EDITORIALS (12/26/76)

EDITORIALS

A Year of Contrasts

For the Ukrainian community in the United States, as well as for our kin in Canada and elsewhere in the free world, 1976 was a year of often clashing contrasts.

As we launched the year of America's Bicentennial and the Centennial of our settlement in the U.S., we were heartened by the news that Leonid Pliushch and his family were allowed to leave the "prison of nations" and start a new life in the West; that here was a man from our own ranks, Dr. Myron Kuropas, assuming the historically first post of a special assistant to the President for ethnic affairs; that the calendar of Ukrainian initiated Bi-Cen events was growing longer and longer, attesting to our desire to reaffirm our presence in this country.

Yet almost at the same time, often concurrently with these encouraging developments, there was news from Ukraine that Valentyn Moroz was about to be thrown into a "psykhushka"; that a gentleman by the name of Sonnefeldt in our State Department was advancing a doctrine of "organic relations" between the Soviet Union and its East European satellites, negating the aspirations for freedom of these people and their blood kin in the United States; that while we were being hailed in this country by our fellow-citizens for our oft-forgotten contributions to America's growth, our government was still refusing to take a stronger stand in defense of Moroz and other Ukrainian political prisoners in the USSR.

And perhaps most ominously, while we were displaying our ever beautiful and rich heritage in myriad facets as part of the Bi-Cen celebrations, the past year brought us increasingly disturbing news that this heritage and culture were being destroyed in Ukraine. There were new arrests, there was unabashed pressure of Russification reminiscent of the infamous Ems ukase of one hundred years ago.

This strange yet real duality is with us as we wind down the old year and prepare to meet the new one. But there is profound sustenance in the knowledge that we are one with our brothers and sisters in Ukraine in our determination to overcome. As we are inspired by their stand there, let us sustain their hopes and dreams with ever greater efforts to enhance Ukrainianism everywhere.

They Need Our Help

By the time this issue reaches the homes of Ukrainians around the country, many a group of carolers will have knocked on the door to bring a bit of cheer and to ask for a donation to this or that worthy cause. It is a tradition of long standing in our Christmas lore, and it is preserved by our people with admirable understanding and generosity.

Though the needs and tasks of our community are many, few override the importance of extending a helping hand to our suffering brothers in and outside Ukraine.

The United Ukrainian American Relief Committee, an organization with a fine record of assistance to our people, and the Ukrainian Canadian Social Services, acting under the auspices of the World Congress of Free Ukrainians, have issued an appeal for donations to a specially established fund to help those of our kin who are persecuted as well as those who have been resettled and thus uprooted. We feel it is a most worthy and urgent cause that merits the attention of all of us.

Another For Canada

The recent appointment of Atty. John Ewasew to the Canadian Senate - where he joins Sen. Paul Yuzyk - is yet another feather in the hat of Ukrainians in Canada.

This is the first time in the history of Canada that there are two men of Ukrainian lineage in that country's Senate. With ten Ukrainian MP's in the lower house, scores in provincial legislatures and other public offices, the power base of Ukrainians north of the border is growing each year as is the stature of the Ukrainian community there.

Needless to say, that while looking with a bit of jealousy at the achievements of our brothers in Canada in the realm of politics, we share in their joy at the most recent recognition accorded in the person of Sen. John Ewasew.

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