His eyes hollow, his black mustache working with emotion, the last of the old Bolsheviks rose to speak. "Not everyone knows that I had an operation three years ago," began Soviet President Anastas Mikoyan, 70, his voice trem bling. "I feel this now, and it has an effect on my work. Now I find it diffi cult to carry out a big job." A frozen hush fell over the 1,443 members of the Supreme Soviet. They did not dare applaud; after all, they might be witnessing a purge.
Not so, for once. Mikoyan's retirement was, refreshingly, just that. Party Boss...
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