OTIS CHANDLER Los Angeles Situes Publisher and Chief Executive Officer TOM JOHNSON HARRISON GRAY OTIS, 1882-1917 President and Chief Operating Officer HARRY CHANDLER, 1917-1944 WILLIAM F. THOMAS NORMAN CHANDLER, 1944-1960 Executive Vice President and Editor CHARLES C. CHASE, Vice President—Operations ROBERT L. FLANNES, Vice President and Assistant to the Publisher JAMES B GRIDER, Vice President—Production ROBERT C. LOBDELL, Vice President and General Counsel DONALD S. MAXWELL, Vice President and Controller VANCE L. STICKELL, Vice President—Sales GEORGE J. COTLIAR, Managing Editor ANTHONY DAY. Editor of the Editorial Pages JEAN SHARLEY TAYLOR, Associate Editor Part II THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1978 Applause on the Potomac The lights shimmered on the Potomac outside. proud of his heritage but equally determined to en­ The starburst chandeliers twinkled over the rich joy the artistic freedom of America, conducted the reds of John F. Kennedy Center for the-Performing National Anthem to open the Kennedy Center, tri­ Arts, which, is in Washington but is for the nation. bute. Through television the other night, that nation It was an evening for younger generations-to ve­ shared in -honoring five of its leading artists: con­ nerate their artistic elders. It was especially a time tralto Marian Anderson, dancer Fred Astaire, to remember that Marian Anderson was for too long choreographer George Balanchine, composer Rich­ denied the acclaim she deserved at home because ard Rodgers and pianist Artur Rubinstein, she is black. The evening, then, had touches of the The guests had already been to the White House, bittersweet but was mainly sentimental, a lavish where President and Mrs. Carter honored them, the look back. We loved it, and we needed it. President saying America’s two most significant We are promised that-this program was the first contributions to the world are its commitment to annual Kennedy Center awards performance. There political freedom and the vitality of its contribution are many other outstanding artist? who deserve re­ to the arts. Carter’s ideas came together in stirring cognition but, as one Of the young dancers said of fashion as Mstislav Rostropovich, a Soviet exile Fred Astaire, “It’s a hard act to follow.”.