A glimpse of the past
The Weekly on The Weekly
Below are excerpts of editorials that appeared in past issues of The Ukrainian Weekly. The excerpts, one from each decade, offer a glimpse of how the newspaper saw itself, and its role, throughout its 70-year history.
PART I
Why do we write about Ukraine?
December 29, 1933
Very often our American Ukrainians, particularly the younger generation, have been admonished by many of their own kind that "when in Rome, do as the Romans do." This in effect is intended to mean that since we live here in America and undoubtedly will live here for the rest of our lives, that therefore our main concern should be with American life together with its attendant problems and affairs.
... But we certainly cannot apply the above quoted adage that "when in Rome, etc." to the guiding policy of The Ukrainian Weekly, and devote a good portion of it to news dealing exclusively with American life, whether it be political, business, or sports ... Just as the "shoemaker must stick to his awl" so must The Weekly adhere to those sound principles upon which it was built, and upon which its future progress depends.
The Ukrainian Weekly must devote itself exclusively to the portraying of the Ukrainian life, whether it be here in America or in any part of the world, and leave the portrayal of American life to the incomparably far abler transmitting agencies of news.
The Weekly must serve as a guide to our American Ukrainian youth by pointing out in its own inimitable language and style the road to the goal which is dear to all Ukrainians - a free and independent state of Ukraine. It must also serve as a torch of knowledge to the other nationalities, including the American people, and acquaint them with the terrible lot of the Ukrainian nation under the remorseless foreign oppression, and with its struggle to free itself of this bondage.
Furthermore - we must remember that the centuries old oppression of the Ukrainian people, particularly as manifested by the various Russian or Polish decrees forbidding the use of the Ukrainian language and the word "Ukraine" had a very bad effect upon the more ignorant of our people. As a result of this policy, and of the insidious Russifying and Polonizing propaganda, many of these people forgot that they were of the Ukrainian race; and began to call themselves Russians, Little Russians, Ruthenes, Galicians, Hutsuls, Greeks, and whatnot.
And, therefore, it is even because of this reason that The Ukrainian Weekly devotes itself to purely American Ukrainian life, in the hope that someday it may help to lead these deluded people unto the right road, and make them realize that they are Ukrainians, descendants of a great people, who someday will be free.
Our tenth anniversary
October 2, 1943
Ten years ago, on October 6, 1933, The Ukrainian Weekly made its first appearance. The 18th Regular Convention of the Ukrainian National Association, held in May of that year in Detroit, had decided that in the development of Ukrainian American life the time had come when our younger generation, born and raised here, had to have, in addition to the Svoboda, a weekly organ of their own, published in English and dedicated completely to their special needs and interests.
Since that time The Ukrainian Weekly has endeavored to fulfill its function as such to the best of its ability. Primarily it has devoted itself to the problems and issues confronting our young people in relation to their Ukrainian background and their American environment. In this connection it has, first of all, striven to make them good and loyal Americans. Likewise it has endeavored to make them worthy descendants of the freedom-loving Ukrainian race. At the same time it has constantly inculcated them with the idea that as native-born Americans of Ukrainian descent they are duty-bound to help their blood kinsmen in foreign-occupied and oppressed Ukraine to win the national freedom for which they have been fighting and sacrificing for many centuries. ...
Today, of course, The Ukrainian Weekly devotes its main efforts to our country's war effort. In every way possible it strives to make the Ukrainian American contribution to this war effort as great as possible. It is prompted to do this not only by a sense of duty, but also by the realization that only a victory of the American cause and arms, as well as those of their allies, will ensure the future existence and development of the "American way of life," and, at the same time, provide at least an opportunity for the Ukrainian people in their native but enslaved land to establish a free, independent and democratic state of Ukraine.
A birthday
October 8, 1955
On October 5, 1933, we were down in the pressroom of the Svoboda. We watched [The Ukrainian Weekly's] first issue run off the press. We felt then that The Weekly would play a great role in the progress of younger generations of Ukrainian Americans. That it has done.
... The Weekly has stimulated creative thinking among our young people on the vital problems that confront them as Americans of Ukrainian descent. No other agency, we have every good reason to believe, has made them so aware of these problems as has The Weekly.
What is more, The Weekly has broken down the barriers of distance and time that separate our young people, scattered as they are throughout the length and breadth of this land of ours.
... The Weekly has reached the hands of prominent American journalists at times, and some of their writings, such of certain nationally known columnists and military editors, have been based on what appeared in The Weekly.
In thus outlining what we consider to be the good points, we do not forget, even for a minute, any bad points or shortcomings of The Weekly. In fact, we shall return to them in the first opportunity.
But, this week, we prefer to put our best foot forward. After all, this week is The Weekly's birthday.
Our campaign in the American press
April 7, 1962
Elsewhere in this issue of The Ukrainian Weekly there are samples of letters to the editors of various newspapers throughout the country, in which Ukrainian American readers expressed their approval or disapproval of articles and editorials concerning the Soviet Union and Ukraine. It has been our policy to register these voices as a matter of record, and also as an encouragement to our readers to continue this battle for truth and just information regarding Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.
The work of disseminating truthful and unbiased information on Ukraine is exceedingly important and vital. This is why our youth should support all our English-language publications, inasmuch as they constitute a reliable source of knowledge on Ukraine.
The obligation of disseminating knowledge and information on Ukraine is vital to the successful termination of Ukraine's struggle for freedom. It is also vital for our own security as citizens of this great nation of ours and for its very survival. Therefore, in battling for the truth and against the distortions and falsifications with which the enemy of freedom has beclouded the Ukrainian problem, we are fighting for justice and freedom for people everywhere in the world.
The Weekly's 45th
October 1, 1978
While initially designed as a newspaper for Ukrainian American youth, The Weekly has since [its inception] not only continued to inform the younger generations of Ukrainian Americans, but those who were students 45 years ago, those who grew up with The Weekly, as well as non-Ukrainians.
With its articles, on Ukrainian life in America, translations of major Ukrainian-language works and reports of the human rights movement in Ukraine, The Weekly saved possibly three generations of Ukrainians from alienation. With the destruction of Ukrainianism by the Kremlin in Ukraine today, that task of keeping our people here aware of their spiritual heritage is of utmost importance.
All this progress would have been impossible without the support of our readers and assistance from Soyuz [the Ukrainian National Associatin]. As The Weekly draws closer to its 50th anniversary, it will continue to offer the best service to its readers, to our community and to our people in Ukraine.
(To be continued next week.)
PART I
Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, October 5, 2003, No. 40, Vol. LXXI
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