| Transcript |
home? Do you know that everybody
there is fed up with the Soviet over-
lordship, has enough of Soviet exploitation?"
Again and again, Peroutka has discussed premature — and therefore suicidal — uprisings in an inflammatory
fashion. For the sake of preserving
precious friends for a more opportune
time, we might well have followed the
advice of the late Senator Robert A.
Taft, who vigorously opposed such
heedlessness.
PROPAGATION OF DECADENT
LITERATURE AND MUSIC
For the time being, Radio Free
Europe might well content itself with
building up the morale of those who
long for liberation from the Communist tyrants. There are numerous
straightforward books which take a
courageous stand against any and all
undue control by government. These,
though, are not the books from which
RFE's commentators have chosen to
quote. No, the cultural fare which
they have selected is largely confined
to decadence in literature, and jazz in
the realm of music.
The program "Play of the Week" is
full of mental confusion and decay.
The books which are reviewed and
quoted, and which are supposed to
represent the world of the free,
abound in decadent characters, in suicide and perversion. As to literature
which is supposed to represent eastern
Europe, the emphasis is strongly
placed on works of defected collecti-
vists. picturing the horror and the
hopelessness among the satellite nations.
The editor of "Book of the Week,"
on August 3, 1952, at 9:45 a.m., expounded: "We enable you to become
1953 REBELLION OF GERMANS IN THE SOVIET ZONE — Demonstrators in East Berlin dipped
carry a huge sign demanding "Free Elections" during their four-hour revolt against Red rule or
June 17, 1953. Soviet troops, supported by tanks and armored cars, broke the revolt. Two lines e>'
Soviet T34 tanks (tower) clear streets of demonstrators in the vicinity of the East German government headquarters following Soviet declaration of martial law.
if?iiin',r
mini
WIliN WORLD PHOTO
Elia Kaian, Hollywood film director
acquainted with the literature which
is current in the free world. Take- a
book by Mannus Ferber, who once
was a Communist . . . the story in itself is colorless — a tear in the ocean
. . . there are no ready answers any-
vv here . . ."
On April 26, 1953, at 9:45 a.m.,
"Book of the Week" — to present another typical example — discussed The
Polish Mill, by Jean Giodo: "A mysterious curse rests on the family," the
commentator explained. "In vain,
Kosta opposes the weight of destiny
... his son-in-law becomes mentally
insane . . . his daughter goes crazy . . .
the young woman is slowly dying
. . . the power of fate is the core of the
book ... all revolt against it is
futile . . ."
"Weekly Survey of Culture," of January 4, 1953, at 11:15 a.m., told of a
Page 44
work of literature that is "full of ce»"
plexes and inner conflicts ..."
"Film Program," of April 9, 1955,»
2:20 p.m., reviewed a film directed -J
Elia Kazan: ". . . he went to see •
mother in the brothel. . . he bom'"!
money from her, even though he
spised her, and then he made a fi(
business deal ... a drama lull
instincts, passions, and convulsionS>J
undertones ... a master work
Kazan . . ."
This story about a moral and sbjfl
father whose wife lives in a brOa
was offered by RFE during the E*j
holidays. «
RFE seems to be chockful of $r
personalities, of people with l''
plexes, of those who are in need
psychiatrists, of people whom j
might pity if there were not SO '' j
time left and if they were not entr"
Facts Forum News, March, 1 i
Th,. tr(
;"■>«,. „r
Moods ,
""'I vexal
*fldv
Sa
l"cl, „„•
>l to
P°*n na
S-ttpean
Europe
;;;i" it al
tl,'"'"IH'
"'"^ Hi
Srdav
/ millioi
S"i h,
.""'"..lisi
E?*«ona
ft >■■ v
c ii*
^"issi
'Mm,,,
|
