ZajednicÌŒar = Fraternalist. [volume] (Allegheny, Pa.) 1894-current, 1959-08-19

WENINN On both occasions, the
Supreme President served as
the Convention Chairman; the Supreme
Vice President - there was only one in
that capacity back in 1851 and 1858 -
and the Supreme Treasurer acted as the
Vice Chairmen; the Supreme Secretary
doubled in brass as the Secretary; and the
Secretary of the Sick Benefit Dept and the
rCroatian and English Editors of the Zajed-
nicar were the Assistant Secretaries.
Memories are made of this.
X
Q The leadership of earlier Conventions
of the Society rested off and on with off,
Gals of the organization and their right
to rule wasn't challenged too often.
For example, Delegates to the first five
such gatherings in the history of the pres
ent day Croatian Fraternal Union Installed
the Supreme President as their Chairman
without debate That was back in 1894,
1895, 1896, 1897, and 1898
In 1900, during the 9Th National Gro
attain Society Convention held at Wheeling,
West Virginia, the late Josip Marohnlc
moved at the very opening Of that conclave
that the Delegates elect their own Chair
man to replace the Supreme President of
the time - Ivan Ljubic.
The Delegates would have no part of
"the new tangled idea and defeated the
motion by tremendous showing of hands.
1t was not until the 9th NCS Conven-
ton, held Sept. 24-Oct. g. 1906, in New
York City, that the worm was to turn with
the election of the late Petar Pavlinac as
the choice of the Delegates to supplant the
Supreme President as the Chairman.
The Delegates to the 10th NCS Conven-
ton, which took place Sept. 2O-Oct. 2, 1909,
in Calumet, Michigan, also decided to elect
their own Chairman and wound up with
three such gavel wielders before that 13-
day conclave ground to halt.
Ivan Gasparovic was the first to try
his hand at presiding over the 10th Con-
vention. He resigned in short order. Petar
Pavlinac was the next to occupy the proven
bal hot seat. He too threw in the towel
after spell. Finally, Ivan Bozic stepped
man until the end Of the road.
There was to be no change in the
chairmanship status quo during the remain
ing Conventions of the National Croatian
Society (1912 through 1924 and the first
seven Conventions of what is today the
Croatian Fraternal Union, the latter
stretching from 1926 through 1947.
In June and July of 1850 the Societys
members decided via referendum vote to
adopt what was then called Convention
Reform Program" and vest future Conven-
ton leadership in the Supreme President,
Supreme Vice President, Supreme Secreta-
ry, Supreme Treasurer, Secretary of the
Sick Benefit Dept, and the Editors of the
Zajednicar.
The reforms" were to prevail during
the 1851 Convention at Los Angeles and
again in 1855 at Philadelphia The end came
four years ago when the Delegates decided
to name their own Convention leaders be-
ginning with the 1859 conclave in Detroit
For obvious reasons, we do not care to
argue in print as to what constitutes COM
Convention leadership, for the ques-
tion is as long as it is broad
'owever, we will say this: = Certainly
the 300 Delegates to the 10th Natl Quad
rennial Convention are competent enough
to decide among themselves just who should
seer them through the problems Of this
forthcoming conclave.