The 1920s (02/20/94)

THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION'S FIRST CENTURY

The history of the Ukrainian National Association is documented in a new book by Dr. Myron Kuropas, "Ukrainian Citadel: The First Hundred Years of The Ukrainian National Association," to be published by The University of Toronto Press. In this special 12-page pullout section of The Weekly, prepared on the occasion of our publisher's centennial, we offer excerpts from Dr. Kuropas' pre-publication manuscript, reprinted with permission from the author. (Please note that the Ukrainian National Association (UNA) was known as the Ruskyi Narodnyi Soyuz (RNS) for the first 20 years of its existence.)

The 1920s

The 1920s represented a period of consolidation and expansion of the UNA mandate. Politically, the organization remained squarely and firmly in the nationalist camp, first rejecting, then condemning both the Communist and Hetmanist (Monarchist) ideologies. For Soyuz, a future independent Ukraine would be a pluralistic nation-state that respected the human and civil rights of all of its citizens. Having been burnt by too much reliance on other nations, the prevailing attitude within the UNA and other secular organizations in the community was on self-reliance, achieving victory "by our strength alone." Since no one else was helping Ukraine, it remained for the community to do so.

Following a tradition established by its priest-founders, the UNA believed the laity should play a major role in governing the Catholic Church, a posture rejected by Bishop Bohachevsky who was determined to re-establish discipline in what he perceived to be a somewhat rudderless institution. Once again a power struggle ensued between the religious and secular leaders of the community. ... The 1920s were also a time during which the UNA leadership, growing increasingly long in tooth, began to focus more of its attention on the younger generation. An orphanage became a prime goal of the membership. The juvenile department was reorganized to permit great hands-on participation by the younger generation...

But the UNA matured. Realizing that its organization was no longer the one and only secular organization in the community, the UNA leadership attempted first to unify the entire community into one large political coalition and later, all the Ukrainian benefit societies. Although it failed during the 1920s, the UNA concentrated its efforts on fund-raising efforts and coalition building, major UNA activities for the next 70 years.

Svoboda, the official organ of the UNA, crystallized its position during this period. What emerged after much agonizing review was a national ideology which would sustain and nurture the Ukrainian American community during the difficult years that lay ahead. It was an ideology dedicated to the establishment of one sovereign and independent Ukrainian nation-state.

Illustrations Published:

1929: Cover of the sheet music for the "Hymn of the Ukrainian National Association" (music by M.O. Hayvoronsky, lyrics by S. Musiychuk).
1921: The newly elected UNA officers were: (from left) Theodore Hrytsey, supreme vice-president; Roman Slodobian, supreme financial secretary; Semen Yadlovsky, supreme president; and Ivan Kashtaniuk, supreme secretary.
1921: Metropolitan Andrey Sheptytsky pays a visit to the old headquarters of the UNA in Jersey City, N.J.
1928: A new UNA building, seen on the left was constructed at 81-83 Grand St. in Jersey City. It was built on the site of two adjacent buildings owned by the UNA. The previous UNA Home Office, which also housed the Svoboda print shop and editorial offices is seen in the photo above.

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