock, already low after his resignation from the Premiershin. declines still further.’’ th° correspondent claimed.

The special security bodyguard of two men on Mr Malenkov was increased to eight armed men in London last night, after it was known th a* the report of Mr Khrushchev's speech was circulating, the “Daily Mail” reported. Mr Malenkov was heavily escorted by armed Soviet police when he lef f the Charing Cross hotel where he and bis party had dined with British electrical power men. “Happiness to Gloom”

“The man who for two days had snpeared benign and happy seemed when he left the hotel to be a gloomy the “Dailv Mail” said. “He smiled once, when Lord Citrine, chairman of the British Electricity Foard and Mr Malenkov’s host, said goodnight to him. His eyes were heavily ringed.”

Mr Malenkov has declined to oe drawn into a discussion of the allegations against Stalin, but was serious end unsmiling at all his public engagements.

The friendly smile which has dazzled London since he arrived on March 15 t’ the head of an engineering delegation was gone two days later. The Manchester United v. Arsenal soccer match failed to boost Mr Malenkov’s spirits on an afternoon in which every London evening newspaper snlashed reports of the rioting in Georgia over the Stalin attacks. Mr Malenkov acknowledged mixed cheering and booing from the 50.000 crowd with a crisp salute. Last night. Mr Malenkov went to Wemblev Stadium to see the pantote’me. “Babes in the Wood on Ice.”

This morning. Mr Malenkov will leave at 6 a.m. for the Harwell atomic energy plant, and will return to see the Prime Minister (Sir Anthony Fden) and then he will go to Oxford. He will be joined in London on March 19 by the Soviet First Deputy Foreign Minister (Mr Gromyko), who leads the Soviet delegation to the cpening session on March 19 of the disarmament talks among Britain, Cansc the United States, France, and Russia.

The Labour Party leader, Mr Gaitskell. has revealed his efforts on Saturday to explain the importance of the Opposition party in a democracy to Mr Malenkov. “It is not terribly easy to explain to someone from a Communist State.” Mr Gaitskell said.