Verhovayak Lapja, 1945 (28. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)

1945 / Verhovay Journal

January 10, 1945

Verhovay Journal

Page 7

NURSES ARE NEEDED...!

If there is a profession that should particularly appeal to the fraternal mind, it is that of a nurse. The fraternal aspect of this high profession is expressed especially by those nurses who care for pur wounded soldiers in the States as well as on the battlefields, for in such service the basic ideals of fraternalism— charity and patriotism—are realized.

It is hard to describe what it means for a soldier to find a nurse at his side almost immediately after he was hit. We can remember well from the life-story of Florence Nightingale that before her time no women were permitted near wounded soldiers. Nursing wounded soldiers was considered a man’s job in those times and it was done in manly fashion—resulting in the unnecessary agony of the wounded and the dying that would have been avoided had women be permitted to do the job for which the female gender has a particular talent that no man can fully imitate.

Now the greatest army of the world fights the bloodiest battle of man’s history. Nurses are needed more than ever. Nothing brings home this fact more than the wire sent by BASIL O’CONNOR, chairman of the American Red Cross to the Red Cross Chapters in the United States. He states in the wire:

“SURGEON GENERAL OF ARMY HAS AGAIN APPEALED TO ME TO URGE IMMEDIATE RED CROSS EFFORT TO SECURE 10,000 ADDITIONAL NURSES REQUESTED IN OCTOBER RAPIDLY MOUNTING CASULTIES MAKE IMPERATIVE THESE NURSES BE PROCURED AT ONCE OR MANS WOUNDED WILL BE DEPRIVED ESSENTIAL NURSING CARE. ELEVEN ARMY HOSPITAL UNITS GOING OVERSEAS WITHOUT ANY NURSES. IN ARMY GENERAL HOSPITALS IN UNITED STATES PATIENT LOAD HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED IN LAST NINE MONTHS WITH NÓ INCREASE IN NURSES. WE ARE CONFRONTED WITH GREAT EMERGENCY LET US MEET IT WITH ALL OUR EFFORT . . .”

Let us stop for a moment at this shocking statement. ELEVEN ARMY HOSPITAL UNITS GOING OVERSEAS WITHOUT ANY NURSES! What is the matter with the women of America? Can’t they realize that their brothers and husbands are or may be among the wounded?

How would YOU like the thought that your brother is wounded and no nursing care can be provided for him? After all we all realize that it is the woman's touch that means so much to our boys especially when the pretended self-sufficiency of manliness is reduced by the pains and agonies of their wounds?

The fact that eleven army hospital units had to leave our shores without any nurses show's how desperate the need is. But there are more facts to speak for this need.

12,000 SOLDIERS WEEKLY ARE HOSPITALIZED AND MUST RECEIVE ACCURATE* AND CAREFUL NURSING SERVICE!

In ■ the States 80,000 beds are available for returning casualties. These beds are already 71% filled. The army has at present 41,839 nurses of which approximately 75% are in overseas theatres.

The tragic situation of the 11 hospital units going overseas Without any nurses is parallelled here in the States. Our army hospitals are unadequately staffed- One hospital with 56 WARDS OPERATES WITH 57 NURSES ON 24 HOUR DUTY!

This is a horribly shameful situation! What must these wounded soldiers feel when they see the reluctance of American women to stand by their side in the time of their greatest need? No one can prove better to our soldiers that they have not fought in vain and that their sacrifices are appreciated than the nurse who by her kindliness and care manages to repay to them some of the debt this nation owes them. And tl^e absence of nurses from the Army hospitals serves proof to them that the American W'omen do not care for their men unless they are healthy . . . These are very harsh words—we know—but their harshness is a far cry from the utter lack of sympathy, the heartlessness from which our soldiers are suffering when they are left alone by the women in the greatest hour of their need.

In the United States there are more than TEN MILLION white women between the ages of 20 and 30 . . . out of that 10 million the army got less than 50,000 nurses . . . not quite J4%And now let us turn to our own group. We stated that no profession could appeal more to fraternal women than the nursing of our wounded. Charity and patriotism find their highest fullfilment in nursing.

We believe that the Verhovay has a fine record in this respect similar to that made by our heroic soldiers. We regret that we are not furnished with sufficient data to be able to state how many of our members are serving with the Army Nurses Corps. 1st Lt. Mary Kucik of Branch 71, Duquesne, Pa., to mention one of the many of whom we know—serves now in France after having served for a long period in England as superintendent in one of our army hospitals. We believe that

LET TRUTH BE UNCONFINED

CHICAGO BRANCH 503

The army is a good book in which to study human life. One learns there to put his hand to everything. The most delicate and rich are forced to see poverty and live with it; to understand distress; and to know how rapid and great are the revolutions and changes of life. —De Vigny.

We on the home front have celebrated the past holiday season

with at least someone dear to us; our Christmas was totally different from Christmas on the wrong side of the ocean, where it certainly wasn’t a holiday season, no matter how hard one might have pretented. There, it was just another day for the American doughboys. On the Western front, our soldiers are fighting their way out of the enemy counter-offensive, which changed every one’s plans. In the Pacific war theatre, Yanks are closing iinj on the last enemy

A TESTIMONIAL BANQUET

(Continued from Page 6) thanks for it, no, only criticism! What does the President do? Sit back in his comfortable chair and act important? We do the work but no one remembers us!”

“Everyone remembers you with gratitude — replied the sweating secretary with utmost gentleness — and no one realizes more the sacrifices you have brought in behalf of the Lodge. Please, ladies, don’t refuse. Every thing depends on the success of the affair. And I must remind you that our treasury is dangerously low. Remember, please, that if one of you dies, we, the Lodge 666, buy a wreath. How are we going to attend to that if we have no money?”

