Verhovayak Lapja, 1943. január-június (26. évfolyam, 1-25. szám)
1943-02-25 / 8. szám
VOL. XXVI. FEBRUARY 25, 1943 NO. 8. In the Palace of the Pleasure of Peace By KATHRYN RAW Verhovay Member President of Fifteenth Ward Service League The calm peaceful stars gemmed the heavenly dome and the purple subtility of night twined about the earth. The wind stirred the atmosphere and caused the moon’s silver dust to fall and wrap the earth in a shimmering lace of filigree. The mystical night drew me and as I walked through the forest in the stillness, I tread softly, lest my steps awaken the forest folk. I heard the water rush down the mountain in the distance and its soft gurgling sound was a musical mist. While I made my way beneath the trees, a pattern of gold-green cast by the moonlight penetrated through the leafy boughs. I found a pool wherein was reflected the stars in a dreamdance. Leaning over the edge of the mirrored pool I gazed into the jade depths and the reflection of the stars grew misty and vanished, and I saw a face peering at me that was so like my own — yet a stranger’s. In spite of the strangeness, I recognized the face as my own of another life. A magical something touched me and a veil had lifted from before my eyes and I saw things that I had long since forgotten. A light breeze played upon the surface of the water-mirror and the human shadow in the pool vanished. Once more the placid water reflected the stars above. Reluctantly, I left the jade mirror and continued my way through the forest. A strange peace permeated the air and my soul was quiet. I sat down on the soft grass beneath a whispering tree and meditated in the silence of solitude. While I breathed the spirit of immortality, mystic dreams enchanted me with a bliss and peace that was far above and beyond the earthly sphere. From the mysterious realm of the inner life, thoughts cáme and possessed me, and I learned the whole world is but a changing shadow in the true light, and I sought the trail that leads to the point within the circle where human consciousness is blended into the cosmic consciousness. A subtle voice whispered of numberless treasures in Eternity that will be mine when I have earned the privilege to possess them. While I dreamed — or lived — on the plane where time and infinity blended and became one, my soul was transported with the beauty and joy of the vision of paradise. Endowed with an extra sense, I could hear the faint echo of music and my heart filled with exotic emotions. I drifted into a strange land where a vast distance was before me; and suddenly, I was near the edge of a precipice and stood there a moment, and looked down into dizzy depths, where I could see the stream of humanity pass by, and heard their foolish talk and laughter. A hint of hidden things was about the place, but before I could grasp the meaning, the illusion vanished. When I returned to reality the dream-breathing of the universe stirred my consciousness, for the night had been a revelation of light and not of darkness. Beautiful, in the palace of the pleasure of peace, in the silence of solitude, where time and infinity are one, and the soul of the privileged one is wedded to the Beloved. Politics and Production Won’t Mix Peter F. Drucker, writing in the Saturday Evening Post, observes that: “The production battle is not being won in Washington. The engineers in Detroit and Cleveland, the chemists in West Virginia’s Kanawha Valley, the foremen and mechanics in thousands of plants all over the country have converted this country in a few months from the least armed into the best armed of the great powers... The individual American worker has taken the initiative and made war production his own individual enterprise.” The men who manage or work in the industries that produce the raw materials, no less than the men who turn out the finished guns and tanks, are war producers. Coal and iron, crude oil, timber and electric power may appear no different at the source, in war than in peace. But the men who produce them know that, like food, they are the key to victory. The natural resource industries are the efficient backbone of the war effort. They are efficient because like all other industry they are worked by individuals with a burning desire to win the war. After the war they will be operated with the same kind of efficiency to rebuild civilization. As Mr. Drucker pointed out, Washington is not producing the machines to win victory. It sets the goals. It regulates the flow of orders and distribution of materials. Its task is as essential as that of industry. But it should never be canfused with the task of industry. Production hinges on the drive of independent citizens. Industry is run by independent citizens. The problem in the future will be to see that it stays that way. On Sunday. February 14th, 1943, at the Verhovay Hall in Hazlewood, Penna., the Fifteenth Ward Service League gave a banquet to honor the men selected for service from Board No. 15. Andrew (Chief) Bennett, Verhovay member, and president of the Fifteenth Ward Service League was on the Welcome program. The Fifteenth Ward of the City of Pittsburgh dates back to 1940, when the Selective Act was passed. The first boys to go into service under this law were Alexander Belie, Alex Benko, Jr., and Paul Bodnar, Verhovay members, who volunteered their service to their country. On November 26th, 1940, the boys were presented with wrist watches at a farewell luncheon by an ex-service organization at the Gladstone High School. As time passed, the number of selectees increased rapidly and Writing in the American Weekly, Secretary of Agriculture Wickard points out that fire in the forest is a definite menace to the war effort. “This year,” he says, “the wolf of forest fire has more power to do harm in the United States than ever before. “For many years fires have burned over an average of around 30,000,000 acres of forest land annually. Year after year experienced for.esters have placed the estimate of property demage at $40,0000,000. Few if any years have gone by without some lives being lost to forest fire. And the toll of death and suffering among wild animals, birds and fish; of destruction of the soil, and of constant erosion has, of course, been incalculable. “This year, in addition to the capacity to exact a similar toll, forest fire could slow down the nation’s production for war; it could interrupt the flow of aircraft, tanks, shells, ships and other fighting equipment for the United Nations and their fighting men.” A vast amount of timber products goes into fighting a group- of public-minded citizens took upon themselves the task of raising funds to fete each group of draftees and present them with a Service Man farewell gift. Every effort is mad° to learn of volunteer enlistments and to present each man with his gift. When the number of selectees grew great. the Fifteenth Ward Service League, under the presidentship of Andrew (Chief) Bennett, was organized. The center of development was the three service organizations of the ward and the Hazelwood Baseball League officials, with membership open to the public. The price of membership is one dollar which is used to cover cost of mailing notices to meetings. Fine men from the Fifteenth Ward are sent to serve our country, and it is interesting to note that some of these men are Verhovay members who are loyal citizens of America. arms. A modern battleship, for instance, requires 500,000 board feet of wood. Steel cargo ships require as much as 700,000 board feet. A bombing plane cased for shipment requires 15,000 board feet, which is about as much as is used in a sixsroom house. Any number of war materials are ^rnade in part from wood pulp. So our forests, in addition to being a priceless natural resource, are of vital importance to the war effort. And those forests, when the height of the dry season is reached, become virtually explosive. Power lines, railroad tracks, highways, and water supplies often run through our woodlands. One match could start a disastrous fire which would be felt in the far corners of the world, in diminishing supplies to our troops. Be rigorously careful in the woods. Scrupulously abide by every regulation. Don’t complain when forest areas are closed to travel—■ that is often a necessary precaution. The defense of America’s magnificent resources of timber is part of national defense. RED CROSS CAMPAIGN FOR WAR FUNDS The American Red Cross Campaign to raise war funds will open March 1, and continue through March 15. This campaign is made to raise a $125,000.000 fund which will be used to help carry on the works of mercy in the war zones. ' The Red Cross needs not only volunteer workers, but it must have cash with, which to purchase supplies, such as bandages, medicines and instruments, to carry on its wonderful work where our boys are fighting for our freedom in war areas. The Red Cross has done much to give relief to the boys who are prisoners of war. They not only help them in a material sense, but also, extend that spiritual help and encouragement which is so necessary to keep up morale. And it is up to us who are left behind on the home front, to see that our boys are kept safe and as comfortable as possible, through our donations to the American Red Cross War Fund. Fire in the Forest
