Verhovayak Lapja, 1944 (27. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)

1944 / Verhovay Journal

Page 4

Verhovay Journal

Verhovay Journal

Journal of the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Ass’n

OFFICE OF PUBLICATION

8502 West Jefferson Ave Detroit, Michigan

PUBLISHED SEMY MONTHLY BY THE

Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association

Managing Editor: JOHN BENCZE Editor: COLOMAN REVESZ

Editor’s Office

345 FOURTH AVENUE ROOM 805 PITTSBURGH, PA.

All articles and changes of address should be sent to the VERHOVAY FRATERNAL INSURANCE ASSOCIATION

SUBSCRIPTION RATES:

345 FOURTH AVENUE ■ PITTSBURGH, J»A.

United States and Canada $1.00 a yea'

Foreign Countries $1.50 a yea.

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT: P. O BOX 7. WOOLSEY STATION — LONG ISLAND CITY, N. Y.

Entered as Second Class Matter at the Post Office at Detroit, Michigan, under the Act of March 3. 1879.

THE FIRST PORTRAIT PRESENTATION

Windber, Pa.,

Verhovayans and other American Hungarians came by the hundreds to the Hall of the Roman Catholic Church of Windber, Pa., where branch 59, of Scalp Level, Pa., was to hold its honor roll and service flag dedication. This occasion was used by the Supreme Officers of our Association to make the first presentation of the portraits that are made of the heroic dead Verhovayans.

Director Louis Vizi and his associates, Martin Leber, branchmanager and Joseph Muller, Treasurer, made all the arrangements necessary to satisfy a large crowd. But no one was prepared for such a crowd! Director and branch-president Vizi had to stop the sale of tickets for there were twice as many guests as could be seated in the large hall.

Visitors came from near and far. The Verhovay branches in the neighborhood were well represented. Among those who came from far, we noticed Mr. and Mrs. Emery Pálinkás (Mrs. Pálinkás is manager of branch 54, of Cleveland, O.), Dr. and Mrs. Aurel Aczel, from Philadelphia, and others.

Director Vizi opened the celebration, then the audience sang “My Country’’ which was followed by a stirring address in English by Father Steven Hegedűs. Members of the armed forces, on furlough in Windber And vicinity, attending the ceremony in a body, unveiled the Service Flag and the Honor Roll. There are 42 blue stars on the Service Flag and 1 gold star. The names on the Honor Roll are the following: John Alexa, Jolin Alexander, Albert Branail, Paul Brumbaugh, Joseph Bolinger, Steven Bencze, Steven Csontos, Jr., Joseph Fecser, Joseph Fuzi, Steven Fuzy,Jr., Ernest Gulbacz, Franklin Gerfy, John Horvath, Jr., Thomas Koshinszky, Andrew Kovács, Jr., John Kadar, Steve Knecht, William Knecht, John S. Lesosky, Joseph Makay, Jake Matkovich, Ernest McKool, Donald McKool, Charles L. Molnár, Jr., Steven Muller, John Nihoff, Jr., JOSEPH NIIIOFF (Gold Star), Steve Nihoff, Joseph Olajos, John Orosz, John Soltész, Jr., Michael Soltész, Arthur Szarka, Charles Szarka, Jr., Arthur Salata, John Salata, Jr., Steven Tocky, Steven Toth, John Vitko, Arthur Vizi,

Oct. 22, 1944

Roland Vizi and Robert Vizi.

After the dedication of the Service Flag and the Honor Roll, the Rev. Laslo Szabó delivered a moving address.

Then Supreme President John Bencze arose and addressed Mr. and Mrs. John Nihoff, the parents of the late CpI. Joseph Nihoff, who was killed in action in New Guinea on June 1st, 1944. With deep conviction he spoke about the heroism of our soldiers and the sincere gratitude of the nation. He spoke of the anxiety of millions of fathers and mothers and of the sorrow of those who have suffered such loss as Mr. and Mrs. Nihoff. Then he unveiled the pieture of Cpl. Joseph Nihoff. The scene itself defies description. A deeply moved audience rose to admire the picture which according to the parents and friends of Joseph Nihoff is a perfect portrait of the late hero. Everybody recognized in the picture a creation of true art. Again and again the parents of the hero admired the lively colors and the features that so closely resembled their son that they felt as if he would have stepped out of the frame himself, to greet his father and mother for the last time. The portrait of Joseph Nihoff Is a perfect success and, therefore, the first presentation was a perfect success too.

Following the presentation Mrs. Lauranchok, nee Emma Phillips, Deputy Auditor spoke to the parents and the audience in behalf of the second generation membership of our Association. The address, delivered with deep sincerity, made great impression. Since she represented the second generation membership, the readers of our Journal, we print her address in full.

* * *

“In dedicating and presenting the picture of Joseph Nihoff, Verhovay hero, to Mr. and Mrs. Nihoff, the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association honors not just one man who gave his all for his country; it honors also the other 89 Verhovayans and the 102,000 Americans who up to this day have paid the Supreme Sacrifice in the defense of our country. And the father and mother of this Verhovay hero, with their sorrow, represent hundreds of mourning Verhovay fa

milies and hundred thousands of sorrowing American homes. Somehow, this solemn hour brings to our minds all the sufferings and sacrifices of these heroes, and the anxiety and sorrow of their bereaved families.

