Ukrainian Canadian Youth: a History of Organizational Life in Canada 1907-1953
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e Ukrainian Canadian Youth: A History of Organizational Life In Canada 1907-1953 Paul Michael Mlgus ^.CEUoju , LttftAiUbS » A Thesis submitted to the Department of History and the School of Graduate Studies of the University of Ottawa in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts. University of Ottawa Ottawa, Ontario March, 1975 © Paul Michael Mlgus, Ottawa, Canada, 1975. UMI Number: EC55326 INFORMATION TO USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleed-through, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if unauthorized copyright material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. 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Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 TABLE OP CONTENTS PREFACE v Statement of Problem—Statement of Sub-Problems—Delimitations of the Study—Basic Assumptions—Need for the Study—Review of Related Literature—Sources of Data—Method of Procedure— Definitions of Terms Used—Transliteration CHAPTER I UKRAINIAN NATIONAL CONSCIOUSNESS 1 Immigration and Early Associations 1 First Ukrainians—Factors for Emigration—Mass Immigration— Statistical Analysis—Native Reaction—Early Ukrainian Associations Educators and Youth 17 Student Teachers—Teachers' Union Nationalism and the Church 24 Ukralnlanism vs Catholicism—The Mohyla Affair—Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church Early Student Associations 34 Ukrainian Students' Club of Saskatoon—Ukrainian Student Clubs of Winnipeg—Adam Kotsko Student Association— Kameniari Students' Club CHAPTER II NATIONALISM IN CONFLICT 43 The Nation State 43 Development of Ukrainian Nationalism—Political Situation in Ukraine—Nationalism in Western Ukraine—Nationalism and Communism Youth Section of the Ukrainian Labour-Farmer Temple Association. 57 Ukrainian Social Democratic Party—Ukrainian Labour Temple Association—Youth Section of the Ukrainian Labour Farmer Temple Association—Communist Party of Canada—Amalgamation and Bolshevlzation ii Ukrainian Sporting Sitch Association of Canada 83 Early Sitches in Canada—Ukrainian Sporting Sitch Association—Incorporation and Union with the United States—Western Expansion and Re-orientation—Youth in the Hetmanite Movement CHAPTER III NATIONALISM AND THE YOUTH MOVEMENT 101 The Student Movement 101 Student Clubs—Central Executive of Ukrainian Student Clubs—Student Issues—Alpha-Omega Students' Society— Department of Extension Services—Ukrainian Students' National Association Canadian Ukrainian Youth Association 128 Ukrainian Self -Reliance League—Orly & Orlyata— Canadian Ukrainian Youth Association—Characteristics and Endeavours Ukrainian National Youth Federation 143 Nationalist Dissatisfaction—Ukrainian National Federation—Ukrainian National Youth Federation— Ukrainian Radio Telegraphy School—Ukrainian Flying School Ukrainian Catholic Youth 167 Brotherhood of Ukrainian Catholics—Ukrainian Catholic Youth—Dominion-Wide Expansion CHAPTER IV THE NEW NATIONALISTS 179 The Effects of the War 179 Ukrainian Canadian Adjustment—Ukrainian Nationalism— The Third Immigration Ukrainian Organization Plast 188 Origins of Plast—Plast and Nationalism—Plast Movement and International Scouting—Plast in Canada Ukrainian Youth Association 203 Origins of SUM—The Rebirth of SUM—SUM in Canada- Reactions of other Youth Organizations Ukrainian Democratic Youth Association 217 Origins of the Ideology—Organizational Development iii CHAPTER V CO-ORDINATION 225 Ukrainian Youth Council of Canada 225 Committees for Co-operation—Ukrainian Youth Council of North America—Ukrainian Youth Council of Canada Ukrainian Canadian University Students' Union 234 Student Associations—Post War Student Problems— Attempts at Student Union—Ukrainian Canadian University Students' Union Conclusion 248 APPENDIXES 256 Charter of Incorporation for the Ukrainian Labour Parmer Temple Association—Charter of Incorporation for the Ukrainian Boy Scouts and Sporting Sitch Association of Canada—List of Branches of the Youth Section of the Ukrainian Labour Farmer Temple Association prior to 1932— List of Branches of the Ukrainian Sporting Sitch Association— List of Branches of the Canadian Ukrainian Youth Association— Statistics of Active Branches of the Canadian Ukrainian Youth Association—List of Branches and Conventions of the Ukrainian National Youth Federation of Canada—Statistics of Plast Membership and List of Branches in Canada as of June 30, 1951— List of SUM Branches in Canada 1948-1953—Membership Statistics of SUM as of September, 1957 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 