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x*age 8. «|M—A—« k ^Editorial Page WHAT Bon Voyage "ZAJEDNIČAR" —Cleveland "Plain Dealer' No Exceptions! ct Daniel Stakich N They were mar 'no!ish Editor To \n\n National Home Office« CROATIAN I R.VIKRN.AI. I MOM rittshiirgh, I'rnnM Ivanla Looking Ahead with lie year 1954 less than a month old. looking ahead to 1955 may appear to be risky business at best. But looking ahead is precisely what the membership of the Croatian Fraternal Union has a right to expect from its administrative family at the Home Office in Pittsburgh, leader.s charged with the grave responsibi lity of keeping the Society strong. And that looking ahead is what the Executive Board did on January 13, 1954, when it voted unanimously to conduct a Membership Campaign during the current year and reward those who amass 750 Points by November 30 next with the title of Hon orary Delegates to the Society's 9th Quad rennial Convention at Philadelphia, Pennsyl vania. in September of 1955. Those who triumph along the Campaign line will be entitled to travelling expenses to and from Philadelphia and three per diems during their stay in the City of Brotherly Love, the latter to be determined by the daily wages voted for by the Delegates to the Convention themselves. This is but one of the many reasons why our Field Workers should take an active part in the Society's 1951 Membership Campaign, a drive dedicated in honor of the 60th Anni versary, or Diamond Jubilee, Year of the Croatian Fraternal Union. Still another excellent reason is the cash involved in writing new or increased busi ness, monetary awards which go far beyond those offered by other organizations for recruiting applicants. Noteworthy in this respect is the $15.00 cash award to be paid for every $1,000.00 written during the Campaign on cither the Adult or Junior Twenty-Year Endowment "Plan",Ivltli the same reward also applying to a like amount written on the Junior Educa tional Endowment at 18 Plan. This is the highest cash prize ever offered by the Cro atian Fraternal Union in return for writing business on the Plans mentioned. If you would visit Philadelphia in 1955 during the Society's 9th Quadrennial Con vention, now is the time to convince yourself of the merits of participating in the Cam paign and amassing those 750 Points you need to win this worthwhile trip. THE Croatian Fraternal Union's 1951 Mcm bership Campaign "Ship of State" will be piloted, officially, by three members of the Society's Executive Board. Serving as the Campaign Committee's Chairman, Vicc-Chairman aaid Secretary, in that order, will be bros. Supreme President V. I. Mandich, Secretary of the Sick Benefit Department John Ovcarich. and Junior Or der Director Michael Grasha. Aided at all times by other Officials sta tioned at the Home Office, these Campaign leaders will strike out February 1 to enrich the Society by 6,000 new members and 86,000,000.00 in new and increased insurance business before the drive is brought to a close on November 30. 1954. This represents quite an assignment, a challenge, in fact, yet we have every reason to believe that the Campaign Goals can be met if all Home Office Officials and Field Workers work together as a team. Having participated for years as a mem ber of the Society's Campaign Committees of the past, we fully appreciate the size of the task facing bros. Mandich, Ovcarich and Grasha. Serving on a Campaign Committee is anything but an opportunity to reap a share of fame and glory in the end. It means work and plenty of it. Knowing as much, we wish bros. Man dich, Ovcarich and Grasha well as they as sume the responsibilties of seeing our 1954 Campaign through to a fitting success. AMERICANA It is a well established law contemporary poli ti s ,C|| that whenever John Foster Dulles makes a clear, firm statement of American policy and interest he will be con demned as a brute in the left and liberal press here and abroad. This is the converse of the equivalent law that whenever he says something vague, globalist, and appeasing, he will be praised from those same quarters. The Freeman ENGLISH SECTION Established November 6, 19::9. Published weekly By The Croatian Fraternal I nion Of America STEPHEN F. BKKICH, Editor-in-Chief Editorial Offices, 3111 Forbes St., Pittsburgh 13, Fa. Telephones: SChenley 1-4470 1-4471 Deadline For Material: Thursday Morning Of Week Prior To Publication WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1954 Defend Your Income I OSS of time from work due to illness or injury has ever been the economic bane of millions of Americans living