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

1945 / Verhovay Journal

June 13, 1945

Verhovay Journal

Page 9

THE FERRET SEZ

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There’s an old question which requires the answer to, “What is so rare as a day in June?*’’ Am wondering myself what happened to those beautiful, warm and sunny days in June the poet raved about.

Michigan weather the past couple of months hasn’t been much to boast about... there were those dark, dreary and cold days when the rain came down by the barrel; curbs overflowing with surplus water coming down so fast the sewers couldn’t carry it away; flooded basements; and in parts of the state minor floods were averted only in the nick of time. Gone are the days when swimming began on Mother’s Day; fishing is absolutely N. G. on the Detroit River; vacations at beach and country ruined because of the record-breaking rainfall. Top all this off with the critical meat shortage in Detroit, and the general laying-off of defense workers preparatory to peace-time reconversion, and my dear readers will get a vague idea of what we have had to buck to be able to keep the old smile going with usual warmth. But to get to the real reading matter..,

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T/5 WAC HELEN JZAKER W "

of 1519 Salina Street, Dearborn, is our wee miss and only female contender from Branch 429 in the armed forces. She deserves a good bit of credit for creating a brand new life for herself with the Women’s Army Corps. Only a woman with an adventurous soul would volunteer for overseas duty. (How I envy her!) Helen has been stationed in New Guinea for nearly a year... is in her early twenties and entered the service in February, 1943. Her greatest desire, besides wanting to come home, is for those Hungarian song-sheets which her mother is trying to procure tfor her. If there are any young members who have an odd song-sheet or two about, I’m certain our Corporal would appreciate them. In return she’ll write fascinating letters about her life in the South Pacific ... becoming so sun-tanned that she is beginning to look like a native. Helen was one of the lucky girls who attended the Verhovay National Bowling Tournament in Pittsburg in March, 1942.

In passing, a word or two about the Zaker brothers, who are members of Branch 36. Julius, who is only 20 years old, has just completed four years with the army. He was in Panama When the war broke out and was

PFC. ALBERT SARA,

whose home is at 3068 Ferney, Dearborn, has been in the army since July, 1941. He was at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, New Guinea, Midway, Manila, Saipan, and Luzon, and participated in five major battles. In September, 1944, he was home on his first furlough in over three years and should have enough points for an honorable discharge in the near future. Albert is keen about army life, but the first time he shot a Jap he had nightmares. When he writes to his Mom, he mentions those delicious pork chops and steaks she used to make for him (who wouldn’t remember pork chops and steaks?), and when lying in a fox-hole, visions of goodies from home were sufficient to make up for the discomforts which had to be withstood. Albert is 33 years of age, and is learning jiu jitsu, so that he can tackle those Japs) when their island is invaded (very soon, we all hope.) He would appreciate letters from Verhovay members, and by writing to his mother, she will be glad to forward his overseas address.

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PVT. LOUIS RÁKOSI

By

Mrs. Jolán Lucas

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shipped; immediately to Australia, then the Philippines and is now in the United States awaiting his discharge papers as he has sufficient points.

Sgt- Frank Zaker was in New Guinea but not close enough to visit his sister in person. Letters had to suffice, but it was comforting knowledge to knew they were so near. At the present time, he has left New Guinea for other parts.

OF FATHER’S DAY and OTHER DAYS

Far be it from us to undermine the position fathers have attained in this man-less world. Far be it from us also to underestimate the influence the observance of this day may exert upon children and wives alike. But we are just a bit sceptical about the whole thing.

Perhaps that’s because we are men and we, too, have our pride. And it seems to us that nobody thought very much about the fathers until Mother’s Day was observed. Then Mothers’ Day was observed for decades and still nobody bothered about the fathers.

By the time it occured to some smart business-man that a day in honor of the fathers may result in nation-wide pipe and tie buying, it was a bit too late to move the fathers’ hearts. in response that they, too, are remembered. And so, now that Fathers’ Day has become another national institution, the fathers, rather embarrassed, accept the ties, the pipes (no cigarettes, of course!) and the mushy or halfwitted Fathers’ Day cards which are supposed to express their children’s appreciation and attachment.

Fathers are a bit sceptical about the whole not only because they have been neglected just a bit too long. Men are generous and forget easily (especially when it comes to pay the bills). Besides, the fathers whole-heartedly joined the Mothers’ Day Cavalcade and in its excitement easily forgot that they are the forgotten race. The other and more important reason for all that scepticism may be found in the fact that special days have mushroomed all over the year to such an extent that there is hardly a day left for normal existence. They feel that Fathers’ Day had been thrown in for good measure. That being the case we would suggest some more special days.

For instance, how about Butchers’ Day? We think it would appeal to the housewifes who would court their butchers with their presents hoping that they would recipocrate with a nice steak. (By the way: WHAT is a steak?) Then it wouldn’t hurt to create a Druggists’ Day with the aim of softening a bit those fellows for more cigarettes.

Not speaking of Plumber’s Day, Carpenters’ Day, Cab-drivers’ Day etc.

We note that there are still a few days left open and so there is some hope that these people, too, will get into their rights at long last.

Truthfully, we don’t think much of this trend toward generalising everything that is strictly personal. We believe that father’s birthday is the real and proper Father’s Day. There all that little extra love and appreciation can be shown which somehow gets lost in the hectic tempo of everyday living. Why throw all fathers together into one bunch and settle their score on a nationwide scale for the whole year?