278 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .300 iv PREFACE Statement of Problem The main purpose of this study is to trace the histories of Ukrainian organizations in Canada which have played a major role in the development of Ukrainian Canadian youth. Statement of Sub-Problems The study has four other purposes: 1. To show that in addition to various widely-accepted criteria for ethnic grouping, such as linguistic and cultural retention and religious differentiation, that there was yet another factor which has influenced the development of the organizational life of young Ukrainian Canadians—a phenomenon commonly known as Ukrainian nationalism. An attempt was made to demonstrate, through the examination of the origins of the various organiza tions, the complexity and outgrowths of this concept in Canada. The point here is to suggest that Ukrainian nationalism in Canada has not been monoli thic; it has been influenced by various political ideologies such as democracy, totalitarianism, facism, communism, monarchism, republicanism and socialism. 2. To examine the involvement of each organization in the area of Ukrainian national activity. 3. To clarify the relationships, or the lack thereof, among the various Ukrainian youth organizations which exist on Canadian soil. 4. To indicate that repressive events in Ukraine and subsequent emigrations have continued to focus the attention of second and third v generation Ukrainian Canadians upon the prevailing cultural and political atmosphere in Ukraine; and further, to postulate that such attentiveness has allowed nationalism to remain a viable concept among some of the young Ukrainian Canadians today. In short, to show the validity of the statement made by Timothy Byrne in 1937 that "it may be through youth organizations that Ukrainian nationalists will leave a permanent stamp on Ukrainian Canadian society". Delimitations of the Study This study deals primarily with the origins of organizations which were formed to influence, develop and serve the needs of Ukrainian Canadian youth. More attention is given to those organizations which evolved into dominion- wide structures. The first such was the Union of Ukrainian Labour Youth (Spilka Ukrayinskoyi Robitnychoyi Molodi). This organization later expanded to become the Youth Section of the Ukrainian Labour-Farmer Temple Association (Tovarystvo Ukrayinskay Robitnycho-Farmerskay Dim). The next major entry was the establishment of the Canadian Sitch Organization. The 1930's witnessed the rapid expansion of organizational life among young Ukrainian Canadians with the creation of three major bodies—Canadian Ukrainian Youth Association (Soyuz Ukrayinskoyi Molodi Kanady—SUMK), Ukrainian Catholic Youth (Ukrayin- ske Katoletske Yunatstvo—UKYu) and Ukrainian National Youth Federation (Molodi Ukrayinski Natsionalisty—MUN). Following World War II another trio emerged—the Ukrainian Organization Plast, Ukrainian Youth Association (Soyuz Ukrayinskoyi Molodi—SUM), and Ukrainian Democratic Youth Association "T?.Byrne, "The Ukrainian Community in North Central Alberta" (M.A. Thesis, University of Alberta, 1937), p.68. vi (Obyednannya Demokratychnoyl Ukraylnskoyl Molodl—ODUM). By 1953 the leader ship of these groups was examining the possible routes of coordination and succeeded in establishing the Ukrainian Youth Council of Canada (Rada Ukrayinskoyi Molodl Kanady—RUMK). Attention is also focused on the student life of Ukrainian Canadians. To a large degree, its development into organized forms preceded those of the broader-based youth organizations. Indeed, many of them had direct in fluence upon the creation of the general interest youth groups. These student associations also united in 1953 to create the Ukrainian Canadian University Students' Union (Soyuz Ukrayinskykh Studentiv Kanady—SUSK). No attempt was made to present the complete history of each organization under review. Such a task is beyond the scope of a single study. Neverthe less, in addition to the background and the origins of each organization treated, major ideological changes were evaluated in light of their effects on this study's sub-problems. Nor does this study attempt to discuss the Ukrainians' attitudes toward their newly adopted home—Canada. Ukrainians on the whole accepted Canadian political Institutions, and with the exception of a small vocal communist element, remained relatively loyal to Canada during crisis periods. The degrees of their loyalty and the methods of their expression of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with Canada's institutions and the Canadian way of life might be a valuable thesis topic