Verhovayak Lapja, 1945 (28. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)
1945 / Verhovay Journal
VOL. XXVIII. SEPTEMBER 12, 1945 31 NO. 17. VERHOVAYANS IN EASTERN PENNA. PAY TRIBUTE TO HEROIC DEAD Two branches held memorial celebrations over the Labor-day week-end in Eastern vania. Branch 98 paid tribute to the two members of this branch who left their homes in Bethlehem never to return . . . And Branch 216 honored the memory of its three members who paid the Supreme Sacrifice. Both celebrations were attended by District Manager Victor Austerlitz whose notes serve as the basis of this report. BETHLEHEM, PA. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1945. It was a beautiful day. The aun sprinkled its golden-rays all over the deep-blue Septembersky and the streets of industrial Bethlehem; the strange calm of the double-holiday covered the ever busy streets of that town with silence. But the streets weren’t empty, for from every direction people came in their holiday attire to attend the memorial celebration of Branch 98, held in the Auditorium of the Hungarian Roman Catholic church. The huge hall was filled by threee o’clock when the celebration was scheduded to start. Many notables were among the crowd ... in addition to the officers of Branch 98, we noted the Rev. Father Joseph Reseterich, the Rev. Francis Gilly, his assistant. Hon. Joseph Lango, State assembly man, Mr. John Bencze, Supreme President, and Mr. John Szalanczy, Supreme Treasurer, and many others. The Rev. Father Francis Gilly was in charge of the ceremonies. He opened the celebration with., a stirring address praising the Verhbvay for its fraternal activities. “It’s the deeds of the Verhovay that have made it a great association and that will make it even greater!” — he said in conclusion of kis warmly received speech. Then he called upon the Rev. Father Reseterich whose address, rich in both, emotions and thoughts, deeply moved the assembly. “We gathered here to comfort mourning families in their sorrow — said the speaker — and in rendering comfort and sympathy to the mourning the Verhovay has set an example to all, for this great Association helps not only its own members but all Americans of Hungarian origin by its fraternal program of brotherly kindness. It is not only comfort that the Verhovay gives to the broken hearted for its program has a much wider scope. In patriotic service the Verhovay has made itself a record during this war which was hardly surpassed by any other fraternal organization in the country. — Today we gathered to pay tribute to the memory of two boys whom their parents and friends in Branch 98 never again shall see. For the parents nothing is left but sorrow and tears but it is up to us to help them with loving comfort . . . boys died in this war which ended yesterday when the representatives of the Japanese government signed the surrender documents on the battleship Missouri. The great conflagration is over but the world is left in ruins and ashes. Yet we know that a new world shall arise from the ashes of the old and that the Hungarian nation, too, shall again have a place under the sun as a bastion of Christianity in Europe. For this future these two young men died ... It is because of our faith in this future that we can believe that they have not died in vain . . . And so we bless their memory like that of men who suffered martyrdom for the faith and the better future of humanity . . .” When Father Gilly thanked Rev. Reseterich for his message, he added: “These two heroes died for one goal . . . that goal is still before us . . . and for thenblessed memory’s sake, we must attain this goaf’ State-representative, Joseph Lango, was the next speaker. He said, he couldn’t understand Hungarian and yet, he didn’t miss anything for the faces of the listeners conveyed to him the message of the speakers. “This is the American century — said Mr. Lango — and, at the same time, the century of things beyond understanding. We can't possibly understand fully what this war was about but we may rest assured that the young men overseas, will be able to tell us for they have seen what we haven’t seen. We pay tribute to the heroes who will never return and it is right that we do so for they gave their lives in order that we may live in freedom. During this war the American citizens of Hungarian origin have made sacrifices rarely paralleled in the history of our nation. With these sacrifices they have purchased the birthright to liberty for their children.” Father Gilly then introduced Supreme Treasurer John Szalanczy who expressed these thoughts: “We, Hungarians, are a small nation and few as we are in number, we are scattered all over the world. We can’t afford to weaken our nationality by strife and enmity. Because there are so few Hungarians in the world, we must learn to appreciate one another, to draw together and to cooperate. While we are enjoying the security and peace of the United States, we must with compassion remember the Hungarians who stayed in the old country. We feel the bitter reality of war only on occasions, like this, when we stop to remember the heroes who have lost their lives in the struggle for freedom . . . but our brothers and. sisters in Hungary had lived through all the horrors of oppression and war . . . And while we are thankful that our country was spared the terrible destruction of war-fare, we must remember the nation from which we came for that nation saw the destruction of its entire land and of all for which it lived.” Following Mr. Szalanczy’s stirring address, Mr. Stephen Lang, manager of Branch 98, spoke expressing in behalf of the membership of the branch his deepest sympathy to the bereaved families. He said: “Our youth heeded the call of the nation and fulfilled its duty without fear and to the full measure of devotion. The power of the mighty foe collapsed when attacked by the liberators. Let it be a comfort to the survivers that those who will never return, have given their lives in the defense of humanity’s most sacred ideal: liberty!” Then he expressed his thanks to the guests and to all the kind fellow-members who helped with the arrangements of the memorial celebration. Silence ensued when Mr. Bencze mounted the platform which was abundantly decorated with flowers surrounding the two portraits, each covered by a flag. Ensign Joseph G. Lang, son of branch-manager Stephen Lang, and Peter Molnár, both