within the strictest of financial bounds. Quite aware of this fact, the Croatian Fraternal Union is now in the position to offer its eligible and prospective members an entirely new form of protection known as the "Income Defender" Certificate, a plan designed to lessen the burdens of those part ed from employment because of an illness or injury that none can foresee. Those interested in such protection should by all means read Sick Benefit De partment Secretary bro. John Ovcarich's review of the "Income Defender" Certificate. It appears on Page 7 of today's English Sec tion and is well worth careful thought. Some will complain, after reading bro. Ovcarich's article, that the Table of Rates governing this new plan are too high, what with $2.80 representing the minimum month ly dues and $4.30 the maximum such pay ment. Perhaps, in a way, these dues are high, but even the Croatian Fraternal Union can not give "something for nothing." Yet it can, and does, give more for your dollar than you may realize at first glance. The Society's "Income Defender" Certi ficate is an excellent investment. Those who can afford it arc indeed foolish if they do not apply for its protective shelter at their earliest convenience. Voting At Age 18 PRESIDENT Dwight D. Eisenhower's pro posal to Congress to lower the voting age to 18 years would not make the United States of America the world's first major 'fOUntry to adopt such a national practicc. Argentina, Mexico, the Soviet Union and Turkey already permit their citizens to start casting ballots at 18. Mexico allows its 18 year-olds to vote only if they are married. Otherwise they must wait until they reach the age of 21 year s. Russia, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica, encourages those 18 years of age to vote on the theory that such men and women are deemed industrially productive and that "the earlier the age at which one begins to vote, within reason, the sooner is one politically educated." Switzerland and Germany, on the other hand, have set the minimum voting age at 20 years, while America, France, Great Bri tain, Canada and Italy all follow the practicc of authorizing voting when their citizens become 21 years of age. Norway, however, forces its people to wait until they arc 23 before they are per mitted to vote. Holland and Finland don't think their citizens arc ready to cast a ballot until they are 24 years old. Denmark, Spain and Japan have a minimum voting age of 25. Each country, it seems, looks at its younger people in a different light. Overlooked, in the wake of President Eisenhower's recent proposal, is the fact that Georgia has already lowered the voting age to 18, the first and only State in the Union to legalize the practice. The Constitution of the United States does not fix the age of those voting for the first time. That is up to the individual States under existing conditions. What President Eisenhower seeks is a Constitutional Amendment setting the vot ing age at 18 in all States. Whether he will succeed is questionable, for the matter of "State's Rights" has always been a touchy subject and many a good intention has been scuttled in the past by those who put their State above the Nation as a whole. In the meantime, it is interesting to note that former President Harry S. Truman is said to look upon 24 years of age as being a far more propitious time to allow Amer icans to cast their first ballot and assume the responsibilities of citizenship. Mr. Truman no doubt formed such an opinion after studying the election statistics compiled in recent years, records which show that countless thousands under 30 years of age bothered to vote on issues which were the concern of every single American entitled to cast a ballot. As for us, we feel that the voting age should be left at 21, this in spite of the 1'act that Americans much younger are still callcd upon to fight and die for their Country. War and voting have nothing in common when one debates this question. American-Croatian Radio Hour Giving March Of Dimes Drive Wider Coverage TWO McKEESPORT STATIONS AIRING APPEAL By Anthony J. Brajdic, ACRH Director McKrpspori, Pa. March of Dimes public service fea tures conducted under the auspices of the American Croatian Radio Hour will be aired over both of McKees port's Radio Stations, begin ning next Saturday, January 23rd. Station WEDO (810) will present the March of Dimes program from 4:05 to 4:30 P.M., while Station WMCK (1360) will carry the drive to raise funds to fight Polio during the regular American Croatian Radio Hour broad casts from 6:30 to 7:30 P.M. Listeners to the WEDO (810) March