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

1947 / Verhovay Journal

September 24, 1947__________________________ VerflOVCLy Journal

THE CONVENTION STORY

(Continued from page 8)

ficult task. They have done great service to the Association and made an important contribution to the peace of the membership.

A letter from Joseph Subits, former District Manager, has been received by the CHhirman, who suggests that it be referred to the Board of Directors, which is acceptable to the Assembly.

The Convention proceeds with the amending of the by-laws. The District Sessions are discussed.

The Assembly resolves to eliminate the post-convention district meetings which, in the past, had been called for the approval of the amendments to the by-laws adopted by the National Convention. Hereafter the amended by-laws will be mailed out to each and every branch for final action by the entire membership. Actually, this is a more democratic procedure since, at the district meetings, only a small group of representatives would have an opportunity to pass judgment upon the decisions of the Convention.

Proceeding to the provisions pertaining to the Board of Directors, the Convention enacts another rule of great importance. It is resolved that the membership of the Verhovay be divided into eight directorial districts and that a Hungarian director be elected to each district from among its respective delegates by the National Convention, while an English director shall be elected for every two adjoining districts.

Naturally, a prolonged debate precedes these actions. Some of the second generation representatives would like to have the representation of the American membership on the Board of Directors increased to 50 to so that there would be six Hungarian and six American directors. Others, however, feel that the time has not yet come for such an adjustment and they express their satisfaction with the present arrangement which gives the American membership four directorships while eight are reserved for the Hungarian membership.

The debate is further complicated by suggestions that, in view of the increased membership of the Association, the number of directors be increased.

After much pro and con, however, the present set-up is maintained and the division of the membership into directorial districts, a plan of which has been prepared in advance by the Board of Directors, is unanimously adopted.

Further actions are taken rapidly. The second vice-president, one for the American and one for the Hungarian membership, shall be elected by the National Convention. In case of vacancy, the seat of the Supreme President will be filled by the Board of Directors by one of the vicepresidents of their choice. One of the most important changes. however, is: beginning with September, 1951, the term of

the officers and directors of the Association will be moved ahead to start with the conclusion of the Convention and to end with the following National Convention.

Discussing the jurisdiction of the’ Board of Directors, some of the delegates make a big issue out of the recent action of the Board raising the salaries of the Supreme officers, to which they feel the directors had no right. After it is proven, however, that the directors have not violated the provisions of the bylaws, the critics withdraw and all objections are silenced when the Supreme President reminds the Assembly of how nobody objected when, during the depression, the Board of Directors reduced the Supreme officers’ salaries by 10ei without submitting- their action for final approval to the Convention delegates.

The new promotional plan again comes up for discussion when provisions touching this subject are scrutinized. Various doubtful issues are cleared to the satisfaction of many inquirers. Finally, the respective pertinent paragraphs of the by-laws are amended to fit the new * promotional system, the approval of which is re-affirmed by the Assembly.

The meeting adjourned on a happy note when the recommendation that applicants between the ages of 55 and 60 be insurable up to $1,000 (instead of $500 as heretofore) is adopted.

The Ninth Day.

It is a cool morning and so the delegates are not too keenly disappointed in having to meet again in the smaller Gold Room. After taking care of the roll call and the minutes, .a telegram from Governor Duff is read in which he conveys his greetings to the Assembly.

A solemn moment arrives. Chairman Kolozsvary announces that with the conclusion of the Darago affair, all pending business pertaining' to administration has been attended to. Now he requests first the Supreme President, then the members of the Board of Directors and finally the Chairman of the Auditing Committee, to state whether or not any of them have anything to report that has not benn brought to the attention of the National Convention. After the officers assure the Assembly that they have made a complete report of all matters under their jurisdiction, Chairman Kolozsvary asks the delegates to the XXIst National Convention if they are ready to grant a release to the officers of the Verhovay F. I. Association. The release is unanimously granted and Chairman Kolozsvary, in behalf of the entire Assembly, expresses his sincere appreciation and thanks to the officers of the Association for their untiring efforts and devotion in the service of the membership of the Verhovay. A special vote of thanks is given to Supreme President John Bencze in recognition of

his services in his additional capacity as Supreme Organizer. Furthermore, as a token of the sincere appreciation of the National Convention, the delegates resolve that each Supreme officer shall be entitled to receive the same per diem fee for the duration of the Convention as the members af the Assembly.

