Verhovayak Lapja, 1951 (34. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1951 / Verhovay Journal
October 17, 1951 Verhovay Journal PAGE 11 (Continued from page 10) by the U. S. Attorney General, the aims of which are opposed to the Constitution and aims of the United States, or who has been a member since said groups were declared subversive by the U. S. Attorney General, is eligible to become a delegate to the National Convention, to hold office or to be employed by the Association.” 143. ) After lengthy debates, in the course of which explanations were heard, the above amendments are adopted by the members of the Convention, partly unanimously, partly by majority vote. 144. ) Chairman recesses the meeting until 2:15 p.m. 145. ) Chairman calls the meeting to order at 2:15 p.m., and reads a 'telegram of greetings from Mrs. Mary Puhalla, Secretary of the Catholic Slovak Brotherhood and Vice-President of> the Fraternal Societies of Greater Pittsburgh. The telegram is gratefully acknowledged by the Convention. 146. ) The motion of director Aloysius C. Falussy, that the provision of the By-Laws on page 16, paragraph 5, be amended to read: “If due to any cause,, the seat of the National President shall become vacant, it shall be temporarily filled, until the next Convention, by the Board of Directors whose decision must be approved by a vote by the delegates to the Convention.” is unanimously adopted by the members of the Convention. 147. ) The members of the Convention unanimously adopt the motion of Frank Radvanyi, delegate of District 2/B, to wit: “The Board of Directors shall have the right to alter the decisions of the National Convention only if such action is approved by the 2/3 majority of the Board in a roll call vote.” 148. ) Joseph Subits, delegate of District 4/B moves the amending of the last provision in Paragraph 26 on page 37 of the By-Laws, as follows: - ■‘Women, while pregnant and for 30 days after delivery of child, shall not be admitted to membership.’' After hearing the medical opinion of Vice- President Dr. Andrew Kovács, the motion is unanimously adopted by the members of the Convention. 149. ) Chairman extends his welcome to fellow-member John Elek of Branch 89 and to Mrs. Frank Debreczeni who appear at the Convention. 150. ) Chairman recesses the meeting for 10 minutes. 151. ) After calling the meeting to order, Chairman introduces the Hon. Francis Taptich, Judge of the Court of Allegheny County, who comes to pay his respects to the Convention and who addressing the delegates with sincere affection, expresses his best wishes to them. 152. ) After hearing the legal opinion of Legal Counsel Stephen Matasy, and following a brief debate, the Convention votes to adopt the following motion of Julius J. Danch, delegate of District 26: “In the event a member has named contingent beneficiaries and all of the beneficiaries so named predeceased the member, the death benefit shall be payable to the estate of The deceased member, if so permitted by the statutes of the State in which the deceased member resided. In the event the statutes of the state in which ithe deceased member l-esided, do not permit such action, then the death benefit shall be payable to such heirs or beneficiaries as are permitted by the fraternal laws of said state. 153. ) At 5:10 p.m. chairman adjourns the meeting until next morning. JOHN BENCZE, President GAY B. BANES, Recording Secretary JULIA K. CHER JGHN ZAKOPCSAN CONTINUED MINUTES taken on the fifth and last day of the XXII Convention of the Verhovay F‘.aternal Insurance Association, on Friday, September 14, 1951, in the Blue Room of Hotel Roosevelt in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. 154. ) Chairman calls the meeting to order at 9 a.m., and calls upon the recording secretary to read the minutes of the previous day’s session. After the reading of the minutes they are approved by the- Convention with, the following correction: in the 4th line of paragraph 142.) the words “members of the Auditing Committee’ are to be inserted. 155. ) Delegates Mrs. Julia K. Cher and John Zakopcsan checked and signed the Minutes. 156. ) Chairman presents three further proposed amendments to the By-Laws requesting adoption of same by the Convention. The recommendations are as follows: 157. ) Paragraph 21/B, “Organizing Districts”: “subject to approval by the meetings of the respective branches” in the last two lines, to be replaced by the following: “Subject to approval by the Board of Directors.” The proposal is unanimously adopted by the members of the Convention. 158. ) The heretofore uniform rate of dues for Accidental Death Benefit, .‘protection shall be omitted from the By-Laws and upon completion of the new set of dues, rated according to occupations, these shall be separately furnished .those engaged in securing new members. In the event the new rates should be completed before the printing of the By-Laws, they shall be included therein. The recommendation is unanimously adopted by the members of the L Convention. 159. ) Provisions pertaining to War Risk Exclusion are included in the By-Laws. During the meeting of the Board of Directors immediately preceding the Convention, we received a communication from the Insurance Department) of the State of New York requesting that we voluntarily change these provision, otherwise, if we and seven other fraternal societies refuse.to comply, a new law will be put into effect by the State of New York making it obligatory for us to take this step. Naturally, the Board of Directors decided to make the ehange requested and recommends that, first, of all the War Risk Exclusion be eliminated from our Juvenile membership certificates. This will facilitate the securing of new members. In accordance with the requirements of the State of New York, the present “status type” war risk exclusion shall be replaced with the “result type” provision. The above amendment is unanimously acknowledged and approved by the members of the Convention. 160. ) Chairman then introduces to the members of the Convention Mr. Charles R. Keene who renders the actuarial services of the Association. Mr. Keene renders a detailed report pertaining to the financial soundness of the Association and declares that he believes the Association will be in position after a few years to pay dividends to those members, too, who hold 4 and 3h°/c certificates. Following his address several questions are raised from the floor which are answered in detail by the actuary. 