ZajednicÌŒar = Fraternalist. [volume] (Allegheny, Pa.) 1894-current, 1954-04-28
The Big Smear

ONE of the cardinal rules of the news
~ paper profession is to publish the facts
without attaching half-truths, innuendos
and-or wishful thinking to them.
While the great ma jority of responsible
publishers do adhere to this principle of
common courtesy and decency in dealing
with the reading public and faithfully
endeavor to see to it that their reporters
hue to that line, there are, as always, ex-
ceptions to the rule of keeping the facts
separated from the chaff of bias.
Recent cases involving three Western
Pennsylvania members of the Society have
resulted in the Croatian Fraternal Union of
America suffering, as an organization, at
the hands of certain Pittsburgh reporters
who apparently, do not follow the principle
in question.
In two of the three cases, some of these
reporters have repeatedly attached the re-
ference of g. a leader in the Croatian
Fraternal Union" to the names of members
charged with, or accused Of, violating the
laws of the United States
The fact that those so charged or &C.
cused, are ordinary rank and file members
of the Croatian Fraternal Union - and not
leaders - has been ignored by reporters
who seem hell bent on associating the So
ciety, as a whole, with the alleged violatcrs
of the accepted law of the land.
In short, these reporters would have
their readers believe that not only is John
Doevich suspect of this or that violation
of the law, but that being member of the
Society makes his some 100000 fellow
members equally as guilty, 99fo of whom
never heard of the claw breaker" and would
not know him if they met face to face.
X X
Thus, because one is made to suffer, be
he in the right or in the wrong, more than
100000 members must likewise take pub
lie beating at the hands Of reporters who
use the name of the Croatian Fraternal
Union with reckless abandon.
Did these reporters check all other or
ganzations these so-called wrong doers"
may be affiliated with? Perhaps they may
be members Of say, the American Legion,
Moose, Elks, Eagles Free and Accepted
Masons, Lions, Rotary, and so on.
Were these people asked whether they
are Republicans, Democrats, Socialists, Pro-
hbitionists, America Firsters, Indepen-
dents, Communists, ETC., etc.?
We're they asked whether they are Cath
ohcs, Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses,
Mormons, and so forth? Or were they asked
whether they follow the athestic line of
believing in only that which they can see?
Of course they were asked none Of these
questions = leading questions
Why, then, should membership in the
Croatian Fraternal Union, which is a free
and democratic organization, be held up
to virtual public suspicion and ridicule
when one of it's members finds himself in
the tolls of the law?
Being free and democratic institution
the Croatian Fraternal Union does not ask
a prospective member to first designate his
religious or political affiliations. His be-
lefs or disbeliefs along the line are his per-
sonal business, and his alone
The Croatan Fraternal Union respects
the rights of it's members. 1t also respects
the beliefs of it's members, so long as they
are not alien to this Country.
So should those who hold responsible
positions in the newspaper realm, especially
in the United States of America.