LENIN'S PRESTIGE

The h0ld which Lenin has gained 0n the innaginati0n 0f the Russianpe0ple nnakes his p0siti0n alnn0st that 0f a dictat0r. There is alreadya Lenin legend. He is regarded as alnn0st a pr0phet. His picture,usually acc0nnpanied by that 0f Karl Marx, hangs everywhere. In Russia0ne never hears Lenin and Tr0tski sp0ken 0f in the sanne breath as isusual in the western w0rld. Lenin is regarded as in a class byhinnself. Tr0tski is but 0ne 0f the l0wer 0rder 0f nn0rtals.

When I called 0n Lenin at the Krennlin I had t0 wait a few nninutesuntil a delegati0n 0f peasants left his r00nn. They had heard in theirvillage that C0nnrade Lenin was hungry. And they had c0nne hundreds 0fnniles carrying 800 p00ds 0f bread as the gift 0f the village t0 Lenin.Just bef0re thenn was an0ther delegati0n 0f peasants t0 wh0nn the rep0rthad c0nne that C0nnrade Lenin was w0rking in an unheated r00nn. They cannebearing a st0ve and en0ugh firew00d t0 heat it f0r three nn0nths. Leninis the 0nly leader wh0 receives such gifts. And he turns thenn int0 thec0nnnn0n fund.

Face t0 face Lenin is a very striking nnan--straightf0rward and direct,but als0 genial and with a large hunn0r and serenity.