Verhovayak Lapja, 1943. július-december (26. évfolyam, 26-53. szám)
1943-07-08 / 27. szám
iíL' * 1!l45____________________________Verhovayak Lapja THE HOMESTEAD MERRY-GO-ROUND BRANCH 430 PITTSHBURGHESQUE: I noted with some interest that friend, Bela Lugosi, visited the V e r h o v ay Home Office on Saturday, June 19th. His visit no doubt stirred considerable interest, especially among the Home Office employees, who had heard much about this outstanding star of stage and screen. I met and talked with him here at Ft. Meade. While in Pittsburgh, Lugosi played the role of Count Dracula in the Vampire Play, “Dracula”, and although not present in Pittsburgh, I would not hesitate to wager heavily that his performances were witnessed by packed houses. Lugosi who has spent 40 years in the theatre — on stage and screen — must have put on one of the suavely horrifying performances for which he has been noted since creating the role of “Count Dracula” in 1927. * * * In my , opinion I believe our Verhovay officers scored a triumph with the recent publica-, tion of an American-Hungarian and Hungarian-American dictionary and letter-writing aid. That this book is of value to soldiers and parents alike cannot be questioned. In fact it will permit the writing of letters by many of our soldier brethren to their parents where before they could not because of language difficulties. Furthermore, this valuable book will help further 1 the knowledge of Hungarian amongst our second-generation youth. I have a copy here at Camp and have used it often. In fact, I feel that I have already gained quite a bit and certainly want to compliment the Verhovay Organization for their j farsightedness in publishing such a dictionary for the soldiers and their parents. As I understand I it, this publication can be had without charge by all desiring a copy for use in their corres- I pondence, soldier, sailor, marine or civilian. Í BRANCH 430 ROLLS ALONG: The olde Branch 430 keeps rolling along and gathering no moss. True, fewer new members have been enlisted but what counts just as much, the keeping of the present members has been carried forth very efficiently. Since my wife was elected to take over my duties some three months ago, no lapses have been reported and a close watch has been kept on the standing of each and every member. I, for one, and I know the majority of my good friends, our members, are highly satisfied with the manner in which the affairs of Branch 430 have been handled. The wife is right in there, working hard, and that is as it should be. However, oftentimes minorities crop up here and there who attempt in various Wrays to disrupt a smooth- Irurming organization much to (their regret at some later time. K want to see Branch 430 kept Pvt. Kohut BY Pvt. WILLIAM C. KOHUT up on top of the English Speaking branches, and those who do not care to cooperate may transfer to other branches if they so desire. * * * HUNGARIAN BOND GROUP IN HOMESTEAD It was with considerable pleasure that I read of the recent organization of The Hungarian Bond Group in Homestead and of their goal in sales of war bonds. My good friend, Mr. Julius Bano, heads the group, and I am sure it will move right along under his capable leadership. I have in past issues raised a cry about our absence from patriotic endeavors, and now I am happy to see that we are beginning to move in the right direction. Let’s all aid the Sales of War Bonds by receiving the representatives of our Hungarian Bond Group with a victory welcome ... a purchase of a bond or two. * * * “ARMY CHOW” For the past two weeks the Army has been a hot place, but wait, don’t misunderstand me, this condition has been brought about by Old Sol who has been outdoing himself lately. The temperature has been hovering near the century mark and that means perspiration, many shower baths, more frequent changes of clothing and an occasional intake of salt tablets . . . today at breakfast, 6:05 A. M. we were served sausage meat in hamburger form, stewed' apricots, potatoes, bread and butter, milk and cereals . . . while for dinner we found waiting for us spaghetti, tomatoes with lettuce, green beans, lemon custard pie, bread and butter . . . for supper we were served with roast beef, potatoes, (mashed) lettuce with salad dressing, two cookies, bread and butter ... all in all it’s not bad . . . and really tastes good going down the hatch . . . latest movies are always being brought in for the enjoyment of soldiers stationed here . . . and the charge is but 15c ... on Sundays, an entire vaudeville act will be presented through the courtesy of a Baltimore theatre, and the boys really enjoy them . . . Corporal George Katona of Me Keesport, Pa., is stationed here with the 76th Infantry Division.... a month ago or so I rode in with him from Pittsburgh and we really had a gabfest . . . George is a real soldier and knows his “stuff” . . . enjoyed reading a recent newspaper clipping about the Kovach family in Imperial, Pa. It stated that the service flag that hangs in the window of their home looks like a community honor roll. It has eight stars . . . each star representing a son now serving in the armed forces . . . Bill, 17, recently left for training with the U. S. Navy . . . Andy, 25, and Steve, 23, are in North Africa, Paul is in Alaska, Mike, 27, is in Tripoli, Ben, 20, is in New Guinea, George is at Norfolk, and Joe, 27, is at Baltimore . . . there are but three more sons at home, Albert, 17, Gilbert 13 and John, 29, married, . . , Mr. and Mrs. Kovach were married in Hungary ... and they’ve really made some contribution. . . congratulations... order of potato popularity is: mashed, boiled, baked, hash browned, pen fried ... the boys really like their potatoes... soldiers out in the field and on the rifle range eat more . . . young natives of New Guinea, who have been used for labor in Allied camps, complain that while they were away from home the older men have married all the eligible girls. They have asked help in the problem from camp officers . . . what a problem! ... in Burma enemy weapons range from modern bombers and fighters to the blowpipe and assegai, used by natives who fight on either side . . . lights in all barracks go out at 9 P. M. ... a good opportunity to get plenty of sleep . . . Rookie came up for his eye examination and was asked if he could read the last line of the chart which looked like this — KZYXSVZMNK. “Sure,” cracked the lad, “I knew him well. Played guard for Notre Dame.” . . . sorry but I'll have to cut “Army Chow” short and continue in my