When Extra Judicial Justice Mattered

Vahe H. Apelian

I invite readers to read my two-part blog titled “Stepan Dardouni and His Memorial Album” to better appreciate the following incident Stepan Dardouni depicted in his memorial album titled “A.R.F. Memorial Album of Northern America 1898-1984” (Հ.Յ.Դ. Յիշատակարան Հիւսիսային Ամերիկայի 1898-1984). (See the links below).

“Unger Ardashes Vanarian” wrote Stepan Dardouni, was a young ARF operator with an “attractive face, tall, blond hair and blue eyes, who looked more a Scandinavian than to those who like him were born in Van.” He was also”, elaborated Dardouni, “sympathetic, communicative. One of his articles titled “ARF is Socialist but not Bolshevik” was widely read with interest. Much like during speaking, in writing also he was fluent. In spite of his mild disposition and good nature, he was caught in an argument with our senior unger Dikran Chtjian. During the heated argument unger Dikran used improper words. Unger Vanarian, who was much younger, gave “one” to him.”

It is not clear whether Stepan Dardouni implied that unger Vanarian slapped or bodily harassed or pushed unger Dikran. But surely it was not a    a verbal assault. Naturally unger Dikran took offense with the happening.

The following ensued:

Unger Dikran Chtjian brought the matter to the attention of the Chicago Gomideh, to which he was affiliated. The Chicago Gomideh, studied the matter but lo and behold reprimanded unger Dikran for using uncalled for language and being disrespectful towards a younger but a higher ranking unger and thus making a mockery of party discipline and punished unger Dikran Chitjian by suspending him from the ranks for a year.

Unger Dikran distraught wrote to the Central Committee presenting the issue asking justice to be instituted properly. The incident had happened prior to 1930, during which time the ARF Central Committee’s jurisdiction extended over the North American continent, that is to say over the United States of America and Canada. The Central Committee studied the matter and found the Chicago Gomideh was justified punishing Unger Dikran in the manner it did and thus approved the punishment.

But Unger Dikran took issue with the Central Committee approving his punishment he believed to be unjust and waited for the Regional Convention that convened once every two years, and elects the new Central Committee. He wrote to the Regional Convention asking them to take the matter into their consideration. The Regional Convention, studied the matter and found the past Central Committee was justified in approving the Chicago Gomideh’s disciplinary measure and noted to  Unger Dikran to accept the matter and not make it an undue issue, especially that the term of his punishment was to end soon.

Unger Dikran, still not ready to accept his unjust punishment, brought the matter to the attention of the Bueau through the newly elected Central Committee. The Burea was headquartered outside the United States, most likely in Cairo, Egypt at the time. The Bureau in turn studied the matter and upheld the decision of the Central Committee and asked unger Dikran to fraternally put the matter to rest as the terms of his punishment are over or will be over in no time.

Even that did not put the matter at rest for Unger Dikran Chtjian who waited for the ARF World Congres that takes place once every four years and elects the new Bureau. Unger Dirkan presented his case of unfair treatment and asked the delegates of the World Congress to have the matter of his unjust treatment on their agenda. 

The ARF World Congress in turn formed an ad hoc committee to study  Unger Dikran Chtjian’s disciplinary issue. The ad hoc committee studied the depositions from the Chicago Gomideh, the U.S. Cental Committee and past Bureau’s decisions and concluded that unger Dikran was indeed treated unfairly and that unger Vanarian, being a high ranking ARF operator should have known the limits of his authority and should have been courteous to his senior but junior ranking unger and not have assaulted him in the manner he did and demanded that Unger Vanarian offer his apology to unger Dikran. By then of course the term of unger Dikran’s punishment was well over.

“When a few of us asked unger Vanarian’s stand on the matter as to what had transpired. I remember it as if it was today” wrote Stepan Dardouni. “Boys”, Dardouni claimed Vanarian responded saying, “do not be surprised, therein lies  the greatness of our organization. I will go to Chicago, (note: his obituary indicated that he presumably lived in Niagara Falls where he passed away) and I will meet unger Dikran to congratulate him and offer my apology”. And that is what he did, wrote Stepan Dardouni.

Who can argue that extra judicial justice mattered to them in their close knit community, no less than the judicial?.

Stepan Dardouni reminisced on this incident when he came across Unger Ardashes Vanarian’s obituary in Hairenik on Friday, July 11, 1930. The Central Committee had broken the news in Hairenik Daily noting that “with deep grief we break the news of the passing away of unger Ardashes Vanarian’s unexcected death that took place in Niagara Falls, N.Y. St. Mary’s Hospital. The funeral will take place in Detroit on Monday. Before the interment, his body will be placed in the Azadamard Community Center to give the community members the chance to bid their last farewell and offer their last respects.”

In an obituary posted in Hairenik Daily a few days later, on July 15, 1930, Simon Vratsian noted that he met Ardashes Vanarian a few months before his death advising him not to delay forming a family. To which Vanarian uncharacteristically responded that he has a few more months to live, which turned out to be prophetic.

Unger Dikran Chitjian, senior to unger Ardashes Vanarian  lived way longer. Stepan Darouni noted in his memorial album the following: “Hairenik, March 20, 1958, Chicago, Ill. Unger Garabed Sarkissian breaks the news of the death of unger Dikran Chitjian. The senior member of the Chicago Gomideh, worthy to be noted as its patriarch for his years of vested community service.” 

Unger Dikran Chitjian, elaborated Stepan Dardouni, ”was a very interesting, sharp-witted, sportive person. It was a pleasure to be with him to chat and to laugh. He was always optimistic, committed, and ready to assist, at times stretching his financial means to the limit. His dealing with Unger Ardashes Vanarian became a cause celebre in our regional organizational history.”

The links:

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2020/07/stepan-dardouni-and-his-memorial-album.html

http://vhapelian.blogspot.com/2020/07/stepan-dardouni-and-his-memorial-album_90.html)