Monday, Feb. 06, 1978

Nicolae's 60th

Feting the "first peasant"

Editorials hailed him as "a luminous figure, a celebrated Communist leader, a passionate patriot, wise chief of party and state." Broadcasters saluted his "creativity of exceptional value in philosophy, scientific socialism, political economy, history, education, science and culture." In other encomiums, he appeared variously as still "the first peasant among peasants" and a fellow who was "born a peasant, became a worker and is now an intellectual."

The object of all these huzzas was Rumania's diminutive dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, who turned 60 last week amid trumpetings of praise not heard in the East bloc since Stalin's day. Congratulatory telegrams poured into the Palace of the Republic in Bucharest. Busts and portraits were unveiled. A shrine was being built at his birthplace, in the farm village of Scornicesti. A special exhibition of 60 books on Ceausescu from 30 countries opened in the capital. Moscow conferred the Lenin Prize, East Germany sent the Order of Karl Marx, and the Rumanian Academy of Political and Economic Sciences chipped in with an honorary doctorate, presumably because Ceausescu is being hailed as the "author of more than 50 books"--which happen to be reprints of his lengthy speeches.

Why the cheers? Maybe Ceausescu's comrades could not find anything else to offer a man who after 13 years in power holds just about every important title in Rumania, including President of the Republic, Secretary-General of the Party, President of the State Council, President of the Defense Council, Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces and Chairman of the Supreme Council on Social and Economic Development. Another, more sinister theory: with weaknesses in the tough Rumanian dictatorship showing up in the form of strikes in the coal fields and criticism by dissidents, other members of the regime might be delighted to pin everything that has been going on in the country on their boss.

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