RUSSIA: Jolly Answers

In his usual glib and grinning way, Russia's Nikita Khrushchev confounded Western newsmen at a British embassy celebration of the Queen's birthday by taking up rumors about his past purge victims, and talking about what might have happened to Politburocrat Mikhail Suslov, who, Polish Communists believe, is Khrushchev's No. 1 opponent in Kremlin councils:

¶ "If you want to see Suslov [missing from Kremlin functions for a month], go to the Black Sea, get a bathing suit and go swimming with him," said Khrushchev. Suslov, he added, has some further "accumulated leave" coming. "We take our holidays in turn."

¶ "If...