The women looked down. They visualized the wreath they were going to get when they died. They certainly wouldn’t want to do without that. After all, what is one’s life worth, if one doesn’t even get a wreath after passing away . . .

And so the home-made cakes were assured.

THE BANQUET.

Every guest received the anniversary booklet. The picture of Mr. Pincher decorated the first page, the group picture of the officers the second and the picture of the Ladies’ Club’s officers the third. Otherwise the 24 page booklet was filled with ads. Oh, yes, on page five the- names of i the cooks and the Committtee members were printed too. Few looked at that page except those whose names appeared there. One of them was standing in a corner with the secretary angrily shaking the booklet before his face:

“Can’t you even spell my name right? Look, it says here “Thoman” and you know darn well that my name is “Thorman!”

“A printer’s mistake ...” —

replied the secretary weakly.

“Yea — said the other — well, I demand that a correction be inserted in the Herald on the Lodge’s expense, understand?”

“Sure, sure” — promised the secretary and hastened to assure a lady that her name has not been left out intentionally from the roll of cooks.

Yes, the Committee worked hard, as we have seen, and success did not fail them. The Hall of the Grand Owl was filled with the guests who arrived from near and far to honor the esteemed president of Lodge 666. Nearly every club, church and organization of the city was represented by a delegation which was sent out on the assumption that Lodge 666 will be represented also at their next banquet.

No report would be complete without mentioning the speakers who extolled the virtues of the President and the merits of the excellent ladies who prepared the meal.

The important thing — and the only important thing is, that the banquet was a success. The net profit exceeded eight-hundred dollars and so it was only fit that the sincerest thanks be voted to all.

while her record is an exceptional one, it is still typical of the Verhovay women’s spirit.

We also believe that the Verhovay has given not only soldiers in an unproportionally large number but also WACS, WAVES, SPARS and, last but not least, NURSES.

Nevertheless, we feel that even more sould be done. And we call earnestly upon all the young women of our Association to give serious thought to the present desperate need.

Leyte base. We know that Verhovay boys are in both places. We pray for their safety, knowing well that they will render an en- ' viable account of themselves. We honor our Branch 503 fighting men and give here the roll call: Frank Hodits, SI/c Pvt. Joseph Hodits (Huron St.) Sgt. Joseph Hodits (Oakley Boulevard)

Pvt. John S. Huziany Frank V. Huziany, S 2/C Rudolph Kasper, A/S (W. Ohio Street)

Pfc. Anton Kovács Pvt. Stephen László (4733 W. End Avenue)

Ensign Alex Molnár Frank M. Maros, R. M. 3/C Pvt. Joseph L. Markos Pvt. John N. Oltyan S/Sgt. Gecrge Pozsgay, Jr.

Pvt. Joseph S. Papp Sgt. Eugene Petrovits St. Joseph Petti Pfc. Bob Sanoshy S/Sgt. Paul Szabady Cpl. Edward Talaber Frank Talaber, C. M. 2/C Pvt. Charles Vargo (Huron St) Sgt. Joseph Vargo, Jr. Superior Street)

These Verhovayans are giving their last full measure of devotion. They are depending on the home folks to back them up to the hilt. We can do so by working diligently at our war jobs, by bying all the bonds our means will allow and, last but not least, by writing to them weekly and telling them the news happenings here in our fair land. Don’t be satisfied by giving them only the sketchiest of news; write about sports, features; comics (even clip them out and enclose them with your letter) and such other items you know they take a particular' interest. You will make their difficult tasks a little easier to perform, for they will know that you are with them—all the way!

* * *

Another letter has reached us from Sgt. Joseph Firtko of Racine, Wisconsin, whose picture (with his outfit) was published recently. Joe, with the 205th Field Artillery, writes in part: “I enjoyed reading the Verhovay Journal. During our rest from several battles, we are having some baseball games. Last Sunday we won our second championship bf this area. It was really a tough game and went into extra innings, but we finally managed to eke out a 2 to 1 victory. Last nite we were • the guests of the losers at a dinner. Gee, it was swell! Nice steak, beer, and other drinks. This coming week our colonel is putting on a feed just for our group. Believe me, he was the greatest fan we had! (That’s a REAL COLONEL for you! ... Ye ed) Received the package. Thanks a lot.”

* * *

If we would see a man hit by a car we would immediately rush to his aid. The fact that we don’t see our wounded seems to cause the complacency which brought forth this unprecedented shortage of nurses.

We are fully aware of the fact that young women are needed at home, too. But aren’t our boys needed? Yet nearly 12 million have left their homes—where they are needed and missed. In times like these, shouldn’t our women be where they are needed most? And can there be any doubt in anyone’s mind that our young women are needed most at the bedside of our wounded soldiers?

We ask our young women members to offer their services to the Army Nurses Corps. And those who will be accepted can leave their homes with the assurance that the home-folks will be proud of them and the soldiers in their care will be grateful to them for ever. Theirs will be the consciousness of having done their duty to their country and their fellow-men. They will give us all an example of a real understanding of what fraternalism means.

With the 3rd U. S. Army (Patton’s) is Pvt. John Huziany Serving with the Engineer Corps, hp writes on December 3rd in joart: “Yesterday came the package of Wisconsin cheeses. It was sure good and I appreciate it ■ . .1 traded a roll of film with one of the cooks in my outfit—to the guy who gave me a haircut. Just picture a cook giving a haircut! Poor me, standing against^ wall and the cook throwing knives and meat cleavers at me. Oh, and don’t forget the meat bowl. Any way ( he has done a nice job.” (We’d like to see it, Jack!)”

Tuesday, January 2, 1945.

THE SCRIBE OF KŐSZEG