All this we don’t say because we think little of fatherhood. On the contrary, our reason for writing all this is because we think much more of fatherhood and of being a father than the greater part of the general public.

In all respect to the Mothers, we insist that — on the average a father has no less love in his heart for his children than their mother. Motherhood has not only been commercialized by Mothers’ Day, it also has been romanticized much to the detriment of the true understanding of what motherhood means.

On the other hand, fatherhood has been treated with, too little romanticism, again much to the detriment of the understanding of what it means to be a father.

The roots of this discrimination against fathers are to be found in the natural fact that mothers bear their children and that the birth of their children involves much pain and suffering, while at the same time, the father has nothing to do but pace up and down in the waiting room and wait.

But why did it never1 occur anyone to find out how gladly a father would bear part or all of that suffering because it is undescribable agony for him to know how his wife suffers. Her’s is physical and his is mental suffering, true. But why do we think so much more of physical pain than of mental anguish?

Fathers, more often than, not, break down and cry like babies

of 3863 Roulo Street, Dearborn is our newest recruit. Entered the service on January 30, 1945 at the ripe old age of 19. His preliminary training at Camp Warren, Wyoming will soon see its finish with three weeks of maneuvers and then his first furlough will come some time in June. Our handsome Louis is six feet two inches tall and his ferocious appetite keeps his mother busy sending him weekly boxes of goodies. In one letter he wrote that at a USO dance, he put away four sandwiches, seven pieces of pie and seven glasses of milk.

Louis, his mother and dad, and sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Blake Hogan, are all members of Branch 429. His brother, Sgt. Steve Rákosi, a former member, is somewhere in Germany... his wife and two daughters, aged 7 and 8, are anxiously awaiting his homecoming.

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This completes the branch members in service at the present time. In closing, would like to

state that Andrew Boonie, of Wyandotte, and Joseph Kish of Flat Rock, were both honorably discharged and are doing their bit for defense.

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NOTICE; BRANCH MEMBERS. THAT CRUISE is finally about to become realtiy. Sometime in the middle of July, a definite date will be settled cn. Please watch this column for further details. Naturally, we must await for Detroit’s summer, which should take place about that time, as it’s plenty cold on the River at the present time. Peach Isle (or is it Peche?) opposite Belle Isle on Lake St. Clair seems to be the choicest spot at this time, but if any better suggestions are offered in the meantime, let’s have a call... same old number, VInewood 1-8779, or drop a card to 2522 Carson, Detroit 9. Please have all dues at my house, or the Verhovay Home, by June 20th as the four of us are going on our vacation and your co-operation will be deeply appreciated. Thank you. t

when the child is born. Why? Not because they are weaklings. Their breakdown is the natural reaction to pent-up mental suffering.

Then, too, much is made of the fact that the baby comes from the mother. But there are very few fathers who won’t feel that their child is as much their flesh and blood as that of their wives.

There is a deep physical and spiritual bond between fathers and their children. In many instances they even surpass the mothers as far as spiritual unity is concerned. We have seen at least as many forgiving fathers as forgiving mothers. Fathers are more apt to accept their children as they are than their mothers who by constant nagging try to improve them, jeopardizing their childrens’ confidence in them.

There is a sentimental bond between mothers and their children, while there is a mental bond between fathers and their offsprings. And in adult age the differentness of these bonds shows by the children having more confidence in their fathers, even thopgh they have unlimited love for their mothers.

WE' ARE NOT TRYING TO MAKE THE FATHERS BIGGER THAN THE MOTHERS. BUT WE ARE NOT SATISFIED EITHER WITH THE FATHERS TAKING THE SECOND PLACE IN PUBLIC ESTEEM AND APPRECIATION, WAY BEHIND THE MOTHERS.

Naturally, there are wonderful mothers who have bad husbands and who are more or less bad fathers, too. But just the same there are fathers who have married women who have never lived up to the ideal of motherhood.

And we feel that IF THERE MUST BE A SPECIAL DAY, it should be Parents’ Day instead of either Mothers’ or Fathers’ Day. For IT IS WRONG TO SEPARATE THE MOTHER FROM THE FATHER IN THE CHILDREN’S ESTIMA TION. FATHER and MOTHER SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A UNIT. THEY SHOULD APPEAR BEFORE THEIR CHILDREN AS THE ONE DEEP SOURCE OF LOVE, UNDERSTANDING AND ALSO AUTHORITY.

Many mothers are selfish. They want their children for themselves. They love them more than themselves, but —• they want to possess them. These mothers won’t agree with us. They will offer the ageless counterargument of all women: the listing of all faults their husbands have.

That we are not entirely off the truth, however, is proven by one of the midwestern states where the population got pretty tired of all the commercial ballyhoo connected with these two days. Some bright soul thought of instituting a Family Day Once Every Week and the thought was taken up ivith enthusiasm.

The idea is that once a week the entire family should be together and that evening should be reserved by all and sundry for that purpose. Let anyone try to challenge the statement that SUCH GET-TOGETHERS ONCE EVERY WEEK ARE MUCH MORE CONDUCTIVE TO HAPPY AND HEALTHY FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS THAN ARE THESE ONE-A-YEAR-SPECIALDAYS.

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