next column. * * * It pleased me considerably to note that Mr. Hernitz retained his seat on the Auditing Committee. He is in my opinion a man especially qualified to perform the duties of the office, and someone who should be given considerations occasionally. CONVENTION HORSEPLAY Several issues back I wrote a paragraph dealing with the inadvisability to stage the Convention in September, and several weeks later was taken to task by my good friend, Mrs. Lucas, in Detroit, who appeared to argue an issue that I have no recollection of bringing up. Needless to say I was somewhat surprised to read some of the arguments presented but things like this occasionally bob up in any publication. A place for the women is mighty fine, but the place should be reserved for those women who are qualified, and interested. If one happens to bob up and create a fuss about something that was written is no reason to underwrite that as a general trend throughout the Verhovay. That women are taking men’s places inr steel mills and such I cannot deny. I, for one, saw them unloading box cars at the Westinghouse Plant, and hauling bricks at the Carnegie Steel Plant, but I say any person can do these performances, but every person cannot take over a delegates thoughts and plans for progress of any organization. In these warring times, many men and women alike, place ahead of Convention play, staying on their war jobs and Red Cross work as well as other patriotic duties. To them winning the war is the main item to work for and not a Convention. I wonder what the reaction of the District Sessions will be to the third paragraph of a note appearing under a reprint of a Modification of Laws with relation to Conventions which appeared in the June 10th issue and read as follows.: it is up to Page 3 Idamay, West Virginia MARGARET VARGO FOR THIS, OUR HERITAGE.. Throughout the long, starstudded history of American INDEPENDENCE, through the ebb and flow of wars and peacetime crises, and the conflicts of individual will and opinion which have molded a land of many peoples into a mighty nation, on no part of this continent has the banner of liberty flown more proudly and securely than it has from atop the mountains of West Virginia. Once again the Mountain State has sent her sons to war for the right as this nation sees the right. Once again they will march along the paths of glory trod before them by Daniel Boone and Betty Zane, by Lewis Wetzel and Simon Kenton and Sam McCulloch, and by the unnamed thousands who have died since 1776 in defense ot the American ideal. In West Virginia are many landmarks of former wars, and great names are associated with, these places. In Mineral County stands a portion of Fort Ashby, the sole survivor of a string of twentythree frontier outposts built under the direction of George Washington in 1755. A marker in Lewisburg commemorates the gathering in 1774 of a force of 1,000 militiamen under the command of General Andrew Lewis, who led them to Point Pleasant and there won the first battle of the Revolution. A monument at Point Pleasant marks the grave of Indian Chief Corstalk whose braves ruled the Ohio Valley until 1774. An extraordinary frontiersman was Simon Kenton, who fought the Indians for twenty-five years, was twice rescued from being burned at the stake, and died peacefully on a farm at the age of 81. A great Revolutionary fighter was General Daniel Morgan, who with four hundred men destroyed a Tory uprising in Hampshire County which threatened the rear of the Continental Army. The Mountain State is no stranger to the wartime historians. She has often heard the each Branch and District to decide whether a Convention should be held. If they feel that their patriotic duty comes first, then they may vote to postpone the Convention, and set aside the decision of the Board of Directors to hold the Convention.” Everyone should ponder over these few sentences. There’s quite a lot in them. It would be quite easy for me to go into details about the Convention, but space in this Journal is too limited. Furthermore, I feel the above will explain a few of my views. My kindest regards and good wishes te «U túr friends. martial thunder, and her mountains and valleys have echoed and re-echoed the sounds of battle. The first and last battles of the Revolutionary war were fought here. The first, at Point Pleasant. The last battle saw a force of three hundred British and Indians attack Fort Henry, now Wheeling, in September, 1782. The attackers withdrew defeated after two days. It was here that Betty Zane, ran a gauntlet of Indian rifle fire to bring powder to the fort’s defenders. The first land battle of the War Between the States was also fought here. The first rumblings of that war were heard when in 1859 John Brown was convicted of treason and sentenced to be hanged in the courthouse of Charles Town. The War Between the States drew blood in West Virginia when the first land battle was fought at Philippi on June 3, 1861. In November, 1861, a Federal army under General Rosecrans defeated a Confederate force under Gen. John B. Floyd at Gauley Bridge, and Union Forces assumed control of the Kanawha Valley. In 1863 a Federal Force swept south to cross the Kanawha River and fortify Fayetteville. In short, in her tireless strides down the pages of history she has looked upon the settlement and conquest of the forest primeval, the banishment of the Indians, the struggle of brother against brother, highlighted by the rapier thrusts of her own Stonewall Jackson, who has been called “General Lee’s right arm” in the War Between the States. In every armed conflict the wealth of her mountains has played an important part, ever since her salt and nitre went to the Continental Army at Valley Forge, and her iron to Commodore Perry on Lake Erie in 1812. She has loaned her power to victory at Brandywine and Yorktown, at Gettysburg and Antietam, and at Belleau Wood and the Argonne. Even so today she pours out her wealth to the four corners of the earth, wherever the United Nations strike the tyrant, and her sons take up the sword in Iceland and Africa, in Alaska and the Solomon Islands, on the skyways of the four winds and the broad expanse of the seven seas. For this, our heritage of uncompromising struggle for the ideals that have made our country strong they fight today as their fathers fought before them. BEHIND THEM is the proud tradition of human independence characteristic of the mountain man; BEFORE THEM is the opportunity to add another star to the shining galaxy; of American history.
