THE OTHER FOUR

In the order listed in the official communique

Lavrenty Pavlovich Beria, 53, Deputy Premier, Minister of he Interior, head of the secret police. A Georgian like Stalin, of poor peasant family, graduated in architecture, joined the Bolsheviks in 1917, the secret police in 1921. Brought to Moscow by Stalin in 1938 to head the secret police after Yezhov was purged. Operates the largest slavelabor economy in the world, exploiting some 14 million prisoners; also bosses the Red A-bomb project. Elected to the Politburo, 1946. Looks not like a cop but a bald, shrewdeyed, pmce-nezed scholar; is quiet, methodical, enjoys the arts, music; can be convivial or merciless. Married two children lives in a suburban dacha, commutes to work in a black bulletproof Packard that looks like a hearse. An oldtime buddy of Malenkov. Travel beyond the Iron Curtain: none.

Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Molotov, 63, Deputy Premier Minister of Foreign Affairs, who will run the cold war. Born in the European Urals, son of a store clerk, high school educated, joined the Bolsheviks in 1906. Met Stalin in 1912 when both edited an illegal sheet called Pravda, thereafter was Stalin's ever-loyal lieutenant until his death. Elected a Polit buro alternate in 1921, aged 31, the youngest ever. Premier 1930 to 1941 Minister 1939 to 1949. Uninspired, but crafty and stubborn negotiator. Irritated underlings call him Iron Rump, Lenin called him "an incurable dumb bell" and "the best file clerk in Russia." Behind every plodding step however, lies a record of a difficult task efficiently performed. Is the last of the Old Bolsheviks, the revolutionmakers, left in the innermost circle. Married to a Jewess (who has U.S. relatives); one daughter. Is fussy, pedantic loves music. Once considered most likely to succeed Stalin, now rates No. 3 in the government, but is not considered likely to rock the boat. Travel outside the Iron Curtain: considerable, the most of any men around Malenkov.

Nikolai Alexandrovich Bulganin, 58, Deputy Premier Minister of War, will boss the army, navy and airforce. Son of a factory clerk, meagerly educated, joined the Bolsheviks in 1917, fought in Siberia. Afterwards turned bureaucrat-businessman. 1922, chief od Russia's largest electrical equipment plant; 1931, Mayor of Moscow; 1938, chairman of GOSBANK (Russia's Federal Reserve). In 1941, doffed his business suit, became political commissar of the armies defending Moscow, full general 1944, marshal 1947, but is primarily politician bossing army professionals. Politburo member, 1948. Small, neatly dressed, goateed, mild in manner and tone. Married a girl who worked in his electrical factory; no children, lives modestly. Travel outside the Iron Curtain: none.

Lazar Moiseyevich Kaganovich, 60, Deputy Premier, holds no specific ministry, will probably continue as the Kremlins roving economic troubleshooter. Last remaining jew in the hierarchy. Born to a poor family in the Ukraine graduated from elementary school became a shoemaker at 14, a Bolshevik at 18 (in 1911). An effective job of handling touchy minorities in Turkestan in 1920 won Stalin's attention and a summons to Moscow. Hard-working practical Kaganovich was sent off in 1925, at the age of 32 to boss the Ukraine, Russia's richest area; there, directed the building of Dneprostroi, first great Red power project. A Politburo member since 1930, became Deputy Premier in 1947 and overall boss of the 24 industrial ministries. Tall, intelligent, a good orator. Travel outside the Iron Curtain: none.

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