Trib Dec 21 1949 No. 1 Dictator Reaches Three Score and Ten The Soviet world pays tribute today to Joseph V. Stalin on his 70th birthday. The man who rose from poor beginnings to one of the most powerful political and governmental positions in the worlds history has become something of a man of mystery in recent years. Partly because of his infrequent appearances he is now the embodiment of the Big Brother, mythical dictator in George Orwells fantasy, Nineteen Eighty Four. The Communist world, with the exception of heretic Yugoslavia, worships his portrait and the legend that has grown up around the generalissimo. Perhaps only a few men in the world know whether he is still all powerful or a mere figurehead. A study by E. A. Morehead shows that Uncle Joe in power for almost 26 years holds no record for longevity and duration of power among dictators. Porfirio Diaz, who had control of Mexico for 35 years before he was driven from office at the age of 81, lived four years more. Stalins age and tenure are well above the average in the dictatorship business, however. Of those in our time, Hitler is believed to have committed suicide in 1945 at the age of 56, after 12 years as der fuehrer. About the same time Benito Mussolini was executed at 61 after 23 years in power. Napoleon and Napoleon III also owed their fall to foreign arms. Two contemporaries of Stalin are still holding to their power. Franco, el caudillo of Spain for nearly 11 years, is 57. Salazar, who ruled Portugal for almost 22 years, is 10 years younger than Stalin. Chiang Kaishek is on the way out after 21 years. He is 61 years old. South American dictators, as a rule, do not stay in office long. Few people in the democratic world will feel like saying happy birthday to Uncle Joe today. Nor can they bring themselves to wishing him many of em since a struggle for his place is expected among other members of the Russian hierarchy after he is gone.