The split allowed the USDP civil organization "Liberty" (Volya) to be more active in urban communities rather than to remain outside of cities.
In 1914 the party joined the Ukrainian General Council, and adopted a pro-Austrian position during the Great War.
By the early 1920s the party became infiltrated by members of the Communist Party of Western Ukraine and at its sixth Congress in Lviv in March 1923 it changed its political platform to Communist and removed its older leaders including Mykola Hankevych.
After the ban, many USDP cadres joined the underground faction of Communist Party of Western Ukraine.
[1] Other members who did not join the communists became involved in the Workers Community as a public cultural and educational society.