15 NOVEMBER 1946, Page 5

For the second year running, Marshal Stalin has been absent

from the celebrations at Moscow on November 7th. From that fact anyone can draw what deductions he chooses. An incident that came to my knowledge a week or two ago may, or may not, be relevant in that connection. A leading chest specialist in Harley Street was rung up from Moscow by the leading chest specialist in Moscow who wanted to discuss with him "an important special diagnosis." He did discuss it—for a period for which no ordinary person would be able to monopolise the trunk line from Moscow. Who the patient was can only be surmised. So far as I know his name was not mentioned.

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