of Dimes shows will be urged to mail their contributions to the March of Dimes, care of the American Croatian Radio Hour, Post Office Box 7283, Pittsburgh (13) Pa. Volunteer operators will be stationed at the telephones of Station WMCK (1360) dur ing the American-Croatian Radio Hour program and you may phone your pledges by calling McKeesport 8-8888 or Homestead 1-4221. Residents of Clairton and vicinity may phone their pledges to the March of Dimes by dialing Clairton 37936. Contributions to the 1954 March of Dimes campaign will be graciously accepted by ad dressing them to the March of Dimes, care of the Amer ican-Croatian Radio Hour, P. O. Box 7283, Pittsburgh (18) Pa. The annual March of Dimes entertainment and dance is scheduled for Sunday evening, Why aren't we worrying a bout the 944 missing GI's who still arc being forcibly held in Communist prison camps? It is shocking, isn't it, to think of American boys in the role of slave laborers? It has never happended before but America never failed to win a war before, once she had gone into it. This is the humiliating price we pay for our "go easy" policy. If we had used the men and materials at our command in Korea if we had permitted our generals to fight to win, we should have won. It was possible several times. Then we should not have had to face the humiliating fact that Where are they now? This question hurts. Returning Ja panese prisoners have report ed that some Americans have been seen in a prison not far from Moscow. Some are be lieved working in a huge un derground project in Siberia. Probably some arc dead. We did not win the war. therefore we can not sav: January 31st, at the Croatian Home, in Rankin. Several door prizes will be offered on Sunday evening, January 31st, where each contributor to the March Of Dimes, will be eligible for the drawing of a $25.00 U. S. Savings Bond through the courtesy of the Croatian Fra ternal Union of America and a Ladies or Men's Onyx Ring will be given through the courtesy of Mallin Jewelers. Greyko records will present a free recording of "My Tamburitza Sweetheart" and "Tamburitza Waltz", one of the recent releases by the Kossovo Tamburitza Orches tra, to the first one hundred e s o n s w o a e n e March of Dimes entertain ment and dance, on Sunday evening, January 31st. We wish to extend our ap preciation to the officers of this organization for their of fer of providing the facilities of the Croatian Home, free of charge. Complete details of the program and featured or chestras will be published in next week's edition of the Official Organ. Our radio broadcasts for this year's March of Dimes broadcasts have been expand ed to include both popular ra dio stations in McKeesport and we should be able to reach more listeners than heretofore. So, tune in these special March of Dimes features next Saturday, January 23rd, over Station WEDO (810) from 4:05 to 4:30 and WMCK (1360) from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. What About Those 944 Missing GI's? —Why are we worrying a* bout the 22 Americans who have tossed aside their birth right, and who have indicated that they wish to cast their lot with the Reds? back our men imme diately, or we will go in and get them." Wc cannot batter down the prison gates and say: "We're here, lads. Sorry it took us so long." We cannot tell American soldiers who are on the front lines this very day: "There's one thing to remember, fel lows, if the going gets real tough. America will never let you down." Wonder what the boys are thinking, today, as they en dure the abuse and insults and taunts of the Reds? Do they still have hope? Or has a great despair filled their hearts? What do you think? War is a dreadful thing. National shame is worse* If wc ever get into another war may the Good Lord grant us the courage to see it through, all the way. despite every ob- some of our men were march- staclc/ Only then will we be able to forget the questioning eyes of the missing 944, the sad and bitter eyes of the men America forgot. ed about in a "victory" parade in Manchuria that others, at this very moment, are priso ners in Siberia. This shocking evidence has been revealed by U. S. News and World Report Magazine. "The Chinese Communists," said U. S. News, "did not merely want Americans to work in the salt beds of Shan tung or the uranium mines of Sinkiang. They pr i a i 1 y wanted, and got, Americans who could handle the sensi tive and complex instruments of modern war such as radar, airborne and ground, and in frared instruments for night combat. They were particu larly interested in airmen with technical