1. We are here to celebrate the
life of a giant of a man... singer,
actor, fighter for brotherhood and
Peace ... We created this man.
Are we going to go on creating?”’
These words spoken by Earl
obinson, American composer of
Joe Hill, Free and Equal Blues,
Ballad for Americans, good
Nend and fellow artist of the late
aul Robeson, set the tone for an
€vening of song, dance, drama
and reminiscences. Over a
Ousand Torontonians at Har-
td Collegiate responded en-
USlastically to a truly creative
Celebration — from the pre-
Program recordings of Robeson’s
magnificent voice to the last notes
of ,7: his soul goes marching
on,’ when the crowd clapped and
Sang with him.
b The Story of Robeson’s life,
rd on his book, Here I Stand,
. Well as personal memories of
Mme of his Canadian friends, was
atranged by Ray Stevenson and
om Hendry. The script told the

oe

5 The Second World War ended
nly 30 years ago — a short span

hi War are among the most
Teadful man has learned.
eq Me Publishing of the book call-
He Lest We Forget; by M.
4 ausiak, will bring to Canadian
€ntion a lesson which, although
Omible, is a sorely needed re-
der,
the amusiak’s book portrays in
Banost irrefutable way the vici-
labo), anti-Semitic role of col-
cu Tators during the fascist oc-
ftion of Ukraine. Irrefutable,

thenttymen at Hitler’s bidding,
Prok Ik leaves no way open to
€st innocence.
. 1S a book of facts, facts and
on te facts; documents recording
to py Ukrainian fascist police
'quidate the Jews, recording
| 4 . Shooting of Jews, ‘‘hunt-down
‘}h, tons” against Jews, signed
| ae living and going free in
Uk ada today. Photographs of
the ny lan police posturing with
to, 22! German allies, attached
Pay Scuments acknowledging
1* Ment from the Third Reich,
Up tons from the writings of
an fascist newspapermen
3 Iped spread Nazi propa-
4 — is further evidence.
Mater: book includes personal
Wh, vents from men and women
: 4 Miraculously lived through
Vip nttation camps such as at
3,” Who are alive today in Uk-
© and elsewhere.
: Nth, his visits to the Ukraine, the
bath, Or, M. Hanusiak has
‘bf . ed a formidable collection
put etial which can leave no
hi. 2 the reader’s mind that
hy; Ukrainian _ bourgeois
iN Snalists acted for and with the
gthat SCcupiers of their country,
idl Collaboration meant killing,
y~} © and imprisoning men,
:

*ho he

f history — but the lessons of S

TRIBUTE TO PAUL ROBESON

‘Celebrating the life _
of a giant of a man’ f

" the qualities of the artist and man

~ EARL ROBINSON

story with fine simplicity. Ardon
Bess, Phillip Akin, Vera Cudjoe
(members of Black Theatre
Canada), James-B. Douglas, Joan
Lewis and Len Doncheff per-
formed it with warmth and hu-
manity as each in turn revealed

|
Leaming history’s lessons

pense for the monsters who —
Tdered and tortured their

of the people. Particularly effec-
tive was Phillip Akin as the young
Robeson, charming the audience
with his vitality and sincerity. The
words were given further depth
by film projections of Robeson as
a young man, as a singer, as
Othello, as world traveller, in
concert in Spain and at the peace
march between Blaine, Washing-
ton and Vancouver.

* * *

As the story moved along,
music, so great a part of Robe-
son’s life, was interwoven —
Charles Jordan’s beautifully sung
Lonesome Road and Ode to Joy,
Beverly Glenn-Copéland’s stir-
ring songs and two fine selections
by the Jewish Folk Choir. con-
ducted by Melvyn Isen, with
which Robeson sang so often in
Toronto. :

The Black Theatre Dance
Group highlighted Robeson’s
concern with African culture in
their stirring interpretation of an

Ukrainian fascists cooperated with regular Nazi German troops in
torturing and murdering their countrymen. Some of these criminals are

now living in Canada.
women and children because they
were Jews.

This is the lesson from only 30
years ago which is vitally impor-
tant in Canada today,.a lesson
which sections of the population
have found it convenient to
forget, or have been lulled or con-
fused into not seeing. Thus we
find strange bedfellows — al-
liances between Zionist and Uk-
rainian. nationalist organizations.

What is the common factor
linking organizations which “‘rep-
resent’”’ a people whose suffering
during the last war shocked the
world, and organizations “‘repre-
senting” a section of people who
caused that suffering?

