Verhovayak Lapja, 1946 (29. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)
1946 / Verhovay Journal
June 12, 1946 MAGNlWCENT Verhovay Journal_________________________Page 3 SUPERB — UNFORGETTABLE! (Continued from Page 2) fraternal insurance societies, and your reports to the state insurance departments. At that time you had just changed the name of the society from the Verhovay Aid Association to the more accurate name of the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association. In the decade your insurance in force increased from 19!4 millions to over 39 millions. Your total membership increased in that decade from 27,799 to 53,292, hearly double the former amount. Your assets increased from 3!4 millions to nearly 714 millions— more than double. Your adult membership increased from less than 20,000 to more than 40,000 —mere than double. Your reserves increased from less than 2 millions to nearly 514 millions —more than double. Your combined contingency reserves and unassigned funds increased from $960,000 to more than $1,720,000. Your Juvenile Department insurance increased from about 2 million to more than $6,600,000.” Mr. Hamilton concluded his address by congratulating the membership of the Verhovay upon the unusual advancement made by the Association and reiterated his best wishes for an even greater future. ADJOURNMENT. With a few remarks by Mr. Revesz as to the program of the afternoon and the following day, the assembly was adjourned. Luncheon was served in the Gold Room of Hotel Fort Pitt. The unusually heavy schedule of the morning session did not tire the assembly which was kept interested from the beginning to the end. Luncheon was, nevertheless, a welcome interruption and enjoyed by all and sundry. At 2 PM the assembly was called to order again and business was resumed. Supreme Auditor John Sabo Jr., made the opening remarks and then Mr. E. T. Knodel, actuary of the Association was introduced to the assembly. Mr. Knodel had a difficult assignment. Actuarial problems and procedures are .way beyond the understanding of the laymen who are apt to be more interested in the results of this type of work than in the procedures by which they are attained. Mr. Knodel, however, did not talk over the heads of his attentive audience. He spoke in plain, everyday expressions describing the various checks and controls exercised by the state Insurance Departments, the Auditing Committee, the Board of Directors and, last but not least, the actuary, in supervising the business of the Association. He concluded with saying: “You can feel sure that at your seventieth anniversary you can be as proud of your organization as now!” Supreme President Mr. Bencze then introduced F. W. Rettmann, editor of the English and Hungarian Verhovay Journal, who spoke of his aims and problems as editor of Verhovay’s official publications. Mr. Zoltán Szabados, editor of the “Californiai Magyarsag” was the last speaker. He travelled all the way from Los Angeles to attend the anniversary celebrations of the Association which is deeply obliged to him for the favorable publicity given in his paper to the Verhovay. His support was a great help to District Manager Alexander Gyulay in his efforts to establish the Association in the State of California. “For more than ten years I have been waiting for the Verhovay to enter the state of California—said Mr. Szabados—• and I am happy that the Board of Directors has decided at last to do so. You have sent one of your best organizers to this new field and now, after a little more than a year, you can see the fruits of his efforts. Already the Verhovay has three branches with more than four hundred members in California and I assure you that there will be substantial progress in the future. My paper is ready to serve every noble cause and, therefore, it is only natural that I should give wholehearted support to the Verhovay. We live in a land of sunshine and Verhovay fraternalism brings sunshine into the hearts of the people. I congratulate you and wish you the very best of success for the future.” Verhovay’s future in California is a great concern to our membership and the fine remarks of Mr. Szabados were deeply appreciated by the audience. The assembly was < a great success and the guests left headquarters in a highly expectant mood. DEDICATION OF THE VERHOVAY BUILDING The Home Office building vias magnificently decorated for the great occassion. Flags and streamers all but covered the gleaming white walls of the building that seemed to come alive as the colors waved and billowed in the afternoon breeze. The steel portals reflected the glare of the sun, like brilliant stones in a setting of red, white and blue Soon hundreds of spectators crowded the side-walks while the huge hall and stair-way of the building was jammed with visitors. A detachment of mounted policemen stood guard in front of the building giving additional emphasis to the importance of the occassion. Soon Hon. David L. Lawrence arrived and entered the building. Pictures were taken by the photographer of the Pittsburgh Press and, then, the