Fraternity-Testvériség, 1961 (39. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1961-03-01 / 3. szám
FRATERNITY 3 Hungarian, was present. There were some 200 American Hungarians who made the trip to Hungary to be present at the unveiling. From the New York City area, to mention only two outstanding leaders, Géza D. Berko was there representing his Hungarian daily paper, “Amerikai Magyar Népszava”, the Önképző Hungarian Literary Society and the Petőfi Sick Benefit Society. Morris Cukor, attorney, was there also. The main speaker was Jenő Rákosi, the writer, who glorified the citizen, the man, George Washington, whose statue, as he said, “stands before you with no long inscription, no military decorations, but in the simple dress of his day, with countenance and eyes looking into the distant future.” The writer went on to say that Washington’s example does challenge the Hungarian people and nation with the ideals that he represented. Kohányi presented the statue to the Hungarian capital with appropriate remarks pointing out that this gift was an act demonstrating “our loyalty to our new home, America”, and also, “it bore the brave example of those Hungarian officers and soldiers who fought for Lincoln’s cause — the nation’s cause — in the Civil War in America.” “We do not want the record of history to say of us that we were dead-weight in America, but rather that we shared in the building of a great nation ... We also can build a closer, warmer relationship between the two nations, America and Hungary.” Budapest’s Mayor Bárczy accepted the gift officially and said, “This statue will always be an unfailing, eternal fountain of the strength in our struggle toward real freedom, the prosperity of the entire nation and democratic independence.” TRUE FREEDOM Is true freedom but to break Fetters for our own dear sake? And with leathern hearts forget That we owe mankind a debt? No, true freedom is to share All the chains our brothers wear, And with heart and hand to be Earnest to make others free. 1843 JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL
