SPECULATION ABOUT STALIN'S SUCCESSOR

Chronicle (Levin), 11 December 1946, Page 7

SPECULATION ABOUT STALIN'S SUCCESSOR

(Special Oorrespondent.)

MOLOTOV WOULD BE UNDER HANDICAP

LONDON, Dee. lJ. Despite offieial denials of Stalin 's illness and possible abdieation from povver, discussion of the probability of a successor continues in the British Press. The Observer's special correspondent says the probability is tlxat Stalin has retained the effective control only of the major foreign and home policies, and has delegated attendance at public functions and the exercise of detailed administrative jurisdietion. He has seen both the British and the America'n Ambassadors vvithin the past month and,on those occasions he was showing signs of strain and ill-healtli sufficient to explain such a delegation of authority. It seenis clear that in the event of Stalin 's death or retirement the political power will not pass to the anny chiefs, continued the correspondent. The three leading niilitary chiefs— Marshals Zhukov, Koniev and. Alalinovskv — have been withdrawn from outside commands and brought home. It is significant that although Marshal Koniev holds the title of com-niander-in-chifif of the Russian Army recent oiders to the armed forces have been signed by General Bulganin, ,who is hiniself eonsidered a .candidate for membership of the Politburo. Mr. Molotov stands next to Marshal Stalin in fornial power, and it is probable that Stalin liimself would like Molotov to sncceed liim. . The office of Foreign Commissar is regarded as of' the lirst iniportance in Russia, and Mr. Molotov 's undisturbed position of authority in this office undei Marshal Stalin is, therefore, of interest. However, in the struggle for power which will undoubtedly occur if Stalin should relinquish control, Molotov

would be handicapped by the fact tnat he is forced to spend so much time ontside of Russia. It is pointed' out that, after Lenin's death, it was Stalin, a comparatively obscure but iiowerful functionary, who seized power and not the liominal second in coimnand, Trotsky. The same thing inight occur again. The most favoured candidate for Stalin 's position among the comparatively obscure are Mr. Beria, the head of the sccret police, and Mr. Melenkov, who is Stalin 's deputy as secretary of the Communist Party. Two others whose names are frequently mentioned are Mr. Zlidanov and Mr. Andreyev, both leading iuoiubers of the Politburo and verv infiuentiai meinbers of the Soviet liierarchy. ALr. Zlidanov- was comniissioned to carry out the present purge of the party and Mr. Andreyev is in eliarge of the purge of collective t'arms.