National Affairs: Open Door

Out of Moscow last week came one request that the U.S. promptly granted. Through U.S. Ambassador Llewellyn E. Thompson, the Russians asked for a diplomatic visa permitting Soviet Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyan to visit the U.S. for a fortnight or so early next month. One of three members of the old Stalin gang (the others: Premier Khrushchev, President Voroshilov) still surviving in the top ranks of the Soviet hierarchy, wily Armenian Mikoyan, 63, will officially be visiting the U.S. as the guest of Ambassador Mikhail A. (“Smiling Mike”) Menshikov, but Mikoyan’s obvious purpose in making the trip is to talk to top U.S. officials, possibly the President. The U.S. has “no information” on Mikoyan’s plans, announced a State Department spokesman, but he added that presumably “anyone he wished to see would be glad to see him.”