training, and in artillerymen who knew the secrets of intricate fuses." We have pointed out, time and again, that Thurs day noon is the deadline for all material intended for publication in the fol lowing issue of the English Section. Material received after the deadline will not be considered for publication under any circumstances, inclusive of such time worn silly excuses as "I forgot to send it in earlier," or "So and so was supposed to send it in, but fell down on the job." Our correspondents will have to abide by the Thurs day noon deadline ... or else. If your article isn't published, you, and you alone, are to be blamed! DANIEL STAKICH MOVES INTO LARGER QUARTERS FORMER CFU OFFICIAL HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL By John Badovinac, President, Lodge 663 Cleveland, Ohio For almost two generations, the people in the Collinwood Area of Cleveland have become accustomed to seeing the name of "Stakich" on the window .2 a business establishment oil Waterloo Rd., which is in the very heart of that district. So accustomed, in fact, that many have felt, even as did the writer, that Dan Stakich, founder and owner of the Stakich Realty Co., was asf permanent a fixture in Collin wood as were the New York Central Car shops, or the Croatian Heme which Sta-1 kich's Construction Company built several years ago. Times do change, though, and so do businesses, but even so it was with some surprise that the news was received recently that bro. Stakich was moving his establishment out i into the Euclid sector of Cle-. veland to meet the needs of his expanding business. Started With Nothing The Stakich organization, which has been operating at i 16119 Waterloo Rd., has been complaining of growing pains for several years. Started in 1920 as a one man operation, following bro. Stakich's discharge from the armed forces after World War I, it was modestly suc cessful from the beginning. Dan dealt in real estate and insurance, and for a quarter of a century he operated the business on a scale that was fitted to his personal opera tion technique, and were it not for his two sons, Robert and Richard, Dan would pro bably have been content to remain at the Collinwood ad dress until retirement. Sons Convince Fathe* Bob and Dick changed that all, however. Both boys at tended college and both s$w service in World War II. After graduation they en tered their father's business, which had expanded during and after World War II just as did many other ventures of the same type as a result of America's Real Estate boom. With the help of his father, Bob, the eldest son, launched the Stakich Construction Company on a modest scale, but in the few years that it has been in operation, the Stakich company has built homes for a total value of close to One Million Dollars. Most of the construction work was done in the eastern part of Cuyahoga County, and among the larger con struction projects was the Croatian Liberty Home in Collinwood. Build Them To Endure The most ambitious home building project of the Sta kich Construction Company was the development of a plot of land out in the Chardon Road Area of Euclid, where they built and sold 27 new homes. Previous to this project they built 12 new homes on Hoover Drive in the Wildwood Park Section. The company is now building a beautiful new home on Lake Shore Boulevard in Euclid for Dan Stakich himself. The quality of their con struction in the home build ing field is best attested to with the compliment paid to Bob by the Mayor of Euclid himself after the Mayor had inspected the Chardon Rd. project. Mayor Sims compli mented Bob and Dan on the excellence of the work. The expanding Stakich in surance business is handled by Dickie and this, too, has enjoyed a greater measure of success with the younger Stakich's ambition and zeal. The Stakich organization is a 100 Stephen F. Brkich English Editor CFU affair. Dan and his two boys are members of the CFU, as is Carl Spretna^, who is the manager of the Stakich Real Estate Depart ment. Carl is a member of the "Pioneers" and was a Dele gate to the CFU's 1935 Con vention in Milwaukee. Seek Larger Quarters With all the activity of the three related enterprises, the boys soon started to work on their father to niove out into larger quarters. Dan resisted for a while, but finally gave in and after almost 35 years in the same location, he pulled up stakes and moved the business to 815 East 185th Street. And simul taneous with the move, Dan moved out as the active head of the organization and told his boys that it was now up to them and that he would work for them as a member of the firm. The