Verhovayak Lapja, 1947 (30. évfolyam, 1-24. szám)
1947 / Verhovay Journal
December 31, 1947 _ Verhovay Journal PAGE 5 Convention Acts Carried Out By Betlehem Branch Meeting — Branch 98 Assumes Organizing District Status — Elects Victor Austerlitz District Manager — Donates $100 To Verhovay Fund of Crippled Children — Plans 40th Anniversary Of Women’s Class. — An excellent demonstration of ‘Fraternalism in Action’ has been rendered by the annual meeting- of Branch 98, Betlehfem, Pa., held on December 7th. The meeting was opened by branch-president Peter Toth who extended a cordial welcome to the assembled members. After competently attending to the preliminaries, the meeting took up the discussion of fraternal charities. A donation of §5 was voted to the war-orphans of Hungary and, then, Hundred Dollars were appropriated for the Verhovay Fund of Crippled Children. Manag'er Stephen Lang, director-elect, was empowered to forward this amount to the fund held in trust at the National Treasury of the Association. Plans for the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Women’s Class of Branch 98 were unanimously approved. Later meetings will develop the details of the elaborate event. The election of officers followed under the pro tern chairmanship of Frank Gurdon. William Richter acted as pro tem secretary. Peter Toth was elected president and Charles Simon vice-president of Bi-anch 98. In accordance with the provisions of the new organizing plan adopted by the XXI. National Convention, Branch 98 assumed organizing district status and elected Victor Austerlitz District Manager. Mr. Austerlitz will retire from the management of the former 2nd organizing district on December 31st and he will assume his new position as District Manager in Betlehem, Pa., on January 1st. Others elected were: corresponding secretary Stephen Lang, recording secretary and comptroller William Richter, auditors Simon Freind and Julius Demko. For the Women’s Branch Mrs. Peter Toth was elected president, Mrs. Julius Demko vice-president, Mrs. Alexander Sülé secretary, Rosa Balics recorder, Mrs. John Mate, Mrs. Simon Friend and Mrs. John Kiss entertainment committee. The new officers were sworn in at the end of the meeting. Branch 98 is one of the first, to carry out the acts of the National Convention. It has set, thereby, a fine example of fraternal cooperation for which the officers and members of this branch are to be sincerely recommended. It will be recalled that the XXI. National Convention designated February 21st, the birthday of our Association, as the Day of Verhovay Charity, l-equesting- that the proceeds of social affairs to be held on that day be donated to the Fund of Verhovay’s Crippled Juvenile Members, created by branches 189 and 369, Alliance, O., for the purpose of providing medical care and training for those juvenile members who have become crippled after their admission. Up to this time $1,611.50 had been contributed toward this fund to which will be added the Hundred dollars donation of Branch 98. By taking this generous action far ahead of Verhovay Charity Day, Blanch 98 furnished an inspiring example, which, we hope, will be followed by many other branches especially on February 21st, the day set aside for soliciting donations for this noble purpose. Also among the first is' Branch 98 in carrying into effect the new organizing plan adopted by the XXI. National Convention. The election of fellow-member Victor Austerlitz to the office of District Manager is a promising sign for the success of this plan as well as a great encouragement to District Manager Austerlitz to whom we extend our best wishes upon assuming his new position. And for effectively following up the fraternal and progressive actions of the XXI. National Convention, we, commend and congratulate the membership of our Betlehem branch. “I do not have to tell you that approximately sixty days ago a convention of one of the domestic societies was held in the western part of Pennsylvania. The Society received front page publicity in all of the newspapers of the entire County and coast to coast radio hook-ups broadcast the proceedings of the convention daily. The publicity did not, in my opinion do the fraternal benefit system any good. I hope we do not have another convention such as that one in this state, or in any other state of our Union. I feel that had the officers of that Society attended meetings of the subordinate bodies and kwown what was going on, nothing like this would have happened.” The unanimous adoption of a Resolution on Communism and other Subversive Activities was the response of the Fraternal Congress to the Deputy Insurance Commissioner’s appeal. 