Verhovayak Lapja, 1937. január-június (20. évfolyam, 1-26. szám)

1937-02-27 / 9. szám

FEBRUÁR 27, 1937

5-IK OLDAL

THE SECOND GENERATION

IS ON THE MARCH!

I

In the very center of “Liberty Square”' in Budapest, there is a high flag staff, on which flies the Hungarian tricolor at HALF MAST, as it will fly until the Hungarian people are freed from the bonds of the most unjust treaty of all history, the Treaty of Trianon.

Near the flag staff there are four statues, representing northern, southern, eastern and western territories, which were so forcibly torn from thousand year old Hungary. These four statues depict four burning wounds in the heart of every Hungarian.

In another part of the Square, there is .the “Statue of Hungarian Grief”, presented to the Hungarian people by their friends, that brave warrior of the Hungarian cause. Lord Rothermere.

Directly in front of the Square, there is another statue, that of a soldier. His uniform is foreign; in on of his hands he holds a riding whip. Who is this? Why is his statue displayed there? We all know. Today, everyone knows who Bandholtz, the American general, was. Everyone knows, that if he had never been, there would be nothing- but emptiness in the Hungarian National Museum instead of great halls filled with beloved treasures, historical and precious, which are symbolical of Hungary’s past greatness and strength.

The General, the son of a faraway country and a representative of one of the victorious nations, at the risk of his own life, with only a riding whip in his hand, routed the armed hordes who wanted to rob the Museum. That is why the statue of General Bandholtz stands in “Liberty Square” in Budapest — an expression of undying gratitude of the Hungarians.

II.

Let’s pick out a letter from this morning’s mail to our editorial department and copy a few paragraphs.

“.......I also belong to the

second generation. I was born in America, but I can

speak, read and write Hungarian. I read your articles in which you tell of the American Hungarian Pilgrimage, which will take place this summer. I have never seen

THE LAST THREE MONTHS!

desire to participate in this event. Göd helping, 1 will. I would be one of those who will pay reverence before the statue of that great general, who risked his life to save Hungary’s treasures. Gentlemen, r, regret to say that I have never seen the great National Museum, but my relatives and acquaintances tell tales of unestimably precious, historic treasures it contains. I realize that the great halls would have been bare but for the courage of General Bandholtz”.

“....... 1 have read General

Bandholtz’s famous book: ‘An Undiplomatic Diary.’. With tears in my eyes I read the part where he described how that remarkable incident happened in front of the Museum. A son of a distant foreign nation, he risked his all for us Hungarians. I want to be there when all the other American Hungarians

THE GREAT MEMBERSHIP CONTEST OF THE VERHOVAY WILL CLOSE ON MAY 31, 1937. — TWENTY-FIVE LUCKY WINNERS WILL SEE HUNGARY. — THE LAND OF CONTRASTS. BANDHOLTZ PILGRIMAGE TO HUNGARY.

1. Not many Americans' know Eastern Europe. A few go as far as Vienna,*of these, a very few travel on to Budapest, remaining three days, the limit for special tickets. Seldom do they stay in Hungary long enough to sample its life in City and Country, to get below the surface and absorb the “feel” of Hungary. But those who do go, find Hungarian hospitality all that the proverbs say of it and more.

Last year there was published a very interesting book about Hungary. Grace Humphrey in her book Hungary-Land of Contrast writes the following.

“Land of contrasts, the meeting place of East and West, Hungary is one of the j few countries in Europe where visitors still see feudal1 costums and lovely costumes of noblewomen and of peasants.“ All these things and| many, many more, are of, such interest that when once seen they can never be forgotten.

2. Twenty-five lucky winners will share the wonder-' ful ocean trip over to Europe and then, on to Budapest.— Budapest the “Queen City of i the Danube”, ghe city which] never disappoints you. You1 like the first glimpse of the city and the feeling grows on you the longer you remain ip it.

Budapest deserves all that people say of it and more, j There is only one ad jective j that adequately describes the great sweep of the Danube, j here, “magnificient”.

There is not another city I in the world which has made such good use of it’s river] frontage as has Budapest.— |

The commerce of seven countries is handled up and down on the Danube and theqefoje this city with its three miles of quays, rightly calls itself a “port”.

Over one hundred contestants are in line to be among] the twenty-five lucky ones to sail on July 24th on the palatial steamship “Europa”.— The ocean trip_ will belike a dream. After four and a half days of sea voyage, the giant

liner will dock in Bremmerhaven. Here a Verhovay special train will be waiting for the winners and all those who will compose the Verhovay excursion. As you well know, with the Verhovay winners will sail all those who will take part in the pilgrimage to the statue of Gen. Bandholtz in Hungary.

The American - Hunga rians will pay their respects to the memory of the American General who did so much for Hungary. General Bandholtz is the man to whom Hungarians are grateful for the fact that the National Museum still stands today.

Those who shall have earned the privilege of making the trip, will be shown many interesting*sights.

Victory is in sight, only three more months and the great Verhovay contest will be over. The winners wil leave on the never-to-beforgotten trip, to visit the land of their fathers and mothers, to be the welcome

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pay tribute to this national hero of ours from Constantine, Michigan.’’

This much from the letter. Every line of it was written with devotion and fervor. — This American Hungarian youth gives expression to the feeling of each and everyone of us. THE SECOND GENERATION IS ON THE MARCH! Every American youth of Hungarian origin wants to participate in the historical excursion of Hungarian Americans. The Old Country will receive them with open arms. They come from that clan which gave Badholtz to the world and they go to the country which is the land of their parents’ birth. How many of us feel the same urge this young man has expressed!? How many of us will cross the ocean under the banner of this noble pilgrimage ? !

We will write a new chapter in the_ history of American Hungarians in the summer of 1937, and our band will be led by undying gratitude to General Bandholtz.... When we stand before the statue, it will seem to us that the General’s voice is heard saying: “WELCOME!”

I the beloved Hungary of my ; parents, which I claim also as mine, and it is my greatest