ceremonies commenced. x After the National Anthem was sung by Miss lea Kiszely, member of the Chicago Opera Company, and the audience, Vicepresident Albert B. Ari, Master of Ceremonies, paid tribute to the 188 members of the Verhovay who made the Supreme Sacrifice. “In tribute to them this edifice has been erected and will be dedicated at this hour. It is a great honor to present at this solemn occasion a man, much loved in his community, the Hon. David L. Lawrence, Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh.” “TO THE PINNACLE OF ACHIEVEMENT.” The stirring address of Hon. David L. Lawrence, Mayor of Pittsburgh, will be long remembered by those who attended this great occasion. He is an excellent speaker whose speedy delivery reflects his driving power. We tried our best to follow his words and what we succeeded in capturing in writing, is printed in the following. “I am very happy to congratulate you to this fine building. I appreciate the contributions of Hungarians to the development of our city, especially the one that has been made now by this beautiful building. We are now engaged in far-reaching plans for the improvement of downtown Pittsburgh and this building is a contribution along this line. It speaks for the alertness and foresight of your national officers that this is the first building to be rebuilt since the conclusion of the war. I congratulate you to the great work done by your Association during the last sixty years. This benevolent society has withstood all the depressions and calamities of the past. You must have had excellent leadership and excellent officers, for many great organizations collapsed during the four great crashes that occurred during the last six decades, yet your association advanced to the pinnacle of achievement in this beautiful building. Your people made great contributions to this city, the country and its causes. One hundred and eighty-eight heroes is a great contribution by which you had helped your country during the last war. I wish you much success for the future, peaceful life and further advancement in this fine building which is a great contribution to downtown Pittsburgh.” Great applause expressed the appreciation of the audience for the highly encouraging message of the Mayor, to whom Mr. Ari replied: “Your Honor, we thank you for your eloquent talk. We want to do our best to help make this a great city.” THE MAN OF PRAYER The Rt. Rev. Msgr. Elmer Eordogh, highest dignitary of the American Hungarian Catholic Church, was called upon by Vice-President Mr. Ari to lead the audience in dedicatory prayer. His moving intercession in behalf of all Verhovayans of the past and present, especially the 188 heroes and their bereaved kin, was a spiritual offering of the highest order. Miss Ica Kiszely, accompanied by Guszti Horvath and his gypsy orchestra, captured the audience with her beautiful rendition of the Hungarian song: “Szép vagy, gyönyörű vagy, Magyarorszag.” Her beauty, charm, powerful voice, warm delivery, endeared her to her listeners whose stormy applause was a sincere tribute to her artistry. Mr. Ari then called upon “the grand old young man of the Association” to deliver the dedicatory address. SUPREME PRESIDENT DEDICATES BUILDING. “Ladies and Gentlemen: Looking at the sign above the entrance of this decorated building, you will read the following inscription: ‘Verhovay Building’. This edifice is the property of the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association, now celebrating its sixtieth anniversary. “For sixty years this Association has rendered brotherly assistance, comforted the widows and orphans and it was felt necessary that the House of Charity be built at last in the City of Pittsburgh. “Sixty years ago, on February 21st, 1886, this Association was founded by thirteen Hungarian miners in Hazelton, Pennsylvania. When the founders paid their first fifty cents dues, they wouldn’t have dared to dream that this Association, founded in the flickering light of petroleum lamps, shall once become the greatest fraternal society of American Hungarians. “The Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association, founded with capital assets totalling not more than $6.50, paid by the thirteen miners at the first meeting, today counts nearly fifty-five thousand members and its assets exceed seven and a half million dollars. “This fraternal society has always fulfilled all of its obligations toward the membership throughout the sixty years of its existence, but in addition, rendered support to all causes pertaining to the interests of Americans of Hungarian origin and gave substantial assistance to the people of our native country, Hungary, at times of dire need. “This happened for the first time during the First World War. Up until the time that America was forced into that conflict by Germany, we had raised funds for the war-widows and orphans in Hungary and after the conclusion of the war, for the prisoners of war in Siberia, enabling them to return to their country. “Today a great part of our membership consists of American-born descendants of