Verhovayak Lapja, 1946 (29. évfolyam, 1-52. szám)

1946 / Verhovay Journal

JULY 10, 1946

A LETTER TO MY FELLOW-MEMBERS

Business As Usual...

My dear fellow-members:

Permit me to tell ' you how happy I am for being one of you, as a new member -of -the Association. My Verhovay membership means a great deal to me, for Hungarians are very close to my heart. And the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association is Hungarian, indeed, for it was born of Hungarian parents, sixty years ago.

Believe me, my friends, I have waited for that for many years. Hundreds of times I thought, while in Hungary: “My God, if the . American Hungarians would know and see all this!” And every day I vowed: “My God, if ever I- return to that sacred land of freedom, I will tell it to all America, so that all those who have a heart for Hungary may realize how forsaken, unfortunate, unhappy Hungarian nation is today.”

I was over there for seven yers. The horrors of the last years are burned into my mind and I shall never forget their memories. And now that I have a chance to fullful my vow, 1 would like to try to describe the desolation of Hungary . . .

Many of you possibly remember the splendor of Budapest, the pearl of the Danube, with its magnificient bridges and dignified buildings, the City Park, the mountains of Buda, the Gellert hill with the magnificent statue of St. Gellert . . . Who wouldn’t remember the Citadel, the King’s castle, and the romantic island of St. Margaret. I am sure that all these are still before your eyes . . . Wasn’t all this an enchanting picture? Can anyone forget the Halaszbastya, the magnificence of the Parliament, the Matthias cathedral? No one who had ever seen the marvels of Budapest, can erase these memories.

Oh, if you would travel there today, what a different picture you would have to see . . . !

The banks of the Danube have no splendor anymore. Nor is the majestic Danube blue . . . she is dark, tragically dark . . . Dark of blood, dark of the corpses . . . Only blackened, empty ruins had remained of the King’s castle ... In vain you woidd look for the magnificent spire of the Matthias cathedral . . . The smoky skeleton of the Parliament looks mourningly into the darkened mirror of the Danube.

And the bridges! Oh, those marvellous bridges of Budapest! Their fate is a tragic chapter in itself. One