Verhovayak Lapja, 1943. július-december (26. évfolyam, 26-53. szám)
1943-09-30 / 40. szám
September 30, 1943 The Ferret Se*... THEY CALL HIM THE SAD SACK Verhovayak Lapja BRANCH 429 — DEARBORN, MICH. Pittsburgh, Pa. Deadline Day. How does one start an article, which is to be written in the midst of convention excitement, with innumerable new Mrs. Jolán Lucas ideas and impressions whirling at tremendous speed and under terrific pres; sure? How can one concentrate when there is a strong undercurrent of excitement which precedes the lobbying and campaigning, the latter of which goes on sometimes slyly, sometimes in sincere earnest, and sometimes in jest? Since the readers of both the Hungarian and English Journals will read articles which will mention concrete motions and proposals and resolutions, 1 won’t even attempt to enlighten you in these matters. This article will be written with the idea in mind of giving you humorous impressions by a somewhat cynically minded second generation delegate. Since the convention is not yet over, and goodness only knows when it will be, I’ll have to write a series of articles, of which this is the first. Right here I can introduce a human interest incident. A Mr. Joseph Hattayer, delegate from New York asked for the floor and stated that there were too many minor arguments bearing on the main issues. He further stated that, after all, he did not bring his winter underwear, so how about stepping up the discussions? How to begin — now tc proceed? It seems as if a dry and trite article is just what is not expected — human interest stuff should hit the spot. So here goes, my dear readers? hang on tight. Don’t know where this thing is liable to end, but I’ll try catch the high spots. If I miss anything or anyone, I’ll challenge anyone to remember everything. Arrived Sunday, September 12 at one A. M. — no reservations made, forgotten in my nervous excitement of preparations. Was met in the lobby of the Fort Pitt' Hotel, by Western Division Manager Alexander Gyulay and Eastern Division Manager Frank Cher, Directors Albert Ari and Frank Brogley. The gentlemen briskly arranged my temporary stay at the Keystone Hotel for the night and I was moved back to the Fort Pitt, Sunday A. M. After a good night’s sleep, which by the way, was the only night I’ve slept more than five hours to date, my wonderful, educational, thrilling and perfect week began. A good number of delegates began arriving Sunday — our Detroit delegates began arriving in the evening, and things started humming. honestly have to retract a statement made over a year ago when we were all down for the bowling tournament. The unusual terrain of Pittsburgh and vicinity is extremely picturesque, with the rivers and railroad yards, steel mills lit up like bright daylight, houses hanging on the hills as if a gigantic hand had grasped a handful and flung them with force against their sides. Looking out through the windows of the Standard Life Bldg., where our Supreme Office is located, it is very astonishing to be greeted by hills rather than open daylight. When one is used to the plains of our beloved middle west, one can’t help but admire the strange beauty, which meets them. However, looking about from the heights of the innumerable bridges, one can’t help but remark on the heavy haze raised from the steel mills and which dulls the bright greenery of the hills. With all these interesting and new pictures whirling in one’s mind, new and the experienced delegates gather on the convention floor. The most touching scene of the convention to date was the resignation speech made by Supreme President Joseph Darago. After making his speech, Mr. Darago was handclasped by those many officers, directors, and delegates with whom he had been in such close contact for so many years. How many of you members and readers know that we have reached our goal of 50,121 members for our 20th convention? A good share of credit should go to our divisional and district managers, with the help of parttime and full-time organizers. Due to the fact that comments have been made to the effect that a good number of articles are lengthy. The Ferret hereby sets the precedent — brevity shall be the keynote of these columns, chock-full of interesting pictures. (I hope.) Before closing, however, permit me to give you a few outstanding humorous incidents. Never let it be said that the Hungarian sense of humor is dulling. For instance, we were in session with the Organizing Committee and the cigarette smoke was so heavy we were floating on it. Joseph Turner, delegate from Youngstown got up and said, “There are three of us women in the room, please, for goodness’ sake, let some air in or discontinue smoking. Since it was only too obvious that there were two women only, Turner is being asked about making soups and other feminine chores. There is Joseph Taylor, delegate from Buffalo. He got hold of a ten gallon cowboy hat from some place, and now he is the “Man from the West” — west of Buffalo. Everyone wants to know Taylor. Sunday I figured I’d get my “sealegs”, so to speak, so I ducked out to McKeesport for dinner. Stopped off at Lincoln Place, a suburb of Pittsburgh on the way back to the hotel, which is the hub cl excitement. 