As several historians at Columbia and Harvard have noted over the past years--before Gorbachev's rise became apparent--this decade offers major opportunities for change in U.S. Soviet relations because for the first time the Soviet leadership is not stained by the hyper-paranoia of the Stalin period.

If, as Columbia's Seweryn Bialer argues, Stalinism is more than the man himself, then the Soviet Union is only now inching out from under the himself of Stalin's state terror and economies-as as war ethos

Since Stalin, only Khruschey gave any hint that he could attempt: o back way from Stalinism's monomanic pursuit of the ultimate, indestructible state. Brezhnes firmly dedicated himself to the status quo, and one doubts that Andropov and Chernenko were ever more than a bad artist's conception. of the Soviet state and his brutal, but failed, attempt to impose socialism by force.

Gorbachev, then, but that does not justify the sense of manifest density that colors Butson's earnest tale about "the determined young man from Stavropool">

What is perhaps most interesting about Gorbachev is the way the West have allowed itself to believe that the young leader's to engaging personality--and his purportedly glamorous wife--somehow will result in better U.S. Soviet relation and peace on earth.

Butson says that Gorbaches's well publieized trips to Canada and Britain are example of Soviet confidence in him , and evidence that he is cut from a different cloth than his predecessors, But Gorbachev's high-profile is best read as a reminder of how well the West are to embrace those who can smile for the camera. Kiss the babies, and generally act like your friendly neighborhood politician

The "nice guy" strategy was used by "Uncle Joe" Stalin during and after World War II, and by Khrusehes during his famous U.S. tour, but these flashes of life from the Kremlin have left us with little more than a few photo opportunities and some anecdotes for a presidential memoir.

Butson makes hay of British Prime Minister Margaret I hatcher evaluation of Gorbachev after his visit last year: "I like Mr. Gorbachev We can do business together." Fair enough, but not a basis for worldwide jubilation over Russia's new J.F.K.

Let's wait to judge Gorbachev, and while were waiting, let's not waste our time with superficial snow Jobs like Butson's Gorbachev.