Dwight D. Eisenhower Unveils Memorial To Taras Shevchenko (06/27/04)

ARAS SHEVCHENKO IN WASHINGTON: 1964-2004

Svoboda, Special Washington Edition, June 27, 1964

Dwight D. Eisenhower Unveils Memorial To Taras Shevchenko In The Nation's Capital Bard Of Ukraine And Universal Champion Of Freedom Honored On 150th Anniversary

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS AND CANADIANS OF UKRAINIAN DESCENT GATHERED IN FREE WORLD'S CAPITAL TO PAY TRIBUTE TO UKRAINE'S POET-LAUREATE;

DELEGATES OF UKRAINIAN ORGANIZATIONS FROM WORLD OVER, LEADERS OF CAPTIVE NATIONS, THOUSANDS OF UKRAINIAN AMERICAN YOUTH PARADE IN WASHINGTON BEFORE THE SHEVCHENKO MEMORIAL;

ELABORATE PROGRAMS FEATURE FAMOUS UKRAINIAN BANDURIST ENSEMBLE AND UKRAINIAN CHORUSES;

UKRAINIAN YOUTH FESTIVAL ATTRACTS THOUSANDS OF SPECTATORS AS JUBILEE BANQUET HONORS PROMINENT AMERICANS FOR SUPPORTING UKRAINE'S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM AND THE SHEVCHENKO MEMORIAL PROJECT

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 26, 1964 - Tomorrow, Saturday, June 27, at 1 p.m., Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, former President of the United States, will solemnly perform the official act of unveiling the statue of Taras Shevchenko, Ukraine's Poet Laureate and universally recognized Champion of Liberty, erected on a triangular plot of public land between 22nd, 23rd and "P" Streets in Washington, D.C. This event of great historic importance, occasioned by the 150th birthday anniversary of the greatest Ukrainian poet, signifies the realization of a dream nourished for almost a century by the two-million strong community of Ukrainian Americans who have contributed vitally to the cultural, social and economic development of the United States of America. Moreover, the erection of the monument in honor of Taras Shevchenko in the capital city of the greatest nation on earth is of tremendous importance to the 45-million Ukrainian nation, held captive in the Russo-Communist prison of nations. It was Shevchenko who prophesized that Ukraine will some day have its own George Washington with "a new and righteous law." The Taras Shevchenko monument in Washington is also of great international importance, for Shevchenko stands as a symbol of freedom and independence, not only of the Ukrainian people but of all captive nations to whom this monument has been dedicated.

Erection Authorized By Public Law Adopted In 1960

The Shevchenko monument was authorized by the U.S. Congress, and after the signing of the bill by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in September 1960, it became Public Law 86-749. The resolutions were introduced by Senator Jacob K. Javits and Congressman Alvin M. Bentley in the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, respectively. Immediately after the adoption of the law a special Shevchenko Memorial Committee was established, headed by Prof. Roman Smal-Stocki of Marquette University and president of the Shevchenko Scientific Society, which included representatives of all Ukrainian American national organizations. It was this committee which saw to it that the necessary funds had been secured - a sum in excess of $350,000 - and that all other requirements and formalities as specified by the law had been successfully carried out to the last detail. This included the meticulous selection of the site in the nation's capital and the project of the monument to be erected there. Emerging as the winner in the competition for the best project, in the judgement of a special Shevchenko Monument Jury, was Leo Mol, Ukrainian sculptor from Winnipeg, Canada.

Moscow Unable To Eradicate Shevchenko's Spirit

Erection of the Shevchenko monument in Washington assumed international significance when the matter came to the attention of the Soviet government. Unable to eradicate the spirit of Shevchenko nor denigrate the power of his influence on the captive Ukrainian people, the Soviets have resorted to distortions and outright falsifications of his works in an attempt to present Shevchenko as a "revolutionary democrat" and "a Bolshevik born before his time," in spite of the fact that he was an outspoken leader in the struggle for human liberty against all forms of tyranny and sought Ukrainian national independence from Russian despotism. It is not surprising, therefore, that the law calling for the erection of the monument to Taras Shevchenko in Washington caused a great deal of concern in the official government circles of the Kremlin. It was long after the passage of the law by the U.S. Congress that the Soviet government decided to place a monument to Shevchenko in Moscow, which was unveiled by Nikita Khrushchev at an impromptu called ceremony on June 10 of this year. Earlier, according to reliable sources, Soviet officials made two unsuccessful interventions in our Department of State and several others in the United Nations with the intention of blocking the erection of the Shevchenko monument in Washington or at least minimizing its vast ramifications. It was with the same purpose in mind that the Soviets made yet another attempt, after the Shevchenko monument question in Washington had been settled beyond recall, this time by appealing to the Shevchenko Memorial Committee of America to invite Soviet representatives to the unveiling ceremonies. The proposition was promptly rejected, whereby the Committee pointed to Soviet falsifications of Shevchenko's works and the actual denial by the Communist regime of all of his freedom-loving ideas.

Unsurpassed Enthusiasm

The decision of the U.S. government authorizing the erection of the monument in honor of Taras Shevchenko in Washington was received with great enthusiasm and jubilation not only by Americans of Ukrainian descent but by Ukrainians throughout the world. Just as enthusiastic in their response to this project were the Ukrainians in their native enslaved Ukraine, as attested by the numerous letters from Ukraine sent to the Shevchenko Memorial Committee, and to private individuals all over America. There were instances where people from Ukraine, among them disabled veterans of World War II, secretly sent a few Soviet rubles as their contributions toward the erection of the monument in Washington, in which they saw a great moral support in their struggle for freedom, independence and statehood. The Shevchenko monument is considered a tribute from the United States to all ethnic groups, principally those of Slavic descent.

According to reports from the Shevchenko Memorial Committee, tens of thousands of American Ukrainians, as well as Ukrainians from Canada and representatives from many other free countries, will take part in the great ceremonies marking tomorrow's unveiling of the monument. Many hotels of the capital are already filled with guests who began their pilgrimage early this week. The actual unveiling will take place tomorrow 1 p.m. It will be preceded by a parade of the participants of the ceremonies, starting from the George Washington monument, proceeding along Pennsylvania Avenue to 23rd Street to the Shevchenko monument site. After the unveiling, a Youth Festival will be held in the Washington Coliseum, two concerts will be given in Constitution Hall, and a Grand Jubilee Banquet featuring speeches and the presentation of Shevchenko Freedom Awards.

Tomorrow, the day on which the Shevchenko monument will be unveiled in Washington, D.C., honoring the Bard of Ukraine, the Champion of Freedom for all people, will be a truly historic day, not only for Americans of Ukrainian descent but for the whole Ukrainian nation and for the United States of America, which made this grand gesture honoring a great spokesman for liberty and justice on the 150th anniversary of his birth.

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