Second Generation Petitions Convention.

A resolution is submitted to the assembly by a group of second generation representatives who request the re-opening of the question of how the directors of the Association are to be elected. They approve in principle the division of the membership of the Association into districts and the election of one Hungarian director from each of these districts. However, in view of the limited number of second generation representatives they request that the American directors be elected from the entire body of second generation delegates rather than according to the district division. _

The petition is immediately opposed, especially by the Hungarian repres entatives who cannot understand what prompted the American dele» gates to re-open the issue. In fact, one of the second generation representatives joins the opposition and objects to the reconsideration of this question.

still, much is to be said ,jn favor of the petition. Undoubtedly, the division of the membership into districts according to the plan approved by the assembly assures the Hungarian membership of fairly even representation on the Board of Directors. Such is not the case, however, as far as the American districts are concerned, because the eastern districts represents less than 500 electoral votes, the Pennsylvania district less than 1,- 000, while the two western districts each represent more than 1,500 votes. If a director were to be elected from each of these districts, the American membership in the east would receive a much larger share of representation than the membership in Ohio and the midwest. However, the motion is lost when 52 votes are cast in favor of granting the petition and 58 opposed. Still, the Supreme Secretary announces that the amended Bylaws will become effective only after approval by the branches and, therefore, this Convention is free to elect the directors of the Association according to preference.

The Convention reverts to the discussion of the By-laws. Many changes are suggested by the delegates but, after lengthy discussions and explanations, most of them prove

PAGE 9

impractical and are rejected. In some instances, however, radical ehanges are effected.

The recommendation is offered from the floor that the age-limit at which double indemnity insurance expires be raised from 65 to 70^ Information is requested from the Actuary attending the session whether or not such a change is permissible and if it can be effected without increasing the rates. Upon the Actuary’s reply that such amendment can be put into effect without any difficulty, the assembly unanimously adopts the recommendation. Accordingly, the double indemnity (accidental death benefit) certificates will not be cancelled at the 65th birthday of the members but continue m force until their 70th birthday, provided, of course, that the members continue paying their dues on these certificates. Members who already have attained their 65th birthday and whose accidental death benefit certificates had been cancelled, may be reinstated upon request and the payment of back dues. No special application form is necessary. It is sufficient if these members simply request the branch-manager to notify the Home Office of their intention. The dues, unpaid since the 65th birthday of such members, are to be paid when this request is made.

New Provisions of the Sick Benefit Department.

The Supreme President announces that the actuary is ready to submit his new plan for amending the Bylaws in accordance with the demands of the Insurance Department. The following are the newr provisions of the By-laws:

1. ) Members who have joined the Sick Benefit Department before January 1st, 1944, and who have attained the age of 65, shall thereafter be entitled to receive the full amount of weekly sick benefits, but only for 20 (instead of 25) weeks during any one year.

2. ) In case of one continuous illness, such members of the Sick Benefit Department shall be entitled to sick benefits for not more than 50 weeks. In all other cases, however, the members are entitled to 62% weeks’ benefits.

3. ) No member of the Sick Benefit Department shall be paid benefits for the first 7 days of disability. (According to the present By-laws, members suffering from illnesses or injuries caused by accidents are entitled to sick benefits beginning with the first day of disability, provided the illness is of longer duration than one week.)

These recommendations of the Actuary are adopted by the assembly, 1.) and 3.) unanimously and 2.) by majority vote, pending final approval by the Insurance Department.

Hospitalization insurance is mentioned and recommended by several members of the assembly. The Supreme Secretary, however, advises the delegates of the impracticality of that plan, whereupon recommendations favoring the introduction of hospitalization insurance are tabled by the assembly.

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