Verhovayak Lapja, 1943. január-június (26. évfolyam, 1-25. szám)
1943-03-25 / 12. szám
Page 2 March 25, 1943 ________ 7 I Verhovayak Lapja THE MAIL BOA North Africa I Feb. 1, 1943 Dear Mother, Dad, and Sisters: Having arrived safely here in North Africa, I find that there is not much I can tell you. The best we are allowed to do, is say that we are “somewhere in Africa,” and already that phrase has come to sound trite. For several days we were encamped in our little pup tents on a hill outside the city which has appropriately been named “Mud Hill”. Fortunately, we arrived just after the rainy season, so we are safe. Up on the “Hill” we ate “Iron Rations”; that is concentrated foods and chocolate out of cans. No bread — we had biscuits. However, we have now moved to a tremendous airdrome, where we eat almost as well as in the States. We still live in pup tents. The weather is not unlike that in Florida. Warm during the day and gets very cold at night, just cold enough to make ten blankets comfortable. That is, if you use your overcoat and mackinaw, too. But, really, it’s not quite that bad always. In the city I found all the Arabs and Moslems to be dirty, lazy and degenerate; the most patient, doggedly persevering people you ever saw. And mostly they are beggars. Especially the children. They ask for cigarettes, bon bons and chewing gum in English. I heard one little Arab say in English, “Germans, son of a b-------------, no good.” The Germans, according to some English-speaking French here, took everything they had here, and many of them are walking around, Wearing Army clothing of one kind or another. You can’t hardly get anything to eat in a restaurant. There is no hard liquor. Meat, cheese and sugar are rationed. The French population is a little cleaner and more industrious than the natives, and there is a faction of the population that acts civilized. They are the rich French, the shopkeepers and land-owners. On the boat coming over, we had to stand, even while eating. On the “Hill” we sat on the ground, but here we sit down to eat like civilians do. The food is good, or seems to be so, after eating canned rations. And we also get bread, great big slices of it with half an inch of jam. But I guess I didn’t tell you — now I eat jam, and also stews and hash and spinach. I have even learned to like figs and dates, which are almost plentiful here. And the oranges are as large as grapefruit; the most delicious I have ever eaten. People do not drink water here and I do not blame them, as the water is rotten. To keep from dying of thirst, they drink “Vino” which is a cheap wine. Of course, you can get all the better brands of wine, too. The Arabs, incidentally, will steal the shirt off your back, if you let them. They are all in rags, since the Germans occupied the city. It is strange how poverty affects people. A French family living in a nearby village will give us a gallon of champagne for a pair of shoes or pants. People do a lot of bartering as there is hardly anything left to buy. The Germans took everything they had, and sent it back to Germany. The money situation was a problem for a while, but is simple, now that I understand it. I get paid in French money, and a month’s pay is 4900 and some francs. 75 francs is equal to our dollar. Except for If, 2f and 6f coins, all the rest is in paper money. There are 5f notes, 20f, lOOf and 500f notes. Things are still pretty cheap here, but prices have raised considerably since they learned how freely an American spends his money. A glass of good beer is 2 francs at the bar, and 4 francs at the table. Wine is just as cheap. Of course, there is always a tip. In fact, they have signs in English which read, “Do Not Forget The Tips”. Boys five and six years old, drink wine and beer here. The Arab boys even younger than that smoke. There are plenty of children here. Like my pal says, everybody has babies; even babies have babies. The Moslem women never appear in the street with a man, even their husbands must walk ahead of them. The women have their whole face covered with a veil, except for one eye, to see where they are going. We have been warned not to look at, or jostle the Moslem women, as the men would probably knife us. Most of the Arabs travel by foot or on a jackass smaller than a pony. And sometimes, they load those asses with such big loads that you have to stop and marvel at it. The hills and valleys, which are treeless, are the most fertile I have ever seen. The mountains in the distance add to the beauty and I have never seen a more beautiful sunset. I was at the Casablanca Conference with Winston and the President, and they disagreed with me on a few things, but the results were rather good. Mr. Roosevelt felt safe in coming to Africa, after he knew that 1 was here. But now I must close as we made a lot of plans for me, in those ten days, and I must carry them out, — or else---------I am well and never felt better or hungrier between meals in my life. Give my love to my Aunts, and my sincere regards to all my Verhovay sisters and brothers. Love to you from, Your Loving Son, John “Dirk” Phillips. GIVE TO THE RED CROSS The Ferret $ez... BRANCH 429 — DEARBORN, MICH. NOTICE Branch 288, St. Clairsville and Branch 432, Crescent, Ohio It may be that the foregoing article will not even be published, but if it is put before you, it may be that S í«. M8 my readers Mrs. Jolán Lucas will feel that The Ferret is speaking out of turn again. However, the subject has been close to my heart for some time, and it’s only fair to warn you that I’m in dead earnest about it. Recently it occurred to me that though a great deal was done by our organization to increase its Membership,. not much emphasis was placed on the KEEPING of these members. I can imagine the furore such a strong statement can arouse, but let’s look at the subject in all fairness. Take our very successful contests of the past. I admit a large number of new members were secured — those who worked hard to secure these members were nevertheless well rewarded by the tempting cash prizes and the trips to Europe. However, the number of lucky winners was small, considering the greater number of members who helped, each in his small way, to enlarge the membership. In addition, “cut-throat” methods were often used, which involved serious