Purpose of the Federation/

This federation was founded and organized with the following purpose and program:

1. To promote among Albanians in America, and through them among the Albanians in Albania, the spirit of helping one another and of loving their nationality, through conferences and publications.

2. To  promote among them the sense of honor and love for the laws and institutions of the United States of America, and to strengthen the bond of friendship between American citizens and Albanians

3. To help in the learning of English and Albanian languages and to spread education and moral doctrines among Albanians in America.

4. To help morally for the amelioration of the members of the Federation and to protect, as much as it can, Albanian immigrants and workers.

The spirit of the Federation

5. VATRA should take no part in politics

Membership

6. Any Albanian, living in the United States of America, eighteen year s or older, of good behavior, of normal mentality, may seek to become a member of VATRA.

7. A person, who believes in the overthrow of the American government by revolutionary or criminal means, or by some illegal means no matter how, cannot become a member of VATRA, and if he has been accepted as a member through a mistake or ignorance of some members, his name will be deleted from the membership list.

8. A person that has revolutionary connections, which he supports with money or articles or conferences or in any other way, cannot be admitted as a member of VATRA, even if he himself is honest and wise and can be blamed only because of his misunderstanding. If a person of this sort has been admitted once as a member of VATRA, his name will be deleted from the membership list.

9. A person, no matter how honest he is, if he has the habit of contradicting always, of complaining, of heaping calumny on the officers of the Federation, and through his behavior and his speech manages to cool and drive ways people from VATRA, and plunges the Federation into expenses by increasing or lengthening meetings-such a person cannot be admitted as a member; or if he is admitted once, his name will be deleted from the membership list.

Income

10. VATRA’s income comes from these sources: a) annual dues, the number and amount of which is to be resolved each year by the Convention of VATRA; and when no new resolution is made on this point, the system of previous year continues in effect, b) from publications (books and newspaper) of VATRA; c) from voluntary gifts of members, or friends outside of VATRA

Officers

11. The officers of VATRA are as follows: a president, a secretary, a treasurer and four board members. These officers together form the Central Committee and are elected for one year by VATRA’s convention which takes place annually at a meeting held by the Delegates id the chapters of VATRA.

The duties and rights of the Central Committee

12. The Committee organizes branches, accepts them in the Federation, or deletes them from the list of membership if they do not obey the Constitution and the by-laws, the directives of the Convention or the resolutions of the Committee.

13. The Committee appoints and removes form duty agents, lecturers, and other representatives and delegates of VATRA, as the need may be, whether they are paid or not.

14. The Committee examines the books of the Federation every four months, and through the President and the Treasurer publishes in the official bulletin of the Federation the income of the period.

 

15. Through the President, the Central Committee puts into effect the resolutions voted at the Convention and helps the president to fulfill his duties as prescribed by the Constitution and the by-laws.

 

16. The Committee holds a meeting at least six times a year; and if the President deems it necessary, the Committee may meet more than six times during the year.

 

17. The President calls the meetings, fixing the day and the hour of every meeting.

 

18. Four members of the Committee, if they think it necessary, may call upon the President to hold an extraordinary committee meeting. Such a demand upon the President should be made in writing and should note clearly the reasons that make the extraordinary meeting necessary.

 

The President of VATRA

 

19. The Central Committee like the Federation, is headed by the President of VATRA

 

20. The President is elected by the Convention of VATRA, and he can be removed only through a similar convention.

 

21. The President prepares and brings before the Central Committee every undertaking of importance, especially when it involves expenses of the branches of VATRA

 

22. At the end of the year, and with the help of the Central Committee, the President gives the convention an account of the expenses and the activities of the Committee.

 

The Secretary

 

23. The Secretary of the Headquarters is the second officer of VATRA, takes the place of the President when he is absent, keeps the books and correspondence of the Headquarters with the branches, with the members and other outside persons, keeps the records of the meetings of the Central Committee, keeps the archives, the keys to the office and the safe.

 

The Treasurer

 

24. The Treasurer keeps the funds of the Federation for which he is responsible. All sums that come to him should be deposited at the regular bank on the day they are received. He has no right to keep on his person more than one hundred dollars of the organization’s money.

 

25. The Treasurer pays out all the sums resolved upon the Convention or by the Central Committee. All payments are made by check, signed both by the President and the Treasurer.

 

26. The Treasurer prepares the books every four months for the Central Committee, and annually for the Convention.

 

Members of the Board

 

27. The members of the Board should be present at every meeting of the Committee, unless they must be absent through illness or some other unexpected cause.

 

The Convention

 

28. VATRA holds its convention once a year, composed of delegates from each regular branch that is recognized by Headquarters as in god order, and which has the necessary number of members.

