WRITERS IN EXILE
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doesn't defend democracy- not because it isn't articulate, but be–
cause it has a stake in dictatorships. So rather than link yourself to
the American propaganda machine, you have to be against the Amer–
ican military establishment and for a democratic foreign policy.
BORIS SHRAGIN: Theoretically speaking, I agree that it would be
very good if, in Eastern Europe and especially the Soviet Union,
there were a massive, real, independent movement for peace. As a
matter of fact - and this is very interesting- in Eastern Germany
there has been much information about such a movement. But un–
fortunately, I don't believe this is the case in the Soviet Union , You
have to remember that in the Soviet Union we haven't had any inde–
pendent movement; and people are very skeptical and scared about
such mass actions, even peaceful ones. Along with Russian national–
ism, there developed a certain xenophobia toward the West- the be–
lief that Western society is spoiled with pornography, crime, disor–
der, with dangers we have to stay away from. They believe that the
West is provocative in terms of nuclear war and other forms of vio–
lence. Such things are expressed unfortunately, not only in Soviet
propaganda, but also by some of our fellow dissidents in their publi–
cations abroad . Because of this image of the Western world, people
are scared. And this is why nationalism, Russian nationalism espe–
cially, is connected with some feelings among the Soviet people that
they are in danger and are supposed to be strong. So, to them, ideas
about peace that come from the West look very perverse.
JAN KOTT: One of the Polish writers who is now in exile wrote
about the slogan of the peace movement in Western Germany and
France, "Better red than dead." Well, this Polish writer wrote: '''Bet–
ter red than dead!' said the lobster, and so they put him in hot water!"
MAN FROM AUDIENCE: Could the panelists please comment on
the trip by the Reverend Billy Graham to Moscow, and on the rea–
sons why the Soviet authorities invited him?
PAVEL LITVINOV: They invited him because they wanted to be
friendly with groups they could consider at that political moment, as
convenient on one side and not dangerous on the other. They think
that if they can control the purely religious influence of Billy Graham
it won't become dangerous. Then, too, they want to have friends
among the peaceniks in this country. And, as I understand it, they
got a very important promise from Billy Graham: that he won't
speak up for persecuted Christians and other religious groups in the
Soviet Union. There are a group of Pentacostalists in the American
