The Sitch staff of the Chicago headquarters took a most active part during the entire Sitch Convention, held May 28-30, 1922, in the assembly hall of the Ukrainian National Home, in Cleveland.

The chief executive, Dr. Stephen K. Hrynevetsky, opened the convention and greeted the delegates on Sunday morning with a sincere, yet terse speech.

First, he called upon the comptrollers' committee to verify and check the financial status of the Sitch Organization since the last convention held in Pittsburgh. Due to the fact that only one of the comptrollers was present at the convention, the delegates elected two other members to take their places. The chief executive then called upon the delegates to elect temporary officers to conduct the meetings of the convention. John Voytsitsky, Cleveland, elected temporary chairman; A. Stangrytchuk, Cleveland, and Joseph Potochny, Youngstown, Ohio, secretaries.

2

The members of the by-laws' committee were John Barabash, Chicago; Jos. Yavorsky, Chicago; and A. Chreshchensky, Centralia, Pa. The election of the complaint committee then followed.

S. Svobodyan made a motion and it was seconded that an account be given about P. Novodvorsky, former chief executive, and his leadership of the organization for a year and a half.

After a short discussion, Dr. S. K. Hrynevetsky made a motion to adjourn any further discussion until the afternoon. In the meantime, all the delegates marched in formation to church, where a solemn blessing of a Ukrainian flag by Rev. Tarnavsky took place.

Afternoon Session

The afternoon session began at 3:15. Letters of P. Novodvorsky were read, wherein he congratulated the convention and at the same time explained why 3he could not attend. His excuses were accepted. This was followed by reading letters and telegrams of congratulations.

A short discussion as to whether or not the executive staff has the right to vote then took place. It was decided that on questions about the Organization proper, the officers may vote, but on questions that arise about themselves, they cannot vote. The committee of verifications then made known their findings and accounted for such.

Outstanding Delegates:

Stephen Svobodian, Philadelphia, delegate from 4, 34, 45 branches; P. Nayda, Philadelphia, 7, 11, 43 branches; P. Furdela, Frankfort, Pa., 9, 10, 25 branches; A. Chreshcheny, Centralia, Pa., 6 branch; Joseph Yavorsky, Chicago, 15 and 14 branches; S. Chorny, Chicago, 13 branch; John Barabash, Chicago, of band detachment, 12 branch; Joseph Potochny, Youngstown, Ohio, 36 branch; J. Denega, Lakewood, Ohio, 40 branch; A. Stangrychuk and M. Fesnak, Cleveland, 39 branch.

4

At 6:30 P. M. discussions of the first day ended. Comptrollers continued their work after supper, while other delegates attended a Sitch concert given in their honor by Branch No. 39.

Second Day Session

The real convention started on the second day, May 29, at 8:30 A. M. Dr. Stephen K. Hrynevetsky made a motion to read and pass necessary decisions on amendments to the by-laws. The motion was not favorably met with, so they passed on to the accounts to be given by the Executive Staff.

Dr. S. K. Hrynevetsky, as chief executive, was the first to give his account. He explained why he had accepted his present office, namely: The American federal government began to cause difficulties to the Sitch Organization, and because it is chartered it must have a president. Therefore, since the vice-president was out of Chicago, Dr. Hrynevetsky agreed to accept the office of the chief executive. Then followed the accounts of other members of the 5executive staff and the committee of comptrollers. The convention later adjourned for lunch.

During the afternoon session Stephen Musiychuk, general recording secretary, gave his account. Discussion on all accounts just presented followed this. Later Dr. S. K. Hrynevetsky was thanked and congratulated on the splendid work he has done for the organization. By a motion of Mr. Kotsiuk, which was seconded, the delegates agreed by a vote of confidence to accept everything done and accounted for by the executive staff as correct.

Next followed the reading and amending of the by-laws. Due to the fact that it was already one o'clock in the morning, the delegates decided to appoint a few who were to stay a little longer, make the necessary corrections themselves, and read them in the morning to all.

Third Day Session

6

On May 30, at 8:30 A. M., more telegrams and letters of congratulations were read.

Stephen Musiychuk read all the corrections of the by-laws which were unanimously accepted by the delegates.

Motions and Discussions

Dr. S. K. Hrynevetsky read the contract of the Sitch press that was recently bought. Since the Sitch press is the sole property of the Sitch Organization, should the headquarters of the central executive staff ever be moved from Chicago, the press would also have to be moved to the same location. All those present agreed upon this and, at the same time, they decided and sent letters of thanks to Messrs. A. and J. Bulkas and Michael Yavorsky, former owners of the Sitch press, who they had also made honorary members of the Sitch Organization.

7

It was decided that for the time being the executive staff will be held responsible for the publishing of the Sitch News, later on the responsibility will be shifted to the editor. The editor must obey orders of the local executive staff of the Sitch organization.

It was further decided that the Sitch News be published once a month in the form and size of the last five issues. Cuts and pictures are not to be inserted in the publication for the time being, as they increase the cost of printing.

M. Kotsiuk made a motion and it was seconded that every Sitch member must be a subscriber to the Sitch News.

It was also passed that the recording secretary would receive a salary of ten dollars and the financial secretary five dollars per month.

P. Nayda made a motion and it was seconded that the chief executive's office 8notify the district majors in all important matters, the latter their subordinates, and these in turn members of their respective branches. This motion was passed in order to alleviate the work of the recording secretary.

A motion was made and seconded that the money intended for Sitch propaganda, both here and abroad, be used for this and no other purpose.

The Poles, as usual, tried to injure the Sitch Organization, this time they sent federal detectives to the headquarters to investigate the doings of the organization. The detectives, of course, found everything being conducted legally and loyally to the American flag. However, the Sitch propaganda fund was changed by the convention to the Sitch Fund.

Regarding monthly dues the convention also passed that monthly dues of fifteen cents, which must be paid by every member, should be divided into three parts: ten cents for administration; two and one-half cents for the 9permanent fund; and two and one-half cents to the convention expenses fund.

It was moved and seconded that in the future, every branch be called a company, and its head a captain.

The chief executive, every three months, must initiate and transmit passwords to district majors and they in turn down the line. The members are to be instructed not to talk over Sitch business on every street and alley.

The convention decided to send letters of congratulations and greetings to Dr. Eugene Petrushevich, President of the Western Ukrainian Republic, to the Sitch ex-soldiers in Czecho-Slovakia, and to the Ukrainian military organization in Vienna.

Michael Kotsiuk made a motion which was seconded that contributions should be collected for the Sitch ex-soldiers and the money thus collected in each Sitch 10district should be sent to the Sitch headquarters in Chicago.

Every Sitch member will be forbidden to collect money for the above purpose under a fictitious name.

Before lunch the convention passed its final resolution pardoning and forgiving all the mistakes committed by its former chief executive P. Novodvorsky, and decided to avoid him in the future.

The Last Afternoon Session

This session began at 2 P. M. The minutes of the convention for the past two and a-half days were read.

Joseph Yavorsky moved that the headquarters of the chief executive remain in Chicago, but M. Fesnak was for Cleveland or Pittsburgh. The outcome was in favor of Joseph Yavorsky, for it was decided that Chicago should continue to 11be the center of the Organization.

They also decided that in two years the convention will be held in Philadelphia. The officers to attend that coming convention were granted approximately seventy dollars for traveling expenses.