Yevtushenko rebels

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33463, 19 February 1974, Page 13

Yevtushenko rebels

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) MOSCOW, February 18. The Soviet Communist Party leadership today will face the problem of how to handle the sudden rebellion of the poet and playwright, Yevgeny Yevtushenko, — often considered a member of the Soviet literary establishment. Observers believe that there is the prospect of further disaffection among writers. Yevtushenko, in an 1800word statement made available in Moscow yesterday, called for an end to silence about the crimes of the Stalinist era and charged that he had been crudely humiliated by the Kremlin for daring to intervene on behalf of the banished author, Alexander Solzhenitsyn. His appeal coincided with circulation in Moscow of a final note left by Solzhenitsyn — written on February 12, the day of his arrest — in which the author of “Gulag Archipelago” also called on writers and intellectuals to reje t lies and pressures from the authorities and speak the truth. One thing Soviet cultural officials will be especially anxious to observe is whether the defiance of Yevtushenko and the continued moral appeal of Solzhenitsyn will encourage other members of the Soviet cultural community to reject official pressures, observers said. According to some Moscow reports, there are several prominent writers and some other figures who regard the expulsion of Solzhenitsyn as inhuman and unjust. But whether these feelings will be translated into action and produce a hard-core cultural revolt against the Kremlin’s demand for conformity in the arts and obedience to the party is very much an open question, observers added. Yevtushenko’s outburst vesterday- surprised many Moscow observers, who had regarded him as a brilliant promoter and propagandist not likely to risk ruining his career by outright opposition to main principles of Soviet cultural policy. Yevtushenko’s anger burst out when officials cancelled his gala concert, due to have been televised and broadcast last night, without prior notification.

He said that the official move was reaction to a telegram he sent to the Kremlin when he learnt "f Solzhenitsyn’s arrest. In this he pleaded with the Kremlin to reconsider the matter so as not to undermine Soviet prestige The only reply was cancellation of his concert without notification t<> him. Yevtushenko las clashed publicly in the past with tne former Prime Minister, Mt Nikita Krushchev, on cultural matters but has nevertheless been treated as a favoured and well-rewarded member of the artistic community — even though his verses have been criticised as mediocre by some critics.

One of his earliest poems “Babi Yar” brought out into the open the mass murder of Kiev Jews during World War 11 by German troops. Another poem attacked Stalinism.

In his statement yesterday Yevtushenko said that he had refused to denounce Solzhenitsyn and he called for an end to the silence surrounding the crimes of the Stalinist era.

Yevtushenko expressed his amazement at the ignorance shown by Soviet teen-agers about Stalinism and said that they had no source of knowledge about this period. His statement coincided with a final essay by Solzhenitsyn which appealed for honesty in Soviet public life. Solzhenitsyn called on his fellow writers and other prominent figures to resist offi-( cial pressure to do things which were against their conscience.