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Best current account of doings in Dictator Stalin's office is translated this month by The Living Age from the Swiss Neue Zürcher Zeitung. Excerpts: "Stalin's office . . . occupies an entire 'Stalin's half' of the [sixth and top] floor [of the Party Secretariat Building] and one door only connects it with other rooms. This door opens on the room of Stalin's private secretary. . . . There are no unexpected guests. At a prearranged time and without any waiting the visitor is ushered in. . . .
"Stalin . . . likes to attack each problem by having the relevant material from the rooms of the Secretariat and from the different People's commissars left in his own office, where he arrives at his final decisions without assistance. He does not write down his conclusions in his own hand but dictates to the secretary who is on duty. The secretary has to enter the room without a word, write down in complete silence what Stalin says, and leave the room without saying anything. When some matter of unusual importance is under consideration Stalin walks about the room as he dictates, puffing at his pipe—an old habit that has remained with him from the time when he used to be in prison. . . .
"Since hostilities broke out in Manchuria between China and Japan, Stalin has concentrated his attention on foreign policy. Since 1930 no diplomatic step has been taken without directions from Stalin. The Dictator has been profoundly disturbed by the repeated humiliations to which Japan has subjected Russian prestige in the Far East. He certainly counts on a Japanese attack. His whole strategy is therefore directed toward creating the most favorable attitude possible toward Russia in Europe in order to be able to meet the danger of Japanese provocation with as little risk as possible."
*Title of honor held by comrades who were members of the Party before the abortive Russian Revolution of 1905.