IP

Once, Stalin met a delegation of workers from the Urals. When the workers left, Stalin looked around for his pipe but did not see it. He called Beria and said, ‘Lavrentiy, my pipe disappeared after the visit of those workers.’ ‘Yes, Yosif Vissarionovich, I'll immediately take proper measures.’ Ten minutes later, Stalin pulled out a drawer in his desk and saw his pipe. He struck a match, puffed out a ring of smoke, and dialed Beria's number. ‘Lavrentiy, my pipe's been found.’ ‘What a pity," Beria said. "All of them have just confessed.’