Drip, Drip, Drip

When Joseph Stalin purged his foes within the Soviet hierarchy, he put them away with historic callousness: most of them were summarily shot. This precedent is still honored on occasion in satellite nations such as Rumania, which, in the course of its current purge of "revisionists," recently executed eight citizens of Hungarian ancestry accused of "separatist plotting." But in Russia itself, Nikita Khrushchev, with a little more refinement, generally spares the lives of the men he purges, subjects them instead to a Muscovite version of the Chinese water torture.

The case of Nikolai Bulganin: Feb. 8, 1955--Named Premier of Russia after long years of service as a commissar and then a marshal whose main job was to ensure party control of the army. Became the lesser half of the traveling team of B. and K. in glad-handing tours to Red China, India and Britain. March 27, 1958--Kicked out as Premier after siding with Molotov against Khrushchev in a Central Committee showdown. Four days later appointed chairman of the Soviet State Bank.

June 13--At a Moscow reception, when asked what became of Bulgy, Khrushchev says, "You can buy a bouquet of flowers and visit Bulganin in a hospital."

Aug. 15--Loses job at State Bank, named chairman of the Economic Council of Stravropol in the Caucasus.

Last week--Booted out of the Soviet Communist Party Presidium.

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