To you Beloved Comrade: a Tribute to Stalin by Paul Robeson

There is no richer store of human experience than the
folk tales, folk poems and songs of a people. In many,
the heroes are always fully recognizable humans - only
larger and more embracing in dimension. So it is with
the Russian, Chinese. and the African folk-lore.
In 1937, a highly expectant audience of Moscow
citizens - workers, artists, youth, farmers from
surrounding towns - crowded the Bolshoy Theater. They
awaited a performance by the Uzbek National Theater,
headed by the highly gifted Tamara Khanum. The
orchestra was a large one with instruments ancient and
modern. How exciting would be the blending of the
music of the rich culture of Moussorgsky, Tchaikovsky,
Prokofiev, Shostakovich, Khrennikov, Gliere - with
that of the beautiful music of the Uzbeks, stemming
from an old and proud civilization.
Suddenly everyone stood - began to applaud - to cheer
- and to smile. The children waved.
In a box to the right - smiling and applauding the
audience - as well as the artists on the stage - stood
the great Stalin.
I remember the tears began to quietly flow. and I too
smiled and waved Here was clearly a man who seemed to
embrace all. So kindly - I can never forget that warm
feeling of kindliness and also a feeling of sureness.
Here was one who was wise and good - the world and
especially the socialist world was fortunate indeed to
have his daily guidance. I lifted high my son Pauli to
wave to this world leader, and his leader. For Paul,
Jr. had entered school in Moscow, in the land of the
Soviets.
The wonderful performance began, unfolding new
delights at every turn - ensemble and individual,
vocal and orchestral, classic and folk-dancing of
amazing originality. Could it be possible that a few
years before in 1900 - in 1915 - these people had been
semi-serfs - their cultural expression forbidden,
their rich heritage almost lost under tsarist
oppression's heel?
So here one witnessed in the field of the arts - a
culture national in form, socialist in content. Here
was a people quite comparable to some of the tribal
folk of Asia - quite comparable to the proud Yoruba or
Basuto of West and East Africa, but now their lives
flowering anew within the socialist way of life twenty
years matured under the guidance of Lenin and Stalin.
And in this whole area of development of national
minorities - of their relation to the Great Russians -
Stalin had played and was playing a most decisive
role.
I was later to travel - to see with my own eyes what
could happen to so-called backward peoples. In the
West (in England, in Belgium, France, Portugal,
Holland) - the Africans, the Indians (East and West),
many of the Asian peoples were considered so backward
that centuries, perhaps, would have to pass before
these so-called "colonials" could become a part of
modern society.
But in the Soviet Union, Yakuts, Nenetses, Kirgiz,
Tadzhiks - had respect and were helped to advance with
unbelievable rapidity in this socialist land. No empty
promises, such as colored folk continuously hear in
the United States, but deeds. For example, the
transforming of the desert in Uzbekistan into blooming
acres of cotton. And an old friend of mine, Mr.
Golden, trained under Carver at Tuskegee, played a
prominent role in cotton production. In 1949, I saw
his daughter, now grown and in the university - a
proud Soviet citizen.
Today in Korea - in Southeast Asia - in Latin America
and the West Indies, in the Middle East - in Africa,
one sees tens of millions of long oppressed colonial
peoples surging toward freedom. What courage - what
sacrifice - what determination never to rest until
victory!
And arrayed against them, the combined powers of the
so-called Free West, headed by the greedy,
profit-hungry, war-minded industrialists and financial
barons of our America. The illusion of an "American
Century" blinds them for the immediate present to the
clear fact that civilization has passed them by - that
we now live in a people's century - that the star
shines brightly in the East of Europe and of the
world. Colonial peoples today look to the Soviet
Socialist Republics. They see how under the great
Stalin millions like themselves have found a new life.
They see that aided and guided by the example of the
Soviet Union, led by their Mao Tse-tung, a new China
adds its mighty power to the true and expanding
socialist way of life. They see formerly semi-colonial
Eastern European nations building new People's
Democracies, based upon the people's power with the
people shaping their own destinies. So much of this
progress stems from the magnificent leadership,
theoretical and practical, given by their friend
Joseph Stalin.
They have sung - sing now and will sing his praise -
in song and story. Slava - slava - slava - Stalin,
Glory to Stalin. Forever will his name be honored and
beloved in all lands.
In all spheres of modern life the influence of Stalin
reaches wide and deep. From his last simply written
but vastly discerning and comprehensive document, back
through the years, his contributions to the science of
our world society remain invaluable. One reverently
speaks of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin - the shapers
of humanity's richest present and future.
Yes, through his deep humanity, by his wise
understanding, he leaves us a rich and monumental
heritage. Most importantly - he has charted the
direction of our present and future struggles. He has
pointed the way to peace - to friendly co-existence -
to the exchange of mutual scientific and cultural
contributions - to the end of war and destruction. How
consistently, how patiently, he labored for peace and
ever increasing abundance, with what deep kindliness
and wisdom. He leaves tens of millions all over the
earth bowed in heart-aching grief.
But, as he well knew, the struggle continues. So,
inspired by his noble example, let us lift our heads
slowly but proudly high and march forward in the fight
for peace - for a rich and rewarding life for all.

In the inspired words of Lewis Allan, our progressive
lyricist -

To you Beloved Comrade, we make this solemn vow
The fight will go on - the fight will still go on.
Sleep well, Beloved Comrade, our work will just begin.
The fight will go on - till we win - until we win.