immigrants, but they, too, render great support to the starving people of Hungary, just as it was done during the First World War. Thanks God, our fellow-members of the second generation do not repudiate the nation whose descendants they are but are as ready to help the needy widows, orphans and our indigent kin in Hungary, as those of our fellowmembers who were born over there . . . we, who first saw the light and heard our mothers’ lullaby in that unfortunate country. “The Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association became the greatest American Hungarian organization while engaged in the task of rendering fraternal assistance. Americans of Hungarian origin joined our rank and file because they saw that this society did not only faithfully fulfill all of its obligations toward the membership, but was always ready to do its share when it came to helping our struggling kin in Hungary. “I have already mentioned that a great part of our membership consists of American-born young people. This is proven by the fact that more than six-thousand members of the Verhovay had fought under the star-spangled banner for the cause of democracy during the Second World War. Of these six thousand servicemen and women one hundred and eighty-eight made the Supreme Sacrifice in order that no enemy may be able to invade our land. They and their heroic comrades had made it possible for us to live peacefully in this blessed country. “This beautiful building was erected to the memory of these 188 fellow-members who defended our country at the cost of their youthful lives. The officers of this Association felt that we owe that much and more to our 188 heroes, their bereaved parents, wives, brothers, sisters and friends. “A bronze tablet to be placed in the hall of this building, will be permanent evidence of the reverence in which the memory of these 188 heroes is held by the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association. “I hope and pray that the heroes of the American nation, among them our 188 fellowmembers, shall not have died in) vain. I hope that at the coming peace conference the representatives of the United Nations will not sow the seeds of a new, terrible war, but will adhere to those noble principles which had been set forth by our late President, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, in the Atlantic Charter.” Thunderous applause followed the address of the Supreme President and, then, concluding the dedication ceremonies, the Hungarian National Anthem was sung by Miss lea Kiszely and the audience. RECEPTION. The pilgrimage through the Home Office building began immediately after the conclusion of the ceremonies. More than six hundred people walked through the building, the interior of which was" as magnificently decorated as the exterior. Friend societies, business organizations With whom the Association is connected, sent scores of marvellous flower-baskets that made the home-office look like a colorful greenhouse filled with the sweet fragrance of hundreds of flowers. There were baskets and bouquets on every desk, on the windowsills, even on the floors along the walls. . . . Messengers of respect and good-will, ambassadors of friendship and confidence. . . . All these flowers were delivered during the morning and it was a sweet surprise to re-enter our transformed Home Office and find ourselves amidst an ocean of colors and scents. . . . Indeed, then only did we realize how many friends we have who wished to share and add to our happiness. . . . The Home Office force manned their desks and received the guests with smiling faces and shining eyes. Thousands of questions were asked and gladly answered by these men and girls, many of whom had spent the greater part of their working years in the service of the Verhovay. . . . And the guests responded in kind to the truly fraternal reception. And many a praise was heard of the graciousness, sincere friendliness and charming deportment of our Home Office force whose loyalty and interest in their Association was beautifully demonstrated on that memorable afternoon as well as throughout the days before, during and following the sixtieth anniversary. , In the offices of the Supreme Officers the same atmosphere prevailed as in the general room. They were ready for their callers . . . with piles of packages on their desks. They had a warm word of welcome, a sincere handshake and a keepsake for everyone ... a lighter for each of the men, mirrors for the women, pencils, etc., all decorative gifts bearing the name of the • Verhovay F. I. Association. The offices and installations were admired as much, if not more, as the exterior of the building. All guests agreed that the Mayor of Pittsburgh was right when saying that the Verhovay Building is a real asset to downtown Pittsburgh and represents the first substantial step toward the improvement of the city. Indeed, the Verhovay is up-to-date! The reception lasted for an hour and a half but time seemed to fly. It seemed we had been there for only a few minutes when the call to return to the (Continued on Page 4)
