Verhovayak Lapja, 1951 (34. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1951 / Verhovay Journal

SEPTEMBER 19, 1951

VOL. XXXIV,

CONVENTION TAKES . IMPORTANT ACTIONS

— National President elected Chairman of Convention. — Most of proposed amendments approved. — Branch Managers to be appointed by Home Office, subject to approval by Board of Directors. — Convention abolishes Field

Manager's position. —

This brief summary is written on the evening of the third day of the National Convention. Actually, it is difficult to make any definite statements in regards to the actions taken by the convention because some of the issues already settled may come up again and in some instances, as has happened in the past, the convention may change its mind. However, we know our readers are interested in the proceedings and will welcome a brief resume of the action^ taken by the legislative body of the Association.

After the ceremonial opening of the National Convention on Monday morning, September 10th, the first issue arose with the election of the convention officers. However, it was shortly settled when the Convention elected the National President to be the permanent chairman of the National Convention, while the vice-chairmen were elected from among the delegates. Mr. John Bozsvay of Branch 14, Cleveland, 0., was elected vice-chairman for the Hungarian speaking membership and Mr. Albert Ibos of Branch 48, New York, N. Y., became vice-president for the American speaking membership. Mr. Pencze won the chairmanship on the first ballot with 78 votes. Atty. Gay Banes of McKeesport, Pa., became recording secretary by unanimous election.

Following the introduction of the representatives of the press and other guests, and the reading of greetings, the Board of Directors’ presented the following resolution which the National Convention adopted, instructing the Home Office to present the resolution to President Truman and the Department of State of the United States.

RESOLUTION

WHEREAS the Communist regime in Hungary has recently adopted a new system of eliminating all people deemed undesirable by the Communist government, and

WHEREAS this system has called for the cruel mass deportation of almost Two-Hundred Thousand innocent men, women and children, regardless of their age or health, frem their homes and families, and

WHEREAS this mass-deportation is in effect the mass murder of these unfortunate people, and

WHEREAS the entire world has been shocked by this new communist act of heartless brutality and inhuman conduct,

THEREFORE, WE, the Officers, Directors and Delegates of the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association in Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, acting in behalf of our entire membership of 60,000 Americans of Hungarian heritage, strongly protest these mass deportations and express our grateful appreciation of our Government’s expressed attitude in relation to these Communist atrocities and respectfully appeal to you, Mr. President and our State Department to do everything in your power to STOP THESE DEPORTATIONS!

REPORT OF THE BOARD

With these elections cut of the way, the Reports of the Board of Directors, the Auditing Committee, the CPA and the Field Manager followed.

This was where the fireworks started. Right at the beginning of the detailed discussion of the Report of the Board of Directors the question arose whether or not the National Convention should approve the establishment of the Field Manager's position. An exceedingly prolonged and temperamental debate developed which finally was resolved by secret ballot — in which the Board of Directors and the National Officers were prevented from participating due to the provisions of the By-Laws — and the National Convention, by a vote of 67 against 36 — abolished the Field Manager's position on the ground of the allegedly high costs involved.

■ Then tempers relaxed and progress was made at an increasingly rapid rate.

NAME CHANGE APPROVED

First, one delegate of each district was called upon to convey the sentiments of the district he represented. It appeared there was substantial sentiment both for and against the change of name. Now the debate was opened. But the speakers on both sides expressed their views briefly and in a dignified manner. This debate was a splendid display of democracy. A secret ballot produced 67 votes in favor and 50 votes opposed to the change of name. A committee of ten was appointed to select the most suitable names submitted in the contest. Next morning, however, the question was reopened and a roll call vote was called. 64 ballots were cast in favor of the proposed change of name and 52 ballots opposed to the proposal. This made the adoption of the proposed change of name final.

HOME OFFICE TO APPOINT MANAGERS

The amendments to the By-Laws followed. Here, too, rapid progress was made, though at many points detailed information was demanded by the floor end given by the officers of the Association. The only proposed amendment rejected by the Convention was the one in regards to the chairman and vicechairmen of the National Convention. The National Convention retained its right to elect its own officers with the understanding, however, that the National President and the Vice-Presidents may be elected also as there is r aching in the present text of the By-Laws to prevent the Convention from taking such action.

