Another Nobel Laureate’s Stalinist Past As with last year’s recognition of Mr. Fo, Mr. Suramago’s Nobel drew protests from the Vatican, where the daily VOsservatore’ Romano criticized the award as “ideologically oriented,” and protested that Mr. Saramago “remains an Inveterate Communist.” While the Por- i poet Czeslaw Milos, a real hero of intellectual integrity ‘and 1950 Nobel laureate in literature, told the Portuguese daily O Publico: *I am not ago. Il is fashionable kind of writing, filled with humor—but low humor. Ido not ‘support this work.” Brace in 1:94. Mr. Saramago’ Christ has. asexual rela with Mary Magdalene, in a scene E i y Z E 3 H Be 6 z E i Saramago, even more than Mr. Fo, ied a political career that should ‘excited some concern. among’ the ‘Mr. Fo was a faseist in his youth, rn became a communist, and remains extreme radical leftist. But his antiso- aed lal pursuits are mainly intellectual, Mr. Saramago, on the other hand, as a ‘militant member of the Portuguese Com: ‘munist Party, brings with him a history of really sinister behavior in the interest of a ‘Stalinist agenda. This novelist has behind. ‘him an unapologetic involvement in a seri- us attempt to destroy the freedom of the Dress in his native country. Fow today seem to recall that in late 1875 Portugal was poised to leave NATO and become a new Soviet satellite, The sit- uation in Lisbon at that time was so dire tempt- da coup in Lisbon, using Teftist tuguese army para- Jose Saramago sts Gate g paper Diario de Noti las, played mar ob in this was ast ‘As chios deepened in Portugal, Mr. Saramago’s colleagues began protesting that they were being forced to report ac- cording to the Communist line and ele ee eons ‘sorial “fine-toothed comb” by Mr. Sarama- yee aes by the “Manifesto of the 24,” in which a Poe eae ‘Saramago denounced the internal climate as ther Mr. Sdramago, questioned about this incident in 191, commented: “The news: paper had a cerian ine and could not be {ured into a kind of free tribune where everybody could say" whatever they Pleased.” With the failure of the Commi hist coup, Mr. Saramago Was forced 0 leave journalism, vag Mere his communist logy, ‘Wednesday, hours before he received hs Nobel, Mr. Saramago spoke ats semi nar during the Frankfurt Book Fair. n the topic “Being! a. Communist. Author Today.” Clearly a double standard rls in. Stockholm and elsewhere. "Nobody ‘would sponsor a seminar on "Being a Fas- cist Author Today,” Teast ofall atthe Frankfurt Book Fa. ‘The Swedish 1s using the Ne- bls in literature forthe same end to which its Norwegian colleagues have commited themselves by awarding the Peace Prize to such unregenerate "lefsts as. Jody Willams, leider of the International Cam. palgn to Ban Landmines (1997), Timorese guerrilla supporters Ximenes ‘Belo and Ramos Horts (1986) and Joseph Rotblat of the Pugwash Conferences (185), The mes sage is clear: The snobs ofthe Seandina- power emai dng fai the power, remain ul to their Tet fantasies. Mr. Schuarts is author of “From West to East: California and the Making of the American Mind” (Pree Press, 1998).