 

29. The place and date of the convention are fixed by the previous convention, or, if necessary, by a vote sought from and sent by post by the boards of the branches. If neither the previous convention nor the vote of the various boards gave set a date, it is understood that the convention will be held in Boston in the first week of July.

 

30. No one will be admitted as delegate to the convention unless he has been a regular member for the last two years and has paid at least six membership dues.

 

31. Proof for the delegate’s being a regular member of VATRA for the last two years will be sought in the archives of VATRA.

 

32. A regular member for more than two years, in the event that he leaves America, retains the rights of an old member as soon as he pays his dues and joins the Federation again the first month he returns to America.

 

33. A regular member who is sick in a hospital is not deprived of his membership even if he pays no dues while he is in the hospital, but he loses the rights to membership as soon as he is out of the hospital and does not begin paying dues that may fall due at the time.

 

34. The credentials of the convention delegates are examined by the President and the Central Committee in VATRA’s offices before the Convention opens, and determines whether they are in good order or not. A delegate, in the event that he is not accepted as such, should abide by this decision at least provisionally, but has the right to bring his case before the Convention, which may reverse the decision of the Central Committee. Such a step should be brought before the convention in writing, and the rejected delegate may be called by the Convention so that he can present his case; but he cannot enter the convention without having been authorized to do so, and should he try to force his way in, h will be penalized by the loss of his membership in VATRA, as a person that disturbs the peace, does not obey regulations and is uncivilized.

 

35. The temporary chairman of the convention is the President of VATRA, who opens the convention in a speech summarizing the activities of the Federation. Then, the regular chairman of the convention is elected by open vote, as are the secretary and the reported of the convention.

 

36. The Central Committee participates in the convention, but has no vote and participated only for the purpose of offering necessary explanations.

 

37. The Convention examines the books and the activities of the previous year, investigates them, asks questions from the President and the other members of the Central Committee, and then takes a vote or approval or disapproval of the accounts and activities.

 

38. The Convention, after it makes resolutions and changes for the coming year, selects the members of the new Board or Central Committee which presents before the Convention to be approved for the coming year.

 

The Branches of VATRA

 

39. VATRA is composed of different branches, which cannot be called members of the Federation if they have not been recognized or are not recognized by the board.

 

40. The branches should observe strict obedience to the Board; have the right to oppose the Board at the Convention through their delegate; but in no other way.

 

41. Each branch has a President, a Secretary, an Assistant Secretary, a Treasurer and three board members.

 

42. Each branch, as soon as it is recognized by VATRA’s board, takes a seal, two books (one for the records and the other for the list of its members) and receipt forms. It should be understood that these are the property of VATRA, although the branch gets them free of charge and should be returned promptly to the board of VATRA when the board asks for their return, be it because it has expelled the branch form the Federation or because it simply wishes to examine them. Later, the branch has the right to complain to the Convention and to have its rights restored, if its rights have been nullified by the Board. But there can be no discussion about the return of the property of the Federation.

 

43. The branches hold two meetings a year, one for the purpose of looking over the books and for the election of a Board, and the other for the purpose of selecting a delegate for the Convention. Other meetings may be held if the Board or a majority of the members fined it advisable. The meeting should be announced in DIELLI at least a week before, and has the power to act from the first no matter how few of the members present are.

 

Publications of VATRA

 

44. VATRA publishes DIELLI, a newspaper with the purpose of giving its members news and education in general.

 

45. The spirit of the paper will be progressive and anti-revolutionary.

 

46. The editor and his assistants are appointed by the Board if necessary, an officer of VATRA may also serve as editor of DIELLI.

 

47. Advertising for the paper may be acceptable as space permits, with a charge stipulated by the Board. Advertisements may be accepted or rejected by the Manager.

 

Salaries, Dues and Income

 

48. Which officers, delegates, lecturers or other workers of VATRA shall receive a salary or remunerations, and what the sum shall be, will be voted each year by the Convention when it prepares the regular budget.

 

49. The Board has the right to spend small sums not voted in the budget by the Convention, if the Board decides to do so unanimously.

 

50. All payments made by VATRA are made by check, signed by the President and the Treasurer.

 

51. Every receipt given by VATRA for money received is noted by the secretary and the treasurer.

 

Relations of Headquarters with the Branches

 

52. Every branch obeys Headquarters until the Convention. A branch does not have the right to criticize or to attempt to frighten the President or the Board through articles, meetings, resolutions or pamphlets.

 

53. Every branch can advise, or complain to the Board, but it has no right to demand the publication of everything it sends.

 

54. Reports of the meetings of the branches are published in VATRA’s organ, but these reports should not be polemical in nature, or should they have the purpose of attacking indirectly the resolutions of the Convention.

 

55. Headquarters keeps in contact with the branches through its Official Bulletin published in DIELLI and through circular letters.