75 affiliated societies were represented at the Convention of the Pennsylvania Fraternal Congress. The Verhovay F. I. Ass’n, as one of the member societies, was represented by Coloman Revesz, National Secretary, who was re-elected to the Executive Committee of the Penna. Fraternal Congress. John Eibeck, Supreme President of the Catholic Knights of St. George, Pittsburgh, Pa., was elected President, Stephen Tkatch of the Greek Catholic Union of the U.S.A., and M. F. Loughner of the Mutual Beneficial Association of the Pennsylvania Railroad Employees, Inc., vice-presidents, and Louise Patrick of the Woodmen Circle secretary-treasurer. Congratulations are due to j Assistant District Manager Joseph Toma of New York who j was recently awarded the “Fraternal Insurance Counsellor” degree after having successfully completed the Fraternal Sales Training Course conducted for the advancement of fraternal field managers by the Insurance Research and Review Service, Inc., and the Fraternal Field Managers Association. Upon his return from military sendee, Mr. Toma had been appointed Assistant District Manager for our New York field and he was subsequently elected Manager of Branch 83, and after the merger of the New York branches, The Pennsylvania Fraternal Congress ▼ JOSEPH TOMA WINS F. I. C. DEGREE FRATERNAL PROBLEMS and the INSURANCE DEPARTMENT (Continued from page 4) Fraternal Terminology Perennial objections are raised to the use of such fraternal terms as “benefit”, “member”, “dues”, “membership certificates” etc. Those objecting to the use of these terms argue that they represent obstacles in meeting the competition of insurance companies. This arguement is countered by the following statement of the Deputy Commissioner: “There seems to be a little disagreement between certain societies and the Insurance Department, which arises out of Section 5 of the Fraternal Benefit Act of 1937. Since Section 5 of the Act provides that the word “insurer” or any other general designation as used in the laws in force governing any form of insurance shall not apply to fraternal societies, certificates and related forms should not contain Such words as “insurance”, “insured”, “premium”, “policy”, “company”, and similar words distinctive of insurance. In lieu thereof should be used such words as “benefit”, “member”, “dues”, “certificate”, “association”, etc. Remember, you are fraternal benefit societies — you ought to make yourself definitely known as such. The minute you begin using words such as company —• policy — premium — insurance — etc., you are certainly getting away from purposes for which you are chartered.” In other words, our insistence on the continued use of the. specific fraternal terminology is not to be taken as a reluctance to “advance with the times” — as charged by some of our members — but rather as a demonstration of adherence to both the purposes for which our Association has been chartered and the Fraternal Benefit Act by which v/e are bound to abide. Guarding Fraternalism Deviations from the ways of true American fraternalism were condemned by the Deputy Insurance Commissioner who, referring to the Convention held by another fraternal society in the same hotel and at the same time as that of the Verhovay, made the following statement: “I attended a meeting of the various societies which are located in the Pittsburgh area. The entire meeting was taken up with the matter of Communist domination that is invading our fraternal societies. I believe that at this meeting, something should be done by you. I want to say here that it is your duty, — your job in fact, to see that these Communists do not get into your organization. It is up to the Supreme Officers, in my opinion, to attend meetings of the various subordinate bodies of your societies. I say to you that you are making a mistake if you are sitting back in your Home Offices, expecting to receive reports by your various subordinate bodies and their officers, and think you are getting all of the facts.” I urge you with all my might to get out among the various subordinate lodges and see what is going on, see to it that the purposes and ideals for which your Society has been founded are being strictly adhered to.” of Branch 48. Reelected by the annual meeting of Branch 48 he will become District Manager as of January 1st, 1948. Years of practical experience and intensive study make Mr. Toma one of our best qualified field men who as a certified Fraternal Insurance Counsellor is fully equipped to render effective service in all insurance problems to the public. Mr. Toma is the second organizer of the Association to acquire the Fraternal Insurance Counsellor degree. Mr. Frank J. Cher, District Manager, and from January 1st, 1948, Field Supervisor of the Verhovay, has acquired his F.I.C. degree in the spring of 1945.
