Raditch on Raditch

Greater than that great Croatian statesman Svetozar Pribitchevitch (see above) was memorable Stefan Raditch. When drunk this tubby Croat caroused like a wild walrus. When sober and not occupied with affairs of state he kept a bookstore in Zagreb. Drunk or sober Stefan Raditch could set the voters of Croatia on fire as no one else could. As leader of the Opposition he was foully shot down in the Jugoslavian Parliament by a Government Deputy (TIME, July 2, 1928). In Paris last week Croat Raditch's son, Vladimir Raditch, won his academic degree at the school of Higher Social Studies by presenting a thesis which might well have been called How My Father Was Murdered. The actual title was June 20, 1928 and the International Press.

Gratefully Candidate Raditch said that although the press of Jugoslavia was gagged at the time of Statesman Raditch's murder and has been gagged with respect to it ever since, the World press told the story fully, fairly. To hear her son present his thesis Widow Raditch came in her trailing weeds. Three professors sat in solemn presidence, one from the University of Besancon and two from the Sorbonne, their chairman being Professor Charles Seignobos, noted historian.

Just before the ordeal of thesis, Candidate Raditch told reporters: "Five minutes before my father died I swore by his bedside I would devote my life to prove to the world who were the instigators of his murder! My thesis is only a part of this documentation. . . . For obvious reasons I cannot bring precise charges at such a time as this and on such an occasion, but I am prepared to put this question: Is it true that the day before the shooting of my father by Punica Ratchitch, the assassin was closeted two hours with King Alexander of Jugoslavia?

"Punica Ratchitch," continued Candidate Raditch passionately, "was sentenced to imprisonment for 15 years, yet he is to be seen frequently riding about Belgrade in an automobile in the evening! My father and my cousin were murdered. My mother, my brother, my brother-in-law and myself are living in exile. Another brother-in-law died mysteriously in a military prison. Now you may understand why my thesis is entitled 'June 20, 1928.'"

The assemblage came to order. Widow Raditch on the front row raised proud eyes to Candidate Raditch who advanced with his 450-page thesis, read a summary which came straight to the point:

"On June 20, 1928," he said, "a Serb Deputy, Punica Ratchitch, while the Chamber was sitting, drew a revolver from his pocket and fired five shots at the Croat Deputies. My cousin, Paul Raditch, convinced that the Serb wanted to kill my father, threw himself upon him but fell dead, shot in the head. My father rose, with his old friend Grandzsa by his side. Punica Ratchitch continued to fire and my father fell, together with Grandzsa and another Croat named Peruar. Taken to a hospital my father died a few weeks later, both from his wounds and from poison administered at the behest of the same men who instigated the massacre by Punica Ratchitch."

Chided Professor Seignobos, "Now, now! This alleged poisoning is beyond the scope of your thesis. Candidates for degrees must remain within the limits set by themselves."

Soon, all three professors began questioning Candidate Raditch. (They had of course already read his 450 pages.) Sternly at last Professor Seignobos spoke: "In your very interesting thesis, M. Raditch, you have forgotten one very important point, and that is that in the Balkans political murders are looked upon as current means to political ends. Balkan opinion regarding such murders differs entirely from American or European opinion. Nevertheless, the commission unanimously accepts your thesis and awards you your degree."

Flushed with success, Vladimir Raditch rushed to his mother, kissed her twice, smack, smack.

Not since the greatest number of people who had ever looked upon the same corpse marched for five days in sub-zero weather past the bier of LENIN in Moscow had there been such a funeral as Raditch's. Result of his death: Croatian opposition to the rule of King Alexander has markedly decreased.

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