79-14-A6

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Defectors

Transcript When the Cultural Exchange Program between the United States and the Soviet Union there was concern on the part of many Americans that the Soviets might try to use it for espionage purposes. Whether they did or not I don't know, but as it turned out the Soviets did get more than they bargained for. Or perhaps I should say they lost more than they bargained for. Artists and entertainers in the Soviet Union are a special class in the "classless" society of the "Workers Paradise." They live at a higher standard than the average Russian and have privilege's matched or exceeded by only the hierarchy. Even so, there must be something lacking. Could it be something so simple as individual freedom? Late August and early September found the cultural exchange a losing deal for the Kremlin. On August 22nd the superstar of the touring Bolshoi Ballet, Alexander Gudonov, walked off the stage in New York City and asked for sanctuary in this country. On September 22nd the Bolshoi was in Los Angeles, Godunuv's replacement Leonid Kozlov did the same thing taking his ballerina wife Vallentina with him. The very next day in Switzerland where a Soviet ice show was appearing the top two Russian skating stars, both Olympic champions, defected. Of course, there have been other defections in years past, but spaced out at greater intervals. We nave in our country the former conductor of the Soviet national symphony, Kirin Kondrashin, and the world renowned ballet stars Nureyev, Natalia Makarova and the inimitable Baryshnikov. The Kremlin theme song these days could very well be that old World War I ditty, "How You Going to Keep Them Down on Farm After They've Seen Paris?" On September 27th the shaken leaders in the Kremlin came up with something of an answer to that musical question. They cancelled the 24 city United States tour of the Moscow symphony, scheduled to open in New York City October 2nd at Carnegie Hall. The symphony was also scheduled to officially open the season at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Some 3,500 tickets had already been sold. This would have been the fifth U.S. tour for the orchestra. There has only been one defection from that group and that one in 1969. Apparently the Soviet leaders had reason to believe things might be different this time for they asked our government to refuse sanctuary to any of the musicians fi they tried to defect. This, of course, we could not do. You see there are those words engraved on the Statue of Liberty which the men in the Kremlin can never understand, "Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp! Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door." This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 79-14-A6 Production Date 10/02/1979 Book/Page RPtV-476 Audio Youtube? No
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