1 Don’t forget Mr. Kérem Szépen — he stopped the show. Joseph Dobos, delegate from Welch, W. Va., is one of the typical old timers. Dobos is sincere and earnest about Verhovay — he was very surprised He’s Sgt. J. V. Jerkovich, of Lorain, Ohio, and his squadron’s mail orderly, the headache job of the army. “When there’s no mail,” says Sgt. Jerkovich, “They threaten me. They tell me not to walk out after dark because I might get shot. When there is mail, they threaten me because they don’t get enough. When they get enough, they don’t say anything.” The sergeant has had his share of troubles. His family in Lorain just wrote him a letter, saying they were pulling out, kit and kaboodle, for California. The sergeant, who used to work as cable splicer for National Tube, a Lorain subsidiary of U. S. Steel, doesn’t want his family to go to California. “I’m engaged,” he says. “I was planning to bring my wife back to Lorain with me, where I have all my friends. Do you know what my parents told me? That they were moving to California so I could have free and open air when I come home.” The sergeant pointed at the desert. “Look at that,” he declares. “The only thing within 50 miles is a herd of sheep. I’ve had plenty of open air.” The boys of the squadron like to listen to him at night, especially during the weeks when he was not only responsible for handing out mail but also for making KP and guard assignments. “When we listen to him,” said one of his mates, “we feel much better.” “The Sack makes us feel philosophical,” said another. (Note: The above is a write-up of Verhovay member, John V. Jerkovich, of Br. 3722, Lorain, Ohio, which appeared in the July 3rd issue of The Stars and Stripes, U. S. Army Newspaper, published in Africa.) at the political angles involved in setting up new systems and installing new officers. What I mean, revelations were clamoring one on top of the other. The fact that John Sabo Jr. of McKeesport, Penna., was elected for the vice-chairmanship of the convention, indicates that he might be headed for bigger things. Richard Phillips, from my hometown in Detroit, is proving his capability and qualifications. He has an analytical mind which is astounding in one so young. Ernest Kunstadt, of Chicago represents a second generation branch — and he is proving, to me at least, that he is all out for us. His questions and his discussions are making things much clearer to us younger delegates, wich is a big help. I could go on and on, but if brevity is required, your patience will have to be requested until the next isssue, when it will be possible to paint a more complete slant on the convention as a whole. It may be possible that the convention will be over by the time the next issue comes to press. So long and 30. r-JIlJJ WAR LOAN j '73iu/ ____________________________________ /’age1 5 News from India Editor’s Note: This is the fourth and concluding instalment of a letter written by Staff Sergeant Arpad S. Chon* tos to Stephen Huzianyi, member of Chicago Branch 503. Sergeant Chontos is with the India-China Wing, Air Transport Command, in India. Somewhere in India — June 26, 1943. The monsoons are now upon us, and brother, that spells rain, I personally rather like rain for some inexplicable reason, just as much as the sunshine. The only discomfiting thing about it is that we sleep in bomboo barracks, and if the rain comes down hard enough — if you follow me — it soaks through the thatched roof. A most welcome respite from this hermitage was afforded when I went on furlough not long ago to one of the big cities. Not one precious moment was wasted, as, for ten days, I feverishly, embarked upon a program of swimming, boating, bicycle riding, hiking, sight-seeing, shopping, dancing, punctuated with leisurely, lolling about the hotel, mixing and sipping tall cool ones. It was nice to dine at a civilian table again with the concomitant linen, silverware, flowers and hustling waiters. This G. I. life does pale on one after a while, although of course to some it has been positively anathema from the beginning. A propos de bottes, I am rather heartened by the line the Government is taking in books, magazines and newspapers, as regards our position in post-war relations with the rest of the world. There are few people more rabidly pacifist than I, yet the lessons of the last war are so painfully evident that I am convinced that however desirable it may be, by the very nature of things, people being what they are, complete pacifism will neve* be possible. A limited peace will be possible with an unceasing vigilance for belligerent tendencies, these to be swiftly and summarily dealt with by a policing force. It is hard to imagine winning the good will of the “have not” peoples under these circumstances. As long as there are different languages, raceá and nationalities, there will be nationalism and rankling feeling of oppression and humiliation. This is very depressing, for although the U. S. has at last awakened to her heritage of world leadership and is going to accept it, the dream of everlasting peace whl be far from materializing. Regardless of how much we feed the world and show our sincere good intentions by making an equitable distribution of the markets of the world, some peoples will still be plain cussed and perverse, will always distrust us. As II. L. Mencken pointed out in his Prejudices, too many people love the pomp and fanfare of parading men and a display of bristling arms to ever make feasible the renouncement of war as an instrument of policy. It is at this point in my ruminations that I conclude: Well, if this is the case, if the people bring it upon themselves, let them suffer the blasted consequences. Tell me all about life in Chicago and what the man in the street is saying about the trend of the war. I suppose Verhovay. activities are somewhat curtailed these days. We shall take up the torch when we get back and get things going normal once again. In the meantime let us make the best of it by writing once in a while. Your uninformed correspondent, With very best regards, j ARP. FAMOUS CLOSE SHAVES By BmW Sol
