"In September there was a plenary meeting of the board of the Ukrainian Writers' Union, from which it clearly transpired that some of the Ukrainian novelists, poets, and critics were not doing their duty in promoting communist ideals or the Soviet way of life. In Russia two writers were selected by Zhdanov, in his famous address, as examples of the wrong point of view Anna Akhmatova, who was said to be an escapist, largely living sentimentally in the past and absorbed with her personal emotions; and Zoschenko, who was described as trivial, frivolous, and cynical in his distorted portrayal of Soviet life."
"Nationalist deviators In Ukraine there is a different set of problems. According to the Ukrainian Writers' Union (whose deliberations and decisions are discussed in a recent number of the Literary Gazette) some of its writers show nationalist trends which are, in fact, totally alien to the philosophy of the Soviet state. Moreover, some of its poets, including the famous elderly Ukrainian poet Maksym Rylsky, still show escapist and art for art's sake tendencies. There are, of course, many prominent Ukrainian writers who are not guilty of any of these shortcomings: the popular playwright Korneichuk, the profoundly patriotic lyrical poet Pavel Tychina, other poets like Bazhan and Pervomaisky,"
A plenary meeting of the Ukrainian Writers' Union in September found that some Ukrainian novelists, poets, and critics failed to promote communist ideals and the Soviet way of life. In Russia Zhdanov singled out Anna Akhmatova as escapist and emotionally absorbed in the past, and Zoschenko as trivial, frivolous, and cynical in his distorted portrayal of Soviet life. Zoschenko later showed signs of mending his ways, publishing mildly humorous sketches in Novy Mir and writing a comic play. In Ukraine the Writers' Union criticized nationalist trends and escapist, art-for-art's-sake tendencies while recognizing several patriotic and prominent writers.
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