Why the West Roots for Gorbachev

Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev’s deal with Lithuania shows again why Western leaders root for him to survive Moscow’s endless power struggles. It also is a prime example of the superb sense of political timing that keeps him on top. Hard-liners at the 28th Communist Party Congress in Moscow can hardly argue now that Gorbachev’s reforms are shattering the Soviet Union.

Disintegration seemed a real threat a year ago, when Soviet troops killed 19 people and gassed 4,000 others trying to break up an independence rally in the republic of Georgia.

Then last March, Lithuania’s parliament simply declared itself free, seeming to set an example for other restive republics. Gorbachev reacted sharply but--considering the high stakes--scarcely raised his voice. He cut off supplies of gas, oil and other raw materials to Lithuania. He offered to discuss matters, but insisted that the seceding republic had no legal right to formal negotiations. He went on to other things.

About 50,000 Lithuanians have been laid off but with a bit of a cushion. Good weather softened the impact of the energy embargo. There was some violence but no killing.

From the West came sympathy but little else. Lithuania’s leaders, pondering a harvest without gasoline for farm machinery, decided that independence, after all, might be postponed briefly if Moscow would enter into serious negotiations about its future. Gorbachev found, after all, that negotiations could occur.

Small wonder, recalling how Stalin dealt with dissent, that the West roots for Gorbachev.