1948-10-09 — Page 9

SPECIAL TO THE TELEGRAPH

•

THE HONGKONG. TELEGRAPH, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1948.

THE COLD WAR'S

MOST IMPORTANT HUMAN DOCUMENT... STARTS TODAY

Before her dramatło racape from the Russian Consulate lu New York City, when she leap- ed to avoid return to Soviet Russia, Mrs Oksana Kasenkina found haven for a few days in the Taistos Foundation's Reed Farm aufxfile Nyack, N.Y refuge for those Russians fed up with life under latin's totalitarian government.

'Founder and president of the foundation Is the Countess Alexandra Tolstoy, daughter of the immorial novelist, Leo Tolstoy. She was Mrs Kasen- kla's friend during her brief retreat at Reed Farm and she was the first one permitted al the injured school Jeacher's bedside after the desperate leap that promptly became the out- standing newn story of the year. Here Is Counless Tolstoy's

that urget plea

the people world over read these revein. flows, lustalment hy instalment, an Men Kasenkina tells of one "mall person's" experiences under the harsh rule of the Red dictatorship.

By ALEXANDRA TOLSTOY

7110 is the teacher Kasen-

W kina?

She is one of one Bundred elghty million Russian and people ane who escaped slavery, and who demonstrated to the world the difference between the Russian people and their ruthless, dictatorial government.

We-the masses-are the oppress- minority-Bre the ed. They-the oppressors. When Mrs Kasenkin leaped from the third floor of Sovlel Consulate, she proved to the whale world that death was belter than going back to the "paradise." Soon after her escape. I saw Mrs Kasenkina in the hospital.

She was lying quietly in bed- bruised, broken in limb, bleeding- bist happy. She smiled

came in. She told me:

"I am glad to suffer,"

✩

when J

She was glad to suffer for the Russian cause, for the better under- truth about the standing of the

Soviet rulers.

She was still somewhat nervoust nearly every night, she said, "I have one and the same nightmare. I dream that "they" again have cap- lured me."

I smiled, for I understood perfect-

ly her psychology. The same dream persecuted me for months when. I

Russin.

Mrs Oksana Kasenkina's

Story

Own

BY

THE

SCHOOL TEACHER, WHO RISKED DEATH RATHER THAN RETURN

From her hospital bed in New York City, the school teacher who leaped from the window of the Russian Consulate that she might remain in the United States, today begins her own story. In it she reveals for the first time the many answers to the question millions have asked-“Why did she jump?” Mrs Kasenkina's story is a great, human interest document, relating how a non-political school mis- tress, burdened by personal tragedies and longing to remain in the fairyland of America, became the centre of an international incident that shocked the world. There are, as you will read, some startling news developments also. Mrs Kasenkina's record has been edited by Isaac Don Levine.

Mira Kapenkina photographed in hospital with attending purse

after her jump from an upper window of the Soviet Consulate

York. in New

M

INE is the story of a Russian school teacher who faithfully and loyal- performed her services myself refused to return to Soviet throughout the 31 years of the existence of the Soviet rule. ft is not the story of an active or "Every one is so kind to me, secret opponent of the Soviet Kasenkina said. "I crust tell you how grateful I am. I love my Dr Government. Pennoyer, and my nurses who are Before World War 11 it was a rare

Indeed when a taking such good care of me. I ad- necasion

Russian mire my lawyer. I am so grateful school teacher was permitted to go to the police. They were my friends abroad. Only since the end of the frun the very beginning. 1-cant- war, with the establishment in express my gratitude and admiration several foreign countries of schools

for them enough.

How many human lives are being

Kasenkinas. ruined?

Samarins- good, honest, freedom-loving people who have escaped from their own country and who are stranded stateless displaced persons, in Ger- miny and Austria"

for the chlidren of the new Soviet

That Ainbassador Alexander

S

TO RUSSIA

sulcite

That I did not leave note behind me and that the widely- reporter second letter found there was not of my authorship.

