groz paztib Official Organ Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order Of The State Of Texas, Founded 1897. HUMANITY
BENEVOLENCE VOLUME 59 — NO. 39
BROTHERHOOD
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 with Undeliverable Copies to: SUPREME LODGE SPJST, POB 100, TEMPLE, TEX 76501
SEPTEMBER 29, 1971
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK Under "Features" is a photo of our Honorary SL President and his faithful, fraternal partner in life, Brother and Sister Edward L. Marek. He served our Society as president for 20 years. • • Allow your editor some personal observations. I had the pleasure of making Brother and Sister Mareks' acquaintance at the 1948 Fort Worth convention. Personally, I found them both to be devoted fraternalists and, in that convention, he was elected president of our SPJST with wholehearted support of the Houston delegation. In the spring of 1956, I decided to seek the office of president of our Society. I was the first one to tell Brother Marek, in person, Of my intentions. We shook hands and we both agreed that the contest would be purely fraternal and that is the way it was. At that time we also agreed that all important decisions of the SPJST should and MUST always remain in the control of the membership through the medium of their delegates at our conventions every four years. Brother Marek and I may have disagreed at times, however, we have never let that break the fraternal bond that bound us together in our fraternal Society. Brother and Sister Marek, both respected members of our Society, we wish
WHICH? Only a frown! Yet it pressed a sting Into the day which had been so glad; The red rose turned to a scentless thing; The bird-song ceased with discordant ring; And a heart was heavy and sad. Only a smile! Yet it cast a spell Over the sky which has been so gray; The rain made music wherever it fell; The wind sang the song of the marriage-bell; And a heart was light and gay. you all of the best. My wife and I count both of you among our many valued friends, and I feel certain that statement holds true throughout our SPJST and other fraternal organizations. • • Do you know these to be facts? That every person who is a member of our SPJST in an equal owner in all of its money in the bank? In truth, the SOciety belongs to the members! Our Society is a fraternal benefit organization started by its own members and run by them ever since, and must continue to be so or it will cease to serve the purposes for which it was intended. PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE ON PAGE 13
Do you know, every rule that governs the actions of the officers and the Society was made out by the members themselves? Do you know, there are no stockholders or other persons who draw any profits from our Society? The members get it all. Our money goes out to pay the members' claims, and to pay for the operational expenses of the Society. Do you know, that the SPJST has been existing successfully for 74 years. We have paid every legal claim, weathered wars, depressions, epidemics, and other set-backs. • • Leadership carries responsibilities and obligations. It is easy to be ambitious for leadership, but it is difficult to bear the burdens which real leadership entails. A real leader must be creative, must encourage creativity when it would be easier to hew to the status quo. A real leader must see his own assets and liabilities realistically, even when it hurts. He must dare to be unpopular when circumstances require, though, like all men, he feels a deep emotional need for approval. He must set his own work standards, his own goals, knowing that they are more difficult than others would set for him. He must harden himself to live with uncertainty while,