International: Icy Exchange

A German dockworker peered through the drizzly fog that hung over the North Sea port of Bremerhaven last week and muttered: "Da kommen die Schweine [There come the swine]." Out of the mist lumbered two sharp-prowed, 6,500-ton icebreakers wearing huge Soviet flags on their sterns and the painted-over names"North-wind" and "Westwind" on their bows. Six years after the U.S. had lend-leased these $10,000,000 vessels to its wartime ally, the Russians handed them back, somewhat-the worse for wear and well dappled with rust.

At the height of the U.S.-Soviet honeymoon, Washington lend-leased 710 vessels to the Soviets (585 naval, 96 merchant, 29 small craft). As the relationship chilled into cold war, the U.S. began demanding their return. To date, only 39 (including the icebreakers) have come back; 670 are still owed; one was lost.

The scene between the two at the dockside was as cold as any ice the breakers ever faced. Up to virtually the last minute, the Reds had refused to give their estimated time of arrival. Once in, they parleyed half the night over the exchange, then hauled down their flags and stiffly marched aboard an accompanying Russian ship for the trip home. But they did give up the ships.