That I did make an attempi, be- fore Jumping out of the window, to escape from the Consulate,

That my innermost hope, even before I left the Soviet Union, was to be able to remain in the United States.

lx܀

That I had been subjected to months gruelling examinations and investigation by the Soviet police authorities before my selection for a teaching poši in America.

That the one "great crime" of my Hife was that I suppressed the fact that my Innocent būsband had been liquidated in the purge, so

that I

would get the assignment to 10 abroni.

That my husband, as a student, had been arrested and kept in prison

by the White Hussian army of General Denikin for refusing to Join the war against the Reds in the early period of the revolution.

That eighteen years ister my hus- band, then a teacher of mathematics with non-political interests. Was seized by the NKVD and sent his doom.

lo

That I carried on As a school teacher in slience, for the sake of suving my only child that I was caught in Moscow with the Germans at its gates: that I was injured in a bombing raid in Gorki, where the news of the loss of my son at the Leningrad front reached me.

Trailed, Hounded

THAT I was watched, trailed and hounded by the Soviet ofetals from the moment of my arrival in the United States,

That in the 26 months of my stay

in America. I was afraid to write. even once or try to get in

touch with my sister in England, whom I story is told in full, it will reveal had not seen for 30 years,

That my life as a teacher of the among other things:

children of the Panyushkin himself was in

Soviet aristocracy New behind the sealed portals of the York on August 7. obviously in Soviet school on 87th Street command of the raid on the Reed terribly lonely, and that there was Tolstoy Foundation, Httle joy in my two weeks spent Farm of the carried out by Consul-General among the Soviet bureaucrats at Jacob Lomakin and his colleagues, Glen Cove, the millionaire estate on when they removed me to the Soviet Long island, Consulate in New York City.

That sneaked out to the Roxy Theatre to see "The fron Curtain, and that this movie of Gouzenku's cape lu Canudo influenced my de clsion tu remain

the United of States.

That Lomakin's raiding Party gained easy access into the main building of the Reed Farm where I was staying, thanks to a ruse impersonation employed by Vice- Consul, Chepurnykh.

aristocracy stationed there, were That Lomakin terrified me, when some hand-picked teachers allowed he burst with his confederates into to see the outside world. Of these, the kitchen of the Reed Farm, with but a handful were non-Communist. the unnouncement that he had the

I was perhaps one in a hundred police with him. thousand teachers in Soviet Russia to draw the lucky assignment. My unblemished record

05

૧ non-

That I was coached to tell the reporters at the press interview in the Consulate of my having been kidnapped by "White Russlang."

That I made frantic efforts 10 make contacts with Americans who would understand my plight, which will be shown when I tell the truth about the Dr Kojansky and Costello incidents.

That Consul-General Lomakin and his aides were on the alert as the July 31 date for the, sailing of our Soviet group of teachers on the steamship Pobeda.neared, and that I was mystified the morning of July 31 to discover hypodermic murks on

Thul there were special circum- stances which led me to write my my RIM, letter to Consul-General Lomakin, which he quoted only in part at the

partisan citizen who had never en-

political activity in Kaged in any sured

my

appointment as an My father. Leo Tolstoy, told ine instructor in uatural sciences in the how many

times that he thought diplomatic school in America, suffering Improves the morale. Many In the hospital, where I am dic- times I recall his words, when I tating this from a sick bed, they press conference, but which he con- meet displaced persons from over- tell me it was the will of God that cealed even from the police. sens. Each has a story to tell of my life be spared so that my story sail experiences—but i am amazed be given to the world. It must be to see such strong moral force and so. For it is really the story of such will power in these exlinusted most of the teachers. of the bodies.

majority of the women of my coun- try. In fact, it is the story of my Shortly after D-Day, all Itussions people, for I am a typical daughter against the Soviet dictatorship were of Russia.

classified as traitors to their govern- ment, and, according to the Yalta

agreement, nli Russians taken

to

forced labour by the Germans were

Reaching Vainly

(Monday, Mrs Kasenkina, begins the story of the events that led to her great decision).

