ZajednicÌŒar = Fraternalist. [volume] (Allegheny, Pa.) 1894-current, 1955-08-03
Philadelphia

THE Croatan Fraternal Unions 9th Ma
! tonal Quadrcnnial Convention at Phila-
delpha in September will mark the sixth
consecutive such conclave we have attended
since the year of 1885
Judging from our experience gained IN
the past, Milwaukee 1885, Pittsburgh 1857,
Chicago 1943, Pittsburgh 1947, and Los
Angeles 1851, the Forthcoming gathering
in Philadelphia will run the usual gamut-
personalities, controversial issues, heated
debates. acrimonious words, sound and un-
sound reasoning, pettiness etc, etc.
1t was ever thus at our Conventions
and it always will be so in the future, for
no one i'm his right mind can expect sew
eral hundred people to meet under one
roof for days on end and act in unison
and harmony on all matters
Certainly we didn't during the Conven-
tions we attended as a Delegate. Nor Will
the 311 Delegates scheduled to get down to
brass tacks in Philadelphia on the morning
of September 19 next.
Having agreed that there will be dis
agreement at Philadelphia, let us turn now
to some of the issues to be decided, for bet
ter or for worse, by the Delegates.
Like it or not the No. l Issue will
be the makeup of the incoming Admins
tration of the Society. While many will
piously deny as much, the struggle for
administrative control of the CrOatian
FraternaI Union always has been - al
,,.u bo tho homo Of contention
at these conclaves. Which, SO to speak,
comes naturally.
At stake at Philadelphia will be quite
number of coveted posts, jobs which are
currently being eyed by ambtionists anx-
ious to be part of the official family for
the next quartet Of years.
Some will no doubt succeed in making
the grade Others will fall by the wayslde.
Still others won't know what hit them when
it's all over, as we didn't when we first ran
for English Editor during the Chicago Con-
venton of 1943 and went down to smash
ing, complete defeat.
In the end the Croatian Fraternal I'm
ion will have a new Administration and
things will return to normal - the "ins'
will celebrate, the outs contemplate.
X X
But there is an issue within this issue
of electing a new administrative body; that
of conducting the prediction campaigning
and voting on fraternal and not an open
political level
Insofar as we are concerned, we aim to
conduct ourself in that manner and treat
whoever may decide to oppose our can
didacy for reelection as brother and
worthy opponent. In return, we have every
right to expect as much from he, or she,
who would fill our editorial shoes
1t is now up to all others seeking re-elec-
ton or election to make like pledge = to
do unto others as they would have others
do unto them, to abstain from resorting to
smears, insnuations, half-truths, childish
white and big black lies to act like good
men should act.
No position within the Society is
worth holding if the "owner" of the post
stopped to the very depths of calumny
to come into the honor, if he disregarded
all ethics of fair play to win by running.
without reason the reputation of a man
and brought shame to his family circle.
There is honor even among those who
aspire on the greatest Of national political
levels to rule over others in one capacity
or another. There should be an even greater
sense of honor, of common decency, among
those who would become leaders of the
Croatan Fraternal Union and guide it's
Ship of State after the Convention
Unless that sense of honor, of common
decency, prevails at Philadelphia among all
candidates, from top to bottom, the Gro
attain Fraternal Union will be the loser in
the long run - the end.
Our fellow members have only to recall
the Society's horrendous 7th Quadrennial
Convention of 1947 at Pittsburgh to agree
with us that the Philadelphia fight for jobs
must be kept clean, above board and hon
orable from the word go"