enmities in many cases. After the new members secured for contest purposes had been “inactive” members for 6 months or a year, as required by contest rulings, many of them dropped out. When asked by the secretaries or collectors for further dues, the resultant inquiry brought forth unsatisfactory results in that the member only joined so that Mr. and So or Miss Jones could win a contest. This must conclusively prove that a more potent enticement for securing and keeping members is therefore necessary. As I stated elsewhere, too little emphasis has been placed on the keeping of new members. If a survey were made of the reasons why a person joins Verhovay, it will be found that a large majority of the younger members, at least, joined not so much for the insurance protection, but rather for the fraternalism thereby gained. There are enormous groups of young folks and young-marrieds just starting out who would like to belong to an energetic and sportsloving group. They would like a group which would understand their varied desires as to entertainment, fraternalism, sports, etc. This is where the Vejhovay Fraternal Insurance Association would enter the picture. Let me quote a concrete example from my own branch. Years ago, eight to be exact, a group of twenty-five people became charter members of 429. For example, Mary was one of this original group. Soon brother Frank was a member. Mary had a friend Helen (whose father and brothers belonged to another nearby branch) who had never cared to join Verhovay. Helen, through Mary’s persuasion, however, was induced to become a member because Mary had enjoyed so many times with this group. Helen in turn proposed her sister Irene, and Irene brought in her three small children, each shortly after birth. Then Helen had a good friend Ethel, who in turn persuaded Helen and Velma. That is just one series of members who needed no contest awards or any other enticement beyond the idea of introducing a pal into a friendly and fraternal group. Take each of the twenty-five charter members doing likewise and one can glimpse the future of a solid and well-built branch. A member in time, marries, brings in the spouse, who in turn enters the children. Members secured in such a manner are members to be depended on, each one taking pride in doing his small share to enlarge his little group. In time the name VERHOVAY means something to them. They meet other young folks who want to know what it’s all about, and the name of VERHOVAY becomes a symbol of ever-widening FRATERNALISM. All sorts of suggestions have been made by the younger groups to increase the interest in the Verhovay Association, but until recently without much success. However, as just one example of the powerful interest which can be created, take the National Verhovay Bowling Tournament. This Tournament was a huge success, and considering the fact that only a small number of branches were represented, the future envisioned by The Ferret of a broadened program along these lines should be worthy of the consideration of our Directors. The makeup of the game of bowling is in itself a good selling point. Take a new member, put him on a bowling team — one is certain of his interest in Verhovay activities for at least thirty-five weeks, the usual length of the Bowling Season. The game itself is so fascinating and so easy to take up by YOUNG or OLD, that the member doesn’t drop out, but keeps paying his dues for the additional 20 weeks of the year so that he may again bowl the following season. In the meantime he has had so much fun for the thirty weeks of his first season that he keeps on going to meetings and other social events, and paying his dues, because he has acquired a habit which has become npt only pleasant but necessary for his morale. Then this member in turn introduces a pal or lonesome soul he knows, and next season, a new member either bowls or strings along with the group. Each team also has the secret desire to try his luck at the National Verhovay Bowling Tournament in Pittsburgh' where the Supreme Office is located. There he meets members from all over the country, ideas are exchanged, and immediately the teammates are friends, sharing VERHOVAY FRATERNALISM. What Can be sweeter than this? More and more members each year share the awards offered by our organization — not just twenty-five or so lucky contest winners — usually the same ones year in and year out. All these bowlers in time will bring in at least one new member and often times more. And On Easter Sunday, April 25th, Branch 288 of St. Clairsville, and Branch 432, of Crescent, Ohio will jointly hold a dance at the Verhovay Hall at Crescent, Ohio. The dancing-party will start at 2;30 P. M., so that we may dedicate our service flag. There will be several speakers, and also, the American Legion will be present. Dancing will begin at 6 P. M.; and the Hudkay Orchestra will play the music. All members and the public are invited. Fraternally, FRANK M. HALBOK Sec’y and Treas. of Br. 432.-------------v------------THE PATIENT Senior: “Hurry over to our fraternity house, doctor, there’s a fellow here who has something the matter with his eyes.” Doctor: “Must be serious :i you wake me up at this time of night. What’s the trouble? Does he see elephants and snakes and things?” Senior: “No, sir, that’s why I called. The room is full of them and he can’t see any.” TO THE CONTRIBUTORS The English Section is published the SECOND and LAST Thursday of every month, except when holidays intervene, and the Fridays IMMEDIATELY preceding them are the final dates. Contributions intended for the April 8th issue should be in before or on April 2nd. Address contribution to ENGLISH SECTION, VERHOVAY JOURNAL, 345 FOURTH AVENUE, PITTSBURGH, PA. Contributions should be typewritten, if possible; but handwritten contributions are also acceptable. Typewritten Articles: Use one side of paper only, and double space. Contributors please confine articles to 1000 to 1200 words. Handwritten Articles: Make handwriting as legible as possible. you can be certain members secured in such a manner are more apt to remain Verhovayans than by any other means suggested so far — that is, by joining for the sake of the fraternalism gained. Perhaps I’d best leave the subject for the moment, but in all honesty, isn’t it possible?