new place is directly opposite the La Salle Theater on E. 185th Street and is in a very good location for that type of business. Faith In Organization Dan Stakich has been an active member of the CFU from the date that' he joined the old National Croatian Society. He has attended every Convention of the CFU, either as Delegate or as an Officer, from 1932, when he and the writer both attended the Gary Convention. Dan became a Supreme Board member in 1936 to fill a vacancy caused by a resig nation. He was elected in 1939 and again in 1943 and served with distinction as a member of the Board. He was Presi dent of his Lodge No. 235 for over 20 years and still takes an active part in Lodge af fairs. He was also Secretary of the Croatian Liberty Home Association. Yes, He's A Žumberčan Aside from his activity in the CFU, he is active in the civic and business affairs in the Collinwood community and is a personal friend of Ohio's Governor Frank J. Lausche. Both Dan and his wife, Mrs. Anna Stakich, are familiar figures at most CFU affairs in Cleveland. ried in 1920, in the same year that Dan launched his busi ness. And, last but not least, we must add that Dan Stakich was born in Žumberak in the old country. (We know that English Editor Brkich has been patiently waiting for us to say that anyway.) He came to this country in 1911 and became a citizen as soon as he was eligible. To Dan and the boys we extend congratulations on the opening of their new place of business and know that the Stakich enterprises will enjoy the same esteem and success that has been the lot of Dan from the day when he first opened his business on Water loo Roarf January 20, 1954. Kenosha, Wis. A gala celebration is being planned to commemorate the 25th An niversary of "Amity" ESL 692. It will take place Sunday, February 14th, at the Polonia Hall in Kenosha. This event will begin with a program starting at 2:30 P. M. and will feature the Amity Girl's Glee Club in an entertaining group of num bers, selections by the Elias Tamburitza Serenaders and several other interesting fea tures which will be announced at a later date. With us on the festive oc casion will be bro. Stephen P. Brkich, Pittsburgh, English Editor of the Zajedničar, who has accepted the Lodge's in vitation to address our cele brants during the course of this salute to our Silver An niversary. After the program, a sup per will be served and be fol lowed by dancing to the^tunes of the Elias Tamburitza Sere naders. So plan now to attend this full day of enjoyment. "Amity" Lodge 692 was or ganized as one of the first ESL's back in 1929 by a hand ful of members who were in terested in starting a modern, progressive fraternal unit. The name "Amity" was chos en because it meant "Friend ship," and that has been the foundation of the Lodge's strive for success. Under the capable guidance of Joseph Babich, Sr., who has been a C. F. U. member for more than 40 years, the members of the nev/ly organ ized Lodge worked toward a goal, that of making "Amity0 one of the most active ESL's in the midwest. In their 25 years of exist ence they have sponsored many dances, picnics, parties they have supported the Jun-» ior Nest in Kenosha they participated in softball arid bowling, organized glee clubs and have been ardent sup porters of the Duquesne Tam buritzans. Now, on the occasion of their 25th Anniversary, the Amityites extend their hands to you in a cordial invitation to be with them on this im portant date, February 14th, 1954. Amity Chatterbox Tarns Will Invade East Soon i s u a e w o e n o w n e u u e s n e University Tamburitzans will be making their first big tour through the Eastern section of the United States very shortly. We urge our C.F.U. members to make a definite date to witness the Tammies in action when they appear in and around the various cities. The first stop on a busy schedule will be made on Monday, February 1st, 1954, in Manchester, New Hamp shire, at the Palace Theater, at 8:15 PM Wednesday, Feb ruary 3, in Mt. Carmel, Pa., at the Victoria Theater, 8 PM. On Thursday, February 4, in York, Pa., at the Public High School Auditorium, 8:15 PM and on Sunday, Febru ary 7, in Johnstown, Pa., at the Cochran High School Auditorium, at 2:30 PM. Other major stops will in clude Cleveland, Ohio, on February 21st at the Music Hall Pittsburgh, Pa., March 21, at the Syria Mosque and Detroit, Mich., on March 28, at the Masonic Temple. Plan now to see the Tam mies in all their splendor, when they roll off an engage ment in your town. Committee Every day is a day to do good. There is no closed sea son for doing good. James E. Sweeney