THE WEEK

The influential Italian conservative paper Borghese dramatized the present trend in U.S.-Soviet relations last week in the middle section where it usually carries full-page photographs, thus: On the left, a photograph of Nixon and Khrushchev laughing uproariously, over the caption, “They Laugh Together”; on the right, Soviet tanks firing at a disorganized crowd of East Berliners during the ‘53 uprising, over the caption, “They Die Alone.” Borghese made no editorial comment; nor do we.

A few days before Nikita Khrushchev’s arrival in New York, Manhattanites were startled to see “him” parading around the city in an open limousine with banners flying. And on the banners, possibly Khrushchev’s most famous words, “We will bury you.” It was a stunt of course; and the Khrushchev that New Yorkers saw was an impersonator. But, as it turns out, it was a hazardous stunt. The false Khrushchev, seeking to take precautions, proved to be uninsurable, even by Lloyds of London. As one insurance official put it: “We wouldn’t insure Khrushchev or any one who looks like him. He has too many people in his own government and probably in his own entourage, who want him killed.” Which led us to wonder whether Khrushchev himself is, or is not insured, and if so what the quarterly premium would cost? We know, of course, who are the beneficiaries.

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William F. Buckley Jr.

The influential Italian conservative paper Borghese dramatized the present trend in U.S.-Soviet relations last week in the middle section where it usually carries full-page photographs, thus: On the left, a photograph of Nixon and Khrushchev laughing uproariously, over the caption, “They Laugh Together”; on the right, Soviet tanks firing at a disorganized crowd of East Berliners during the ‘53 uprising, over the caption, “They Die Alone.” Borghese made no editorial comment; nor do we.

A few days before Nikita Khrushchev’s arrival in New York, Manhattanites were startled to see “him” parading around the city in an open limousine with banners flying. And on the banners, possibly Khrushchev’s most famous words, “We will bury you.” It was a stunt of course; and the Khrushchev that New Yorkers saw was an impersonator. But, as it turns out, it was a hazardous stunt. The false Khrushchev, seeking to take precautions, proved to be uninsurable, even by Lloyds of London. As one insurance official put it: “We wouldn’t insure Khrushchev or any one who looks like him. He has too many people in his own government and probably in his own entourage, who want him killed.” Which led us to wonder whether Khrushchev himself is, or is not insured, and if so what the quarterly premium would cost? We know, of course, who are the beneficiaries.