Fraternity-Testvériség, 1994 (72. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1994-10-01 / 4. szám
FRATERNITY Page 7 The coal that we produce today is saturated with the blood of too many miners and drenched with the tears of too many surviving spouses and orphans. The explosion at Darr Mine in Van Meter on December 19, 1907 is the worst coal mine disaster in the state and second in the nation. Of the 239 men and children who lost their lives on that cold day of December almost 100 were of Hungarian descent. That single ignition of flame in a dusty, poorly-ventilated shaft left 542 people without a source of income. Some 130 wives lost their husbands, 300 children would never see their fathers again, and 112 parents lost a loved one and important household income. The statistics related to the conditions of miners in this century are astounding. In 1910, 2,821 miners died. In 1940, the number of deaths dropped to 1,388. In 1970, 260 fatalities were reported, and in 1991, 61 miners perished in mine accidents. Often these deaths were blamed on the miners themselves. For example, the report of the superintendent and foreman of the Darr Mine, following the 1907 accident, laid the blame of the disaster on miners who were claimed to have been in forbidden sections of the mine. The report ends with, and I quote, ‘.........the owners of the mine are no way to blame, nor are they in any way responsible.....’ In 1910, the Federal Government finally recognized that perhaps mine owners were responsible for the deaths of these workers, and the First Federal Mining Safety Laws were passed. The Bureau of Miners was established to make diligent investigations into the methods of mining, especially in relation to the safety of miners and the possible improvement of conditions under which mining operations were carried out. This is evident in part by the decrease in the number of deaths. I mentioned before ‘from 2,821 in 1910 to 61 in 1991.’ But the birth of this overseeing body was also important because it came about due to the men, women and children whose lives had been affected by mining incidents. These men, women and children finally recognized their own rights and power and spoke out against the exploitation by mine owners. The mine calamities and deaths of these miners were not in vain. Instead, they served to incite the general public and to change the social and political attitude of Americans early in this century. I understand first hand, the need to protect the worker. (I have worked close to 40 years in the Steel Industry.) I have experienced the power and strength of men unified with the cause to better their own lives. The men and children who died in the Darr Mine accident were never given a chance to assert their rights. May we recognize and pray for the souls of these miners who gave their lives so long ago. For it was their sacrifice that made progress possible in the work place health and safety. May their spirits stir us to continue the struggle and be ever vigilant in our mission to protect workers everywhere. May God bless and keep them all safe from harm. It should be noted that the Pittsburgh Coal Company gave the families one wooden casket and $12.00 in benefits. Those Hungarian miners of the Reformed faith killed in the Naomi Mine disaster as well as in the Darr Mine explosion were buried by Rev. Alexander Kalassay. (In the Darr Mine alone 47 Hungarian Protestant men, married or single, between the ages 17 to 36, perished.) Many of these men were members of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America and the Verhovay Fraternal Aid organization. In those dark and sad days of the Christmas season in 1907, it became clear to many thousands of our people that the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America has a unique Christian purpose: to help the families who were struck by such a tragedy. Reverend Kalassay, one of our founders, made it quite clear in his many funeral sermons that the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America was the helping hand of our Reformed Church. In modern terminology it is the “Diakonia” of our churches. The Hungarian Reformed Federation is the practice of love and mission of mercy of our Hungarian Reformed faith.” Endre Csornán, Secretary “WHERE DO WE INVEST OUR FUNDS?” T he investment of the funds of our HRFA members is a responsibility which we take very seriously. Our investment objective is to maintain a balanced portfolio and earn the highest return, while preserving the invested capital. Our approach is to carefully select, closely watch and diversify our investments. The existing portfolio is well structured with regard to diversification and rate of return. The investment income is received from premium payments made by members, interest on bonds, mortgage loans, and certificate loan repayments. The most important priority in our investment strategy is our responsibility to our members. As we take a broad look at the assets of the HRFA, 75% of our investment portfolio is currently comprised of high quality bonds, 11 % in mortgage loans, 4% in stock, 4% in real estate, and the remainder in operating capital. The bond investment is the largest asset protecting and supporting our policy reserves. Our philosophy in investing member funds is based on our commitment to all Hungarian Reformed Federation of America members - to deliver on our promise to help members build financial security. Suzanne S. Virgulák, Treasurer