Lest We Forget carries two new
introductions, by Joseph Ger-
shman and by Peter Krawchuk,
leading members of Jewish and
Ukrainian organizations. They
explain very clearly what that link
is. They explain how people can
forget or be fooled into forgetting
if they are united in common
hatred. In this case the hatred
is profoundly intense anti-

Sovietism, a fundamental expres-
sion of anti-communisism.
Lest We Forget is a book which
will, therefore, remind us of the
inhuman nature of anti-
communism. It will remind us
that the men who willingly com-
mitted fascism’s crimes are here,
in Canada, now, and should not
be allowed to use their assumed
respectability to confuse, and to
lead people further down the path
of reaction.
~ Lest We Forget will, at the same
time, be a book which reminds us
of the great victory won by the
Soviet people, in concert with
freedom-loving people the world
over, 30 years ago on May 9.
The personal accounts of the

‘atrocities suffered by the victims

of fascism are written by people
now living and working in a de-
cent and humane society in Soviet
Ukraine.

Progress Books, in Toronto,
has expressed pride in its part in
the forthcoming publication of
Lest We Forget, by M. Hanusiak.

African dance. The young chil-
dren of Black Theatre Canada
charmingly reminded us of his
long battle for future generations
of Black Americans.

Pablo Neruda’s Ode to Paul
Robeson was splendidly per-
formed by Maria Enriques in
Spanish and Amah Harris in En-
glish. Working as a team they
brought clarity and excitement to
Neruda’s poetic tribute.

As a reminder: of Robeson’s
lifetime of struggle for freedom
and opportunity for Black Ameri-
cans, coupled with his unrelenting
stand for peace, we were shown
his persecution by the Un-
American Activities Committee
during the cold war years. James
Burt and Bill Peters recalled the
cold warriors vividly and Robert
O’Ree portrayed Robeson, the
man of spirit and integrity.

The continuing saga of a man
who was part of so many picket
lines and concerts for union or-
ganizations was enhanced by the
many messages received from

‘trade unions throughout. the
world. Some contained the
dramatic suggestion that April 9
— Robeson’s birthday — be proc-
laimed a day of peace and friend-
ship by the United Nations.

* * *

The evening was climaxed by
the appearance of Earl Robinson,
who met Robeson in 1939 and be-

TRIBUNE PHOTOS
Scene from the play “Are you now, or have you ever been?”

came his friend and fellow per-
former. This American composer
of songs of protest, as well as Bal-
lad for Americans, has made his
own contribution to the battles for
peace and progress. A modest,
warm and sincere artist, he
shared his personal memories of
Robeson with us, sang Joe Hill for
us, had us singing with him in his
Free and Equal Blues and reas-
sured us that Robeson’s spirit will
go on being created. We left feel-
ing that his ‘‘soul goes marching
on.”

For the young people in the au-
dience who had never known
Robeson or heard his voice, the
evening’ was an inspiring intro-
duction to a refreshing new
friend. For those who knew and
shared in his active, creative life,
it was a celebration with an old
and dear friend.

Tim Leary directed the difficult
and complicated production with
consummate skill as it moved
smoothly and dramatically to its
conclusion. He was aided by a
fine crew of unseen technical as-
sistants who carried out their
tasks efficiently and skillfully.

The Paul Robeson Com-
memorative, Committee, with
Harvey Murphy as chairman,
Dora Stewart coordinator and
Ray Stevenson as program
chairman, deserve cheers for a
memorable evening.

— T.G.R.

-. Mexico’s growing role

in the fight for détente

In an article describing the
growing role played by Mexico in
furthering the process of détente,
the Soviet newspaper Pravda out-
lines three areas where Mexico
concentrates its efforts:

— Support for initiatives in the
sphere of disarmament;

— Elaboration of norms of
international relations toward
eradicating tensions caused by
unequal economic relationships;

— Support for developing rela-
tions between states irrespective
of their social systems.

Mexico has taken part in
measures to eradicate unequal
economic and political relations
and became the initiator of the
Charter of Economic Rights and
Duties-of States which has been
adopted by the UN General
Assembly.

Together with other developing
countries, Mexico vigorously
advocates the restructuring of
modern international relations on
the basis of equality and mutual
advantage. On the initiative of
Mexico and Venezuela, the Latin
American Economic System was
set up.

Mexico has expanded its rela-
tions with the Council for Mutual
Economic Assistance countries.
For example, trade between
Mexico and the USSR has more
than doubled in the past year and
over the same period diplomatic
relations were established with
Bulgaria, Hungary and Mongolia.

Last May, diplomatic relations
were also established with the
Democratic Republic of Vietnam
and the PRG of South Vietnam.
Mexico was the only Latin
American country to maintain
relations with Cuba during the
U.S.-inspired blockade imposed
by the Organization of American
States.

The Cuban news service
Prensa Latina reported last week
that Mexico has announced it will
not send its Foreign Minister to
the Sixth Conference of the OAS
slated for Santiago, Chile this
June. Mexico and Jamaica voted
against holding the meeting in the
Chilean capital. The U.S., which
abstained on that vote, an-
nounced that Henry Kissinger
would be travelling to Santiago
and that. his personal advisor,
Frank Pace, is already there.

PACIFIC TRIBUNE—MAY 7, 1976—Page 9