Men Shortage Makes

Old Maids At 30

By JAMES BARTLETT

obliged to return to their homeland. B DEFORE my leup to freedom, I At that time no pubileity could be spent two years and two months) Hiven to the cause for the aid of in the United States vainly reaching Russian DP's: they were not even out for a share in the fairyland life registered, although hundreds of of

of America from which I was shut A TEAM of marriage experts THE WOMAN does not mind too thousands of them were stranded in off. Although I fell in love with the

summed up a 20-month in- much whether a man is dark and camps in Germany, Austria and country from the day of my ar-

handsome-but he must be taller Italy. Only eight thousand

15, 1940, I found it vestigation with a report that than she is. were rival on June

("Women about Bft.. registered ofcially.

impossible to establish contact with "although women do not out Johs. tall are mosi diMcult to Americans because I was virtunity number men by more than 14 in sult.") under surveilance all the time. This 100, there is an acute shortage was the routine for Soviet citizens abroad..

of husbands,"

☆

Mr

Russian refugees and prisoners of wor did not get any help from their It took a supreme sacrifice, to own government. The only Russian which I was driven by sheeri

Mayo Wingale, 34-year-old organisation participating in the despair, to free nie from my shackles Harley-street psychologist who has National War Fund was the Russian and to open up for me the well- been jointly conducting the survey. War.

Relief-helping exclusively springs of American understanding, saya within the borders of the USSR. I am still overwhelmed by the kind-

Foundation survived only because of the New York police and by the

thousands of single women today

NINE out of 'every ten men und women do not consider religion an important aspect of their prospective marriage.

MOST of those interviewed considered that their own, parents, were unhappily married.

WOMEN tend to think more of

is one main

During these hard days, the Tolstoy ness and sympathy shown me by "It is an appalling thought that the understanding and generosity of staff of the Roosevelt Hospital. stand no chance at all of meeting their careers than of children.

few American' and Russian- Equally touching is the steady husband. Men do not seem to "Housing aliortage American friends. The Foundation, stream of friendly letters reaching have the right attitude to marriage." reason for this") which helps four waysin material me from all over the United States right age groups cannot be found. “Enough sultable partners in the

MEN do not know what they want In immigration, in tracing relatives from some 20 foreign countries to It is hopeless for us at present to when they seek a wife. ("Even and in resettlement-never had any, date.

consider, the cases of any more these days the man often has only endowment.

What I could not accomplish in wonen over 30."

the haziest ideas about women.") more than two years of searching

ald (food, clothing, medicine, etc.), In addition, I have received malis

I, for one, am eager to read Mry came to me as the roward of o With his colleague Geoffrey GREATEST fear of the woman

of one of Communism's

made

Kasenkina's whole story-as I am desperate act.

Whitehouse, 65-year-old anthro still living alone at 30 ls her thought sure that all those interested in The motives which led me to it pologist, and a third adviser, who of loneliness ister, OIL secking the truth about present-day the forces which buffeted me, thef is a surgeon consultant, Mr Wingate Mr Wingate summed up his Itussis will be. It is a thrilling story strange plottings of which. I became society nearly 6,000 men and women man should be about seven years has reviewed for the Marriage own views as follows: "I think a vicuman victim, all these will be and there will be, in the days to clear In these chapters. And more seeking partners. They included older than his wife. Marriage has come, many more such storles, for My whole to story, my personal civil servants, teachers, nurses, bank. a better chance these days if the these victims will spread throughout tragedies springing from the liquida- clerks, "but not many farmers." man in about 30. Couples should the world the truth they acquired tion of, my husband in the great] This is what case-histories have not marry until they have known through suffering. This is the purge and the loss without trace of revealed:- reason why the Soviet Government my only son in the war, will go for and its fellow-travellers wero, and to explain my action.

THE MAN turns down a woman still are, trying to isolate them from I will answer without reserva-] after....... mutual Introduction 'moro the world and drag them back be- tions all tho questions showered readily than he is turned hind the Iron curtain.

upon me from all sides. When my himself.

...

down

each other for at least six months." FOOTNOTE: One of this year's June brides de 22-year-old actress Deryl Robinson. Sle became Mra Mayo Wingate.

......

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