Closing out a nine-day tour that took him from Washington to six other U.S. cities. Soviet Deputy Premier Anastas Mikoyan last week returned to the nation's capital. His trip had been a smashing success—from his viewpoint. For behind him Anastas Mikoyan left scores of well-meaning Americans who, failing to realize that he had not backed up an inch on any basic Kremlin position (see box), had mistaken his warm smile as tokening a real thaw in the cold war.
Back in Washington, Mikoyan was greeted by still more Americans certain he had peace proposals packed away in his portfolio. Lunching...