Editing 79-14-A6 (section)

=== 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.
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="10%" ROWSPAN="2">&nbsp;</TD>
<TD VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT="250">