Amerikai Magyar Szó, 1988. július-december (42. évfolyam, 27-48. szám)
1988-07-14 / 28. szám
iiitusday, July 14. 1988. AMERIKAI MAGYAR SZO 11. HUNGARIAN VETERAN CARS ON LONDON MOTORWAY In October of last year, the Kisapáti family from Bordány village in Csongrád county left for England, to participate in the London to Brighton rally. The conditions of the invitation were for the family to take with them their Mauer-Union car made in 1904, and their Laurin-Klement sidecar motorcycle made in 1901. The Kisapáti car - collecting family partnership looks back on a past of 15 years. Their enthusiastic love for cars and outstanding professional skills were both necessary to make the old cars, collected in pieces from backyards and sheds, fit for use. The workshop of István, József and Antal Kisapáti is a veritable plant equipped with the most essential machines. Their professional skills range from coachbuilding to iron lathing, and they do not shrink back from chroming or nickel plating either. How are they able to do all this? Partly in view of their professional qualifications, partly in view of their practice acquired in the local cooperative. The family has participated in many exhibitions in the country with their renewed cars. I saw an Opel Pupen made in 1912, a Laurin and Klement from 1915, and a 1918 T model Ford, as well as a Mercedes luxury car made in 1922 which has the sign "Hungarian Automobile Co. Westinghouse System, Arad" on its side. The family's joy at receiving the invitation to England was tremendous. Accompanied by their wives, the family left with the "wonder cars" in trailers. In London, 419 vintage cars lined up from many countries of the world. Under the terms of the race, all cars were winners on completing the distance, the 94 kilometres between London and Brighton. However, they had to make the journey in rush hour traffic.-How did it feel to participate in such a race? I asked Antal Kisapáti. "Like an athlete in the Olympics. It was a magnificent experience. I have never before driven in front of such a huge crowd. Some 1.5 million people lined the road from London to the finish line, to welcome the participants. People set up their mobile homes along the road days ahead of the race, to secure good palces. There were 17 control stations along the road, as the vehicles were forbidden to travel at a speed of more than 20 miles per hour. This was strictly controlled. We would have been disqualified had we driven faster. True, we had to push the side-car motorcycle up several sections, but it managed to cover the distance. We thoroughly prepared both engines, and we had no problems during the exciting race, although there were some who gave up: about 140-150 did not make it to the finish line."-How did you finish the race? "All participants who completed the ' distance received a medal and a certificate. The finish line was in a Brighton stadium, which was packed with spectators who provided a hearty welcome. At times, during the few critical stages in the race, I was afraid we wouldn't make it, but I managed to solve the problems. For me, this was true victory..." Zoltán Polner GRADUATION 1988 [ The Editorial Board of the Hungarian Word is congratulating the editor of this page, Mr. Bernie Kay on the occasion of his having been selected to deliver the valedictorian speech at his graduation from the Labor History Department of Empire College. What makes it especially memorable is that brother Kay achieved this distinction at the ripe young age of (69?). We are please to print the following memorable excerpt. Members of the Faculty, fellow graduates: For a number of reasons the situation in our country today is better than it has been. The most obvious is that the present federal Administration is leaving. This is one where the man-in-charge thought that President Grover Cleveland pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals. An Administration whose Agricultural Department tried to pass off ketchup as a vegetable; a Department of Interior that is giving our parks away to the lumber interests. And how about an Attorney General who was investigated more often than any of his predecessors. I could go on for each department but I'm sure you all get the idea. The point is that they will be gone by the end of the year! Hopefully they will take Steinbrenner, and Billy Martin along with them. We are now talking to the Russians. This is the only legacy Reagan is leaving that we can not complain about. Of concern to us is how the labor movement will perform in the years ahead. There is no simple answer but there are some guidelines. For one, remember our history, labor organized in the 1930s under conditions much rougher than these we see today. Trade unionists had to contend with the employer, hired goons, the Police and the State. But they not only built the unions, they established the guarantees that keep this country from falling apart. Little things you know, like Social Security, Unemployment Insurance; and minimum wage legislation. They are ail part of workers' needs to maintain living standards. Today a better political climate is possible. It would help if American Labor had a Gorbachev who would remove some of those ancient pie-cards in the AFL-CIO but we will have to do that ourselves. Labor still builds and that's what matters! Don't you just love it when you read that Donald Trump has built a casino, that the Hemsleys' have built a new hotel, Iacocca made Chrysler profitable. In a pig's eye! Workers build those buildings, cars and whatever else that makes this country go. Some unions have adapted new tactics in the never ending conflict with the employer. They are coordinating internationally with fellow unions; comparable worth has been used effectively. And unions have been using the media to great advantage. The 1990s will see more of these changes. (to be continued) Please give this page to a friend! ECONOMICS: THE HUMAN SIDE It is clear to many of us that unless we solve the issues facing this generation, .. our children will be the first generation in the history of the United Stales to live worse than their parents.” (Lloyd Dobyns). We’re aware of the many different economic theories regarding the source of the problem, but a favorite explanation of ours attributed to an anonymous economist is: “The population o f the U.S. is 225 million, but there are 63 million retired, leaving 162 million to do the work. Those too young to work total 86 million, leaving 76 million to dc the work. Then there are 36 million employed by the federal government and that leaves 40 million to do the work. The number in the armed forces is 13 million, which leaves 27 million to do the work. Deduct 25,765,000, the number employed by state and local governments and the 520,000 in hospitals and the like and you have 715,000 left to do the work. But of these 462,000 won’t work. So that leaves 253,000. Now it may interest you to know that there are 252,998 in jail, so that leaves two people to carry the load. That’s you and I, and I’m taking a week’s vacation effecive tomorrow. So carry on! fPvremtt from an article hv) Erik K Winstuu An exhibition was arranged in Budapest's Hungarian National Gallery of 69 contemporary creations from the world-famous FRG art coHection if Irene and Peter Ludwig. In the picture: Picasso's Matador with Nude.