By Wednesday evening, the proposed amendments to the Senior Order that already have been approved by the majority of the branches last December,

St. Stephen’s Branch 21, Youngstown To Observe 50th Anniversary

All members and friends of St. Stephen’s Branch 21 of Youngstown, O., the National Officers, members of the Board of Directors, and the representatives of all Hungarian churches and societies are cordially invited to the

GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY BANQUET TO BE HELD SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21, BEGINNING AT 1 P.M.,

AT ST. STEPHEN’S AUDITORIUM IN YOUNGSTOWN.

All those who plan to attend the gala banquet to be given in observance of the 50th anniversary of the founding of St. Stephen’s Branch 21, are requested to reserve or to purchase their banquet tickets before October 15th. Admission will be $2.50 per person. Mrs. Anton Horvath' who will be in charge of preparing the dinner, is noted for her excellent Hungarian kitchen.

Hoping that the members and friends of our branch as well as the representatives of the various churches and organizations in our city will honor us in large numbers with their presence on the occasion of the golden anniversary celebrations of St. Stephen’s Branch 21, we are, Fraternally,

AUGUSTUS HABODASZ, Pres. JOSEPH DANISH, Mgr.

65th Anniversary — Pre-Convention Contest Winners Announced

— Field Supervisors Charles and Dus win first prize each with $270,000 production. — Frank Balogh, Br 503, Chicago, and Casper Kuti, Br. 278, Omaha, Nebr., leading prize winners in Managers contest. —

Upon authorization by the Board of Directors, a membership contest was conducted this year from January 1st to August 31st, in observance of the 65th anniversary of the Association. The winners were determined by the Board of Directors at the meeting held during the week before the Convention. An unusual situation developed due to the fact that the ;wo leaders in the Field Supervisors’ and District Managers’ contest ended up neck-and-neck, each with a production never before eqúalled in the organizing history of our Association.

Field Supervisor Elmer Charles of Branch 296, Springdale, Pa., and Leslie J. Dus, District Manager of branches 14, 366 and 573 in Cleveland both produced $270,000 each during the first 8 months of this year. In recognition of these outstanding achievements, the Board of Directors decided to award two first prizes declaring both Mr. Charles and Mr. Dus first prize winners of the pre-convention membership contest.

Altogether 7 prizes were distributed among our full-time field men.

Third prize winner was District Manager Gabriel Nanicth of branches 108, 384, and 514, Youngstown, 0„ with an 8-month production of $124,500.

Field Supervisor Frank Wukovits, Br. 132, South Bend, Ind. took 4th prize with a production of $101,500, Field Supervisor Joseph Toma, Br. 48, New York, N. Y. was awarded the 5th prize for a production of $101,000.

The sixth prize went to District Manager Stephen Lukacs of Branch

36, Detroit, Mich., who produced $99,and the 7th prize was taken by District Manager John Fulop, of branches 34 and 376, Pittsburgh, Pa., who wrote $82,000 during the eightmonth contest.

BRANCH-MANAGERS CONTEST

The part-time branch-managers competed in a separate group and each manager participated in the contest with the amount of his production in excess over his 8-month production quota requirement. Of the 284 parttime managers 30 exceeded their production quota requirement and the prize money was distributed among them. The 30 winners are credited with a total production of $516,250 of which $231,790 was produced in excess of production quota requirements. Leaders in this category were: Frank Balogh, Manager of Branch 503, Chicago, Lll., rvho with a total production of $47,500, of which $35,- 500 was in excess of the 8-month production quota, won the first and highest award. Second prize winner was Casper Kuti, Manager of Branch 278, Omaha, Nebr., whose 8-month production totaled $36,500 of which $28,300 was in excess of his 8-month production quota requirement.

The complete list of the prize winners follows:

1. ) Frank Balogh, Br. 503, Chicago,

111.

2. ) Casper Kuti, Br. 278, Omaha, Nebr.

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have been approved and adopted by the National Convention, too, and thus have become the law of the Association.

One of the most important changes is that referring to the branchmanagers’ positions which hereafter will be filled by Home Office appointment subject to approval by Ihe Board of Directors. This opens a new era in the entire field management of the Association. By taking this action, the National Convention has removed the most difficult obstacle to progress in the branches.

The proposed amendments not yet adopted by the branches, new business and the election of officers are the matters still left on the agenda of business — with three more days to go. Apparently — the one-week Convention Will be a success....