of the U.S. Navy, stood at attention beside the portraits while Mr. Bencze began his presentation address. What the war was about, he explained briefly: “The three Axis powers intended to dominate the world. When the Japs attacked us at Pearl Harbor, their war lords promised their people that soon they shall dictate their terms to the American people in Washington. • Indeed, at the beginning of the war it seemed that the enemy was invincible. But soon America recovered from the first shock and launched a mighty army, more - than ten million men, into the war against aggression, the • holy fight for liberty. Verhovayans, too, contributed to this mighty army. A full 12% of our membership, more than six thousand young men, a great majority of them Hungarian descendants, joined the armed forces under the Star Spangled Banner. More than 250,000 American soldiers died on the far-flung battle-fields of the world and there, too, Verhovayans gave their share for, up to this day, 178 Verhovay soldiers have paid the supreme sacrifice. We can thank these heroes for their sacrifices for it was because of their heroism that America was saved the agonies of bombings.... they held the enemy back from our shores . . . they saved the country from occupation. All this they did, because their heart was filled with love for their nation (Continued on Page 2) Pennsyl-These The Results of the Managers’ Membership Contest OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT CONDITIONS OF CONTEST AFFECT RESULTS Fully aware of the interest of the membership as well as of the contestants in the outcome of the Managers’ and Local Organizers’ Two Months Membership Contest, we tried our very best to publish the results of the campaign at the earliest possible time. Since it always was a cause for complaint that the contestants had to wait entirely too long for the official releasing of the results whenever a contest was launched, we promised to accelerate the procedure and to have the results of this contest appear on the September 12th issue of the Journal. Since the Journal closes on the Wednesday preceding the date of publication, i. e. the 5th of September, the various data had to be compiled so as to be ready not later than the 4th. It is easy to see that, with a double holiday preceding this date, the tabulation had to be done in one day: a difficult accomplishment as anyone knows who ever worked on the receiving end of a contest. The situation was made more difficult by a great many applications arriving during the last few days. The last consultation with the Chief Medical Adviser was held on Sept 1st, after the last mail was received and opened. A number of applications could not be decided upon because further correspondence with the examining physicians is required before judgment can be passed on the eligibility of the applicants. But all applications which were approved, had been added to the contest immediately. In order to forestall misunderstandings, the conditions of the contest are repeated briefly, in the following. All membership certificates dated either for July or August, 1945, participated in the contest. Regardless of the amount of insurance applied for, each approved application counted 1 point, excepting the Juvenile Class “A” and “B” term-certificates of which three were taken for 1 point. All applications were accepted for participation in the contest, provided 1.) they were received at the Home Office not later than August 31st, 1945, 2.) they were approved by the Chief Medical Adviser, 3.) they were written for membership certificates to be issued for either July or August, 1945, and 4.) physicians’ certificates to applications, for which such certificates are required by law, have been received at the Home Office not later than August 31st, 1945, and 5.) such certificates had been completed according to specifications, so that judgement could be passed upon the eligibility of the applicants. It was impossible to relax the last two conditions. Since the contest lasted for two months, contestants had been given sufficient time to call on the examining physicians and request that they mail the certificates before closing date. Many a contestant had done so and, as a result, a number of physicians’ certificates had been mailed “special delivery” to the Home Office during the last days of the contest. Approval of an application depends largely on the medical evidence and, therefore, applications for which physicians’ certificates are required, could not be accepted for participation in the contest unless the certificates arrived before closing date. A number of applications for membership-certificates to be issued as of August, 1945, are still pending, either because the medical certificates did not arrive, or because they were completed in a manner which necessitates further correspondence with the examining physicians. Such correspondence W’as completed in cases when the application and the medical certificate was received during the first 20 days of the month. But applications on which the necessary correspondence could not be completed because the examining physician‘s reply has not been received, had to be excluded from participation in the contest since the eligibility of the applicant depends on the reply of the medical examiner. We are fully aware of the keen disappointment that will be the share of those contestants whose place in the contest may have changed if the medical certificates had been received in time. It is not their fault that the medical forms were not completed correctly, or that they remained in the medical examiners’ desks. By their applications being left out of the contest, an injustice seems to be done to them. Let us keep in mind, however, that all contestants worked under the same conditions and that an even chance was .given to all of them. Thus Lady Luck had a part in the outcome of the contest, too, like in all competitions of this kind. And while we sincerely appreciate the efforts of each and every one of the contestants, we can’t do anything but adhere to the conditions of the contest which wTere repeatedly published. It can’t surprise anyone, therefore, that the conditions of the contest—• in a way—affect its outcome and its results. THE RESULTS OF THE CONTEST At the beginning of July we made a forecast of 800 new members to be secured by the contestants during the two months (Continued on Page 2)