 

Various regulations

 

56. Every regular delegate sent to the Convention has 1 (one) vote for every 15 (fifteen) to 30 (thirty) members he represents; has 2(two) votes for every 41(forty one) to 71 (seventy one) members he represents; has 3 (three) votes for every 71 (seventy one) to 100 (one hundred) members he represents; has 4 (four) votes for every 101 (one hundred one) to 130 (one hundred thirty) members he represents; and 1(one) extra vote for every 30(thrity) members over 131(one hundred thirty one).

 

57. The number of the members for the purpose of fixing the votes of the delegates is determined by taking the average of the past three dues as they have been paid to the Headquarters’ treasury. For example, if a branch had 15 members when dues became due in June, 25 members when dues were due in October, and 110 members when dues became due on February, which added together make a total vote of 150 for the year, we get 50 by dividing 150 by 3, and on the basis of this average the branch has the votes that the number of 50 allows it.

 

58. Members of VATRA wear the pin specified from the beginning of the organization. When they are no longer members, they have no right to wear this pin.

 

59. A member who breaks the rules of the organization or works against its spirit, or detracts from the organization through his conduct, will be removed from membership by the branch after he has been asked for a proper explanation at a meeting of the branch. Such a member may complain to the Board, but the judgment of the Board will be final.

 

60. A member, who is undesirable for the reasons enumerated above, may be removed from membership by the Board if the Federation if the Branch has delayed in performing its duty or has not had sufficient information to make possible the ejection of the said member from the organization. Such action is communicated to the Branch by Headquarters through the organ of VATRA or by letter. The member has the right, through a delegate, to complain at the 7

 

61. The Board has the right, without any limitation whatsoever to drop from the list of membership any branch that breaks one or more rules of the Constitution and By-Laws The branch removed from membership may be reorganized by Headquarters if it is possible.

 

62. Every member is obliged to become a member of the branch in the city where he lives, except as noted in paragraph 63 and 64.

 

63. A person who lives in a city where there is no branch may become a member at large.

 

64. The officers and workers of Headquarters ma y become members, if they wish of the branch at large, so as to escape from local influence. When they cease to be officers, they may continue, if they like, as members of the branch at large.

 

65. The branch at large has for Board the Central Committee of VATRA, and has archives and a seal like the other branches.

 

66. The branch at large, like the other branches, sends a delegate to the convention. This delegate is appointed by the Central Committee.

 

67. In the meetings of the Convention, the Central Committee, and the branches, the usual rules of all meetings in the US are in force- as regards the selection of a chairman, for the right of the chairman to allow people to speak or to stop them and even to ask them to leave the meeting for a while or for the duration anyone who disturbs unduly the meeting, for his voting on the side of the majority, etc. but if a regulation of the constitution and the by-laws note a change in this respect, the constitution and the by-laws have the last word.

 

68. A member penalized by the Headquarters or the branch for misbehavior may be admitted again as a member by a two-thirds vote, but he should not have the right to become an officer of the branch, at Headquarters or a delegate to the convention for at least two years.

 

69. VATRA should have a book of honor in which it should write the names of the officers of the branches, as well as the names of all those who support it morally. From time to time, or whenever dues are paid, it should publish an account of the activities of the officials of each branch, the increase or decrease of members, as well as the reason for the increase or decrease of membership.

 

70. The reports of the branches and their announcements should be sent to the secretary of the Board and their publication should be the responsibility of the secretary and not the editor.

 

71. Every publication connected with the Branch should be published with the approval of the secretary.

 

72. If the secretary and the editor cannot see their way clear to publish a certain report or article, this should be brought to the attention of the Board, on condition that when it discussed the editor should participate.

 

73. Every person who decides to become a member of VATRA promises to obey the constitution and the by-laws without question.

 

73. A delegate may represent as many as three branches and combine the votes thereof. But the votes this combined should not come to more than three.

 

74. Albanian women may be admitted as members of VATRA with all the rights of other members.

 

75. Bona fide students pay only half of the membership fee.

 

76. Every change made in the constitution and the by-laws by a convention, can be made only by a two-thirds vote of the convention.

 

77. This constitution and by-laws was voted on by the branches of VATRA on the 2nd of October, 1926.

 

78. This constitution and by-laws will be translated and published in English also, and a copy of it will be deposited with the authorities of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

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Shenim: Eshte ngritur nje komision pune qe po studion mundesine e aktualizimit te kesaj Kanunoreje, pa prekur frymen dhe parimet e saj. Jane disa juriste, anetare te Vatres, qe po terheqin edhe mendimete  vatraneve dhe te degeve, me qellim qe ne Kuvend te diskutohet dhe te miratohen me votim. Kush ka mendime, propozime, vrejtje te lidhet me drejtuesin e  ketij Komisioni, z. Bashkim Musabelliu dhe t’ia percjelle me shkrim mendimet. Emaili I z. Musabelliu: musabeu@yahoo.com