161. ) In reference to the entries in the change of name contest, delegate John P. Kelemen moves that the Directors study the entries, and after ascertaining that the various Insurance Departments will not object to the name to be selected, submit their selection to a vote by the delegates to the National Convention. The motion is unanimously adopted by the members oi the Convention. 161/A.) After the conclusion of the discussion of the amendments to the By-Laws, the Convention adopts the recommendation of National Fresident John Bencze according to which the Board of Directors are empowered to amend such parts of the By-Laws which may be in conflict with each other. 162. ) The next item: consideration of the social activities of the Association and the branches. No one offering any recommendations, the matter is tabled. 163. ) The Field Management program is adopted and referred to the Board of Directors by the Convention. 164. ) Chairman calls upon the delegates to present their recommendations. 165. ) Delegate Michael Puskas recommends that the 4% collection commissions be increased to 6%. The Convention hears the actuary who states that he cannot immediately answer this question as it has to be made subjecti to careful and thorough study. Chairman recommends that this matter be1 referred, as in the past, to the Board of Directors. The recommendation is unanimously adopted by the delegates. 166. ) Delegate Charles Kuhn moves that if it should come to the attention of any field worker or Branch Manager that the field workers of any other society work against us in securing new members, they shall immediately make a report to the Home Office which then shall advise said .society with a view to discontinuing such practices.” The motion is unanimously adopted by the members of the Convention. 167. ) The motion of John Demko, delegate of District 8/C, submitted in writing, is not considered by the Convention in view of' the previous action t.-.ken in the matter referred to. 168. ) John Bozsvay, vice-chairman, submits a recommendation in writing, requesting money for the branch for the maintenance of an office. The recommendation is unanimously rejected by the delegates. 169. ) Chairman recesses the meeting for 10 minutes. 170. ) Following the recess, chairman introduces among the guests Mrs. John Sabo, wife of the National Auditor, Mrs. Leslie Veszi, Mrs. Alexander Gondos, Mrs. Henry Rettmann, Mrs. John Horvath, Mrs. Julius Hessler. The guests are greeted \<Tth applause by the Convention. 171. ) Upon motion by delegate John Nemeth, the Convention resolves to send a letter of thanks to the Verhovay Otthon of Springdale, in appreciation cf their splendid hospitality with which they have received the members of the Convention at the dinner on the previous night. 172. ) The members of the Convention resolve also to send letters of thanks to the officers of the United Russian Orthodox Brotherhood of America, Mr. Oscar Kottler and Judge Francis Taptich, for honoring the Convention by their presence. 173. ) The members of the Convention unanimously adopt the recommendation of District 2, to wit: “In view of the fact that the election of the Vice-Presidents of the Association is as important as the election of the President, they shall hereafter be elected by separate ballot.” 174. ) Several motions are made in reference to the dividend payments, as a result of which the members of the Convention resolve that if and when, according to the opinion of the actuary, dividends may be paid, the Board of Directors shall immediately issue orders to that effect. The above motion is unanimously adopted. 175. ) The matter of the election of the Vice-Presidents, decided as set forth in paragraph 173.) of these minutes, is reopened. The Legal Counsel of the Association again states his opinion according to which the election must be held in accordance with the provisions of our By-Laws, whereupon Chairman calls for a vote to decide whether or not the Convention wishes to submit its previous decision in regards to the election of the Vice-Presidents to another election. The result of the vote being 67-46, chairman announces that in absence of the necessary 2/3 majority, the decision set forth in paragraph 173.) of these minutes remains in effect. 176. ) By a majority of 88 votes against 28, the Convention rejects the motion of delegate John P. Kelemen that the directors be elected regardless of circuit divisions. 177. ) The members of the Convention unanimously reject the motion of William Takacs that the 5 cent per month fee paid by the members of the* Association toward branch-management expenses be increased to 10 cents per month. 178. ) Delegate Alexander Gyulay moves that the medical examination fee be increased from $3.00 to $5.00. Chiirman announces that the Board of Directors will consider the request at their next meeting. The announcement is acknowledged by the members of the Convention. 179. ) Upon- motion by delegate Frank Radvany the Convention unanimously resolves that the provisions of the By-Laws pertaining to the Board of Directors, the National Officers and the Auditing Committee be amended to the effect that their terms shall expire at the time prescribed in the provisions of the By-Laws, provided, however, that if their successors should be unable to assume their positions in the time designated, the terms of the former officers shall be automatically extended until such time when the new officers are able to assume their positions. 180. ) Chairman recesses the meeting until 2 p.m. 181. ) Chairman calls the meeting to order at 2 p.m. 182. ) Upon motion by delegate Charles A. Young' the Convention resolves that the Report of the Board of Directors shall be prepared in the English language, also, for the next Convention. 183. ) Chairman cordially welcomes fellow-member Mrs. Laslo Csenger and the Rev. Paul Markovits wfco appear at the Convention. 184. ) National Secretary Coloman Revesz makes the following announcement: During the last four years the members of the Board of Directors have served the Association with utmost devotion. But when the ever increasing costs of living made it necessary for them to grant salary increases to the National Officers and Home Office employees, they felt, that perhaps they: would abuse the privileges of their office if they would increase their own honoraria. It is the request of the four National Officers that the Convention find some way to modify the honoraria and per diem fees set four years ago for the Board of Directors and the Auditing Committee. Upon hearing the request, the Convention resolves to grant to each member of the Board of Directors and the Auditing Committee, for the (Continued on page 12)