But then, the dead are gone .. . the living are with us, the fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and wives of our heroes ... and we are here to help them bear their cross. For every soldier who is killed on the field of battle, a father’s and a mother’s heart breaks here .. . and we are here, to gently lift up the broken pieces and mend their lives so they may find new strength to go on, knowing that the gratitude of the nation will remain with them forever.

This picture is just a symbol of our gratitude, a humble expression of what we feel. I know, that no picture, not even the gratitude of the nation, can compensate for the loss of a son ... I know also that no human sympathy can alleviate the pain that will forever remain in the hearts of the fathers and mothers and wives of America who have given up their best for the country.

It is, therefore with hesitation that I stand here to convey the sympathy of the second generation membership of the Verhovay to you, whose son we honor today, and to all those who have lost one of their flesh and blood in this terrible war. On the other hand, I feel entitled to claim a share in your sorrow, I feel justified to attempt to give you a word of comfort, because I am a soldier’s wife myself, and that sad fate that has befallen you, the parents, the family of Joseph Nihoff, may fall upon any of us, in fact, upon me, too. Just as you prayed for your son, so do I for my husband and brother, but only God knows, whether or not our prayer will be granted.

But, as the wife of a soldier I must tell you, that these young men, who went out to fight for our country, knew that they may never come back. They did not want to die... they wanted to live ,.. yet they went courageously to those distant lands where death comes in a thousand dark forms upon thousands of our young men, every day. They wanted to live, yet they were willing to die, for they knew that this war has to be won and that Vletory will come only

if we are willing to pay the price.

And we who are left behind to worry and fear and pray for them, we know that, too. And just as they want to live, so we want them to live and come back to us to live with us in happy peace. Yet just as they were willing to fight until death ... so must we here on the home front he willing tó give them up LET NOT THE SHADOW OF BITTERNESS DARKEN THE MEMORY OF THEIR GLORIOUS SACRIFICE. THEY WOULD NOT WANT YOU TO BE BITTER. THEY WANT YOU TO GLORY IN THEIR HEROISM AND FIND PEACE IN THE THOUGHT THAT THEY DIED CREATING A BETTER WORLD. THEIR LIFE HAS NOT BEEN USELESS, IT HAS NOT BEEN WASTED.

The sad fate of Hungary should make us all realize that it is better to die for a free country than to live in an enslaved country.

As a soldier’s wife, as a member of the second generation and as a member of the Verhovay, I express to you the deep, sympathy of the membership of our Association. May God help and comfort you, and all of you who mourn for your heroic dead, that you may bear your sorrow with the just pride of free people who have given up their best so that men may live in a free world.’’

* * *

Then Mr. Nihoff rose. We came to know him as one of the grand old men of the mining district... Somehow, he reminded us of the 13 miners who 58 years ago founded the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association. And now, a Miner was the first to receive the splendid gift of the Association, the portrait of his son who gave his life in the service of the country that adopted his father and mother as citizens.

Mr. John Nihoff spoke with deep feeling, well chosen words and notable delivery. Accepting the portrait from the Verhovay, he praised the Association that found such a beautiful gesture to comfort those who suffered great loss through this war. He delivered a stirring testimony as to the fraternalism of the Verhovay Association and called upon those present to join it and thereby to strengthen it for

October 26, 1944

further achievements in patriotie and brotherly activities.

* * *

Then came the banquet. Twice the tables were set before all of the guests could be served, hut no one complained. The food was excellent... the miners’ wives really are grand cooks and they did their best to make this a memorable event from the culinary point of view.

Following the banquet Director Louis Vizi introduced Mrs. Pálinkás, manager of Branch 54, of Cleveland, O., who gave a beautiful recital. Greetings were read, among which the message from Director Andrew Dobos, Jr., of Pocahontas, Va., (another Verhovay mining district) was sincerely appreciated by the audience. Then Mr. Vizi introduced Supreme President John Bencze, Coloman Revesz, Supreme Secretary, John Szalanczy, Supreme Treasurer, Mrs. Lauranchok Emma Phillips, Deputy Auditor. Mr. Bencze explained that Mr. Alexander Gyulay, Supreme Organizer, could not he present due to an illness that still keeps him in bed, at the time when this report is written. Mr. Vizi also introduced Mr. Andrew Fay- Fisher, edtor of the Hungarian Miners’ Journal and territorial manager of the ’’Szabadság” daily, the other speakers who appeared on the program, and Mr. Louis Cincel, District Manager. The following branches sent a gift with ther. representatives: Branch 33, of Windber, by George Modok mgr., Branch 409, Windber, Pa., by Louis Kiss, Branch 517, Cairnbrook, Pa., by Mrs. Louis Udvary mgr., and Branch 61, Vintondale, Pa., by Steven Gulyas. Gifts were also presented by Sigmund Kaki from branch 52 of the Rakoczy Aid Association, Joseph Hegyi of the IWO in Scalp Level, Pa., and Nicholas Budai of the IWO in Windber, Pa.

According to the unanimous opinion of all present, it was one of the most successful affairs ever held in these parts. That celebration was the true expression of the fraternalism which binds together the members and the branches of our organization.

Sincere appreciation is deserved by Mr. Vizi, Director, president of branch 59, who together with the manager, Martin Leber, and the treasurer Joseph Muller, made all the preparations and arrangements for this grand occasion that will he remembered for many years to come by the good people of Windber and vicinity.

PFC. PAUL LAKATOS, a member of branch 249, Dayton, O., has been serving overseas, in the Southwest Pacifio Theatre of war for 18 months. He is stationed at present on the Palau Islands. He has participated in three major campaigns against the Japs.