COMMUNISTS: Where is Molotov?

Six months ago Vyacheslav Molotov was relieved of his job as Soviet Foreign Minister; but he stayed on as Deputy Premier and, so far as anyone could tell, as a member of the Politburo. The Politburo is what counts.

A week later he entered the hall of the Supreme Soviet (parliament) at Stalin’s right hand. He was next—and last—seen on May Day, when the Soviet mighty assembled atop Lenin’s tomb. Early in July, Molotov was listed as a signer of the euphuistic vale to the departed Georgi Dimitrov. But he was there only in the printed list; his cannonball head was nowhere visible in the official photos.

Since then, no word of Molotov’s current activities has appeared in the Soviet press. For all anyone in the West knows, he could be dead or he could be running Russia. Shrewder guesses: 1) he has been put in charge of the Communists in China and the prospering campaign to take over Southeast Asia; 2) he has been put in charge of the vendetta against Tito.