Verhovayak Lapja, 1947 (30. évfolyam, 1-24. szám)

1947 / Verhovay Journal

PAGE 2 VerhovayJournal September 24, 1947 THE CONVENTION STORY (Continued from page 1) Chicago, 111.,) Coloman Kaldor and Mrs. Kaldor, St. Louis és Vidéke, George Kémény, Detroit Hungarian News and Calif orniai Magyarság, director John P. Kelemen, Daytoni Magyar Híradó, Charles Young, Buf­falo Herald, Ernest Kunstadt, Wis­consin! Magyarság, George Jávor, Lorain és Vidéke, Sári Pataky, Vá­rosi Élet, and Henry F. Rettmann, Verhovay Journal and Verhovayak Lapja. Truly, an impressive array of Hungarian newspapers! One after the other, the newspapermen arise and are given a warm applause by the friendly delgates in whose be­half chairman Kolozsvary extends a cordial welcome to the representa­tives of the Press. What, no Committees? The order of business is to be settled next. The schedule prepared by the Home Office is adopted with­out debate. Sessions will be held daily from 8 to 1 and 2 to 5. No overtime, thank you. This, however, was decided not because of the un­willingness of the body to put in ■more work than necessary but be­­•cause, unfortunately, the hall is not available during evening hours. Now the chairman puts the ques­tion before tire delegates whether or not they wish to follow the cus­tomary procedure of dividing the body into committees. The articles of Messrs. Lang, Kohut and Pus­kas, published in the Journal pre­vious to the Convention, seem to have convinced the delegates of the inefficiency of this custom. After a lenghty discussion a vote is taken. Now it appears that this is a pro­gressive Convention, for the over­whelming majority votes, in favor of eliminating all Committees unless exceptional circumstances warrant the appointment of a special com­mittee. Indeed, one is impressed by the apparent unselfishness of the dele­gates, revealed by the adoption of this principle. Surely, this is an important step forward; it will shorten the time to be consumed by the Convention and effect substan­tial savings for the Association. Congratulations to the representa­tive body of the Verhovay are in order! Of course, this resolution does not refer to the Committee of Appeals which cannot be eliminated. ' It is understood that 15 members are to be elected. Almost twice as many nominations are entered. To save time, the Convention decides to in­clude all nominees in the commit­tee which immediately withdraws to commence its deliberations at the Home Office of the Association. In the meantime the Convention, empowered by the absent Committee to act in all matters not requiring their votes, resolves to summon the .district managers to the National Convention. Mr. Emery Florian, Hungarian stenographer, called in to assist the recording secretary in his difficult task, is requested to read the volum­inous report of the Board cf Di­rectors. In conjunction with the read­ing of the report the assembly is addressed by director Henry Gross, former President of the merged Workingmen’s Sick Benefit Federa­tion, and Leopold Hirsch, Assistant Secretary of the Verhovay, former Secretary-Treasurer of the Federa­tion who express their great hap­piness over the merger, of the two societies. Mr. Bencze replies assur­ing the members of the former Fed­eration that they are received with brotherly love by the membership of our great fraternity. Greetings are wired by the Convention to the Governor of Pennsylvania, and the Mayor of Pittsburgh. The meeting adjourns at 5:80 P.M. The Committee of Appeals, in the meantime, continues in session at the Home Office until the late hours. The Second Day. It’s past eight o’clock in the morn­ing of Tuesday, September 9th. The Committee of Appeals is in session at the Home Office, while the mem­bers of the assembly enter the Eng­lish Room. There are several new­comers: Jacob Torda, alternate de­legate from Branch 14, Cleveland, 0., who was called in to replace absentee Frank Paczier, and the dis­trict managers. Chairman Kolozsvary calls the meeting to order. He conveys the condolences of the delegates to Frank Chor.ka upon his recent be­reavement. Roll' call follows. Every representative is present except the following who being members of the Committee of Appeals, are excused: . Dr. Julius Kovats, Edward Lukach Jr., Joseph Letenyei, Alexander Pus­kas, Rezső Geller, Stephen Nyers, Michael Molnár, Louis David, Den­nis Nagy, Frank1 Toth, John Bozs­­vay, Andrew Bandy, Joseph Kantor, John Kopachy, John Orosz, Ernest Palos, Mrs. Stephen Paul, Joseph Muller, Julius Kovach, Paul Benyo, Anton Lachmgn, Louis Katona, Alex­ander Debreceni, Eremy Készéi, John Bokor and Leo Fisher. Legal Counsel Stephen Matassy, also, at­tended the session of the Commit­tee. The Minutes of the first day are read by recording secretary Charles Cray. He proves himself án ex­cellent recorder and, what is just as important, a clear, audible and speedy reader. The Minutes are ap­proved. Supreme Auditor John Sabo reads the telegrams sent on the previous evening to the Governor of Penn­sylvania and the Mayor of the City of Pittsburgh. Chairman Kolozsvary calls for the election of a Commit­tee of Expenses to be charged with determining the traveling expenses and other fees due to the delegates. The following are elected: James Sera, Louis Barna, Stephen Dobozy, Valentine Erdélyi, Joseph Szabó, John Petrash and George Mészáros. Actually, 15 members were nomi­nated from the floor but upon re­quest by the chairman, eight of them, more or less voluntarily, de­clined their nominations. * * * Chairman Coloman Kolozs­vary proves an excellent choice. The grand old man of Branch 14 has an unusual sense of humor. Many a tire­some session is livened up by his remarks and his often witty but always firm rulings are accepted without re­monstrance (up to now, at any rate.) Though in his seventies, he is remarkably alert and unruffled: a gentle­man of great power, yet beguiling graciousness. * * * The Committee of Expenses with­draws and the reading of the re­port of the Board of Directors is continued. Finally it is adapted for detailed discussion, with 67 votes in favor and 3 opposed. I The Auditing Committee. Chairman Kolozsvary calls for the reading of the report of the Audit­ing Committee. Ernest Kunstadt, chairman of the committee, takes the floor and reads his report which is adopted, also, for detailed dis­cussion by the delegates who re­affirm their decision not to ap­point a Committee of Finances for the examinations of the transactions of the Association, since the books of the Association had been thorough­ly examined by the Auditing Com­mittee and the Certified Public Ac­countant the reading of whose re­port is next on the order of busi­ness. Guests of the Convention. Following a brief vest-period, chairman Kolozsvary calls the meet­ing to order announcing that the representatives of Hungarian na­tional fraternal societies have ar­rived to pay their respects to the representatives of the Verhovay. As the guests enter the room, escorted by the Supreme President, the as­sembly arises and applauds the vi­sitors who stand behind the speak­ers’ table while they are introduced by Supreme President John Bencze who extends a cordial welcome to the Rev. Dr. Francis Újlaki, Presi­dent, Albert Fiók, vice-president, Mi­chael Tusai and Nicholas Szentimrei, district managers, of the American Hungarian Reformed Federation; the Rev. Joseph Kecskemethy, di­rector of the Bethlen Home in Li­­gonier; Peter Suta, President, and Stephen Szegedy, secretary, of the American Sick Benefit Federation of Bridgeport, Conn., Joseph Vasas Sec­retary and Stephen Kundrath, trea­surer, of the Rakoczy Aid Associa­tion, also from Bridgeport, Conn. The Rev. Dr. Újlaki, Peter Suta, Joseph Vasas and the Rev. Kecs­kemethy address the assembly in whose behalf Supreme President I John Bencze thanks them for honor- j ing the Convention with their visit. Chairman Kolozsvary bids the guests Godspeed and the Convention re­sumes its business. Mrs. Jolán Lu- j cas (the “Ferret”) reads the volum­inous report of the Certified Public Accountant, copies of which had been distributed among the delegates. How about a Committee? Following the reading of the re­port, the question again came up whether or not a committee should be appointed to study the report. Though the motion is made, it does not seem to be very popular with the delegates who remember having decided to eliminate such Commit­tees. Warm applause follows the plea of Supreme Auditor Sabo who says: “Why do you spend $3,000 for the | report of the Certified Public Ac­countant if you are unwilling to accept that report ? Why do you spend thousands of dollars for the Audit­ing Committee if you will not ac­cept its findings?! We are prepared to show you how to economize. No matter how thorough examinations you may conduct, you will be un­able to find better ways for effect­ing savings in the management of the Association. I appeal to you to accept the report for detailed dis­cussion by the entire body!” A vote is taken. It develops that the opposition has evaporated. The report is unanimously adopted for discussion in detail by the entire assembly. The detailed discussion of the re­port of the Auditing Committee fs •next on the schedule of business. However, the Supreme Treasurer, the Supreme Secretary and 26 de­legates being absent, the matter is ■left pending until their return. Sev­eral questions are asked from the floor in reference to the report of the Auditing’ Committee. There seems to be some tendency to cri­ticize the manner in which the 60th anniversary of the Association was observed. The critics withdraw, however, when the Supreme Presi­dent explains that all those who had been invited had made themselves deserving of such honor by their promotional accomplishments. Whole­hearted approval, expressed by stormy applause, takes the place of criticism when director Henry Gross arises to state: “I have been sitting just a few steps from where I speak to you and now I want to tell you that on that unforgettable evening the thought was born in our hearts that if a merger is to be effected, it will be a merger with the Ver­hovay!” That testimony leaves no room for doubts. The issue is- set­tled. ■Committee of Appeals Hands Down First Rulings. The session is interrupted by Dr. Julius Kovats who brings the first rulings from the Committee of Ap­peals to be read to the assembly on condition that they be accepted with­out debate. In case any of the rul­ings is challenged, discussions are to be postponed until such time when the Committee returns. * * « This is a tense moment. By i now everyone is aware that the Committee has found some hard nuts to crack. Each case is of great interest to the delegates, but the riding to be made in the cases of Messrs. Csömör, Gyulay and Darago are awaited with con- I tinually increasing tension. It seems one of the three has been settled by the Committee. Dr. Kovats steps up to the microphone and begins to read. It develops that the Committee overruled the Board of Directors in the case of John A. Toth, delegate of Branch 71, Duquesne, Pa., whose election has been rati­fied by the Committee of Ap­peals. The appeals of Julius Polichanyi and Nicholas Ka­dar lost: the Committee up­held the decision of the Board of Directors. The case of Jacob Torda has benn settled out of court since he has been cal­led in to replace Frank Pa­czier. Julius Danch is cleared and affirmed as duly elected delegate of Branch 138, Gary, Ind. The election of Frank Molnár by Branch 13, Tren­ton, N. J., is ratified. And Alexander Gyulay, delegate of Branch 525, Los Angeles, Cal., is recognized as duly elected delegate to the National Con­vention. In his case, too, the Committee of Appeals over­ruled the Board of Directors. Chairman Kolozsvary ex­tends a cordial welcome to these delegates. Frank Mol­nár arises and presents a package to the Supreme Pres­ident “as a token of gratitude j for the just verdict in this case.” The unusual gesture \ arouses great interest. What's in the package?! (Continued on page 8)

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