I Official Organ Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order Of The State Of Texas, Founded 1897 HUMANITY
BENEVOLENCE
BROTHERHOOD
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SUPREME LODGE, SPJST, P.O. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76501 VOLUME 63, NUMBER 2 JANUARY 8, 1915
FROM THE EDITOR'S DESK Since the last referendum was mailed out, your editor has had numerous phone calls and personal conversations with members and delegates, including personal letters pertaining. to the fact that the balloting in our referendums is definitely NOT secret. This nonsecret balloting situation regarding referendums seems to be bothering them more than a person would think. Pertaining to the last referendum, one member put it this way: "Here we have the 12 members of our Supreme Lodge, seven directors, four officers and one legal adviser sitting around a table opening the ballots that ask permission from, the delegates to adjust the salaries of all 12 members of the Supreme Lodge and the editor, and, on the ballot with the Yes or No vote, the delegates have to place their name, lodge number, and number of votes. The 12 SL members know exactly how each delegate voted! Is that a secret ballot?" Frankly, what could your editor answer? After the referendum was sent out in April of 1973, Brother George Kacir of West wrote the following letter to the Vestnik, which appeared in the May 9, 1973 issue and which, we reprint at this time:
WHAT MAKES A HOME? It isn't the carpets fine nor redwood doors, The couch and chairs nor polished floors, That makes my home such a delight To come home to each and every night. It's the laugh rebounding off each wall, The family's kiss, the baby's call; It's the love that fills my home with light That makes it so good to come home each night. —Deborah Ann Stevenson. April 30, 1973 Dear Fellow-members: The referendum submitted recently received my affirmative vote, but it reminded me of suggestions I had made heretofore to another organization. A number of people mentioned that referendum voting should be by secret ballot. Such constructive criticism can be met very easily. The ballot submitted to the delegates can have a l stub such as we have in state or county elections. The stub can be signed with addition thereon of the local lodge number. The ballot can be sealed in a ballot envelope, and the bal-
lot envelope and stub placed in another envelope which is then mailed to the home office. The home office can open the outside envelope, verify the signature and lodge number on the stub, place the stub in a separate stub box, and the unopened envelope containing the ballot can be placed in another box where it would remain until the next Supreme Lodge meeting. Such procedure would, in a simple manner, satisfy those having preference for a secret ballot. With fraternal regards, George Kacir, West, Texas * * We felt that this was a constructive suggestion at that time and still do. We should keep this in mind for the future. *
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The recent referendum seems to have caused some thought to be given to the manner in which the referendum was publicized and the mailing of the ballots before the membership was advised of the propositions involved. The referendum balicks were mailed on October 25th, and the excerpts from the minutes of the SL meeting, published in the Vestnik on November 6th revealed that a referendum had been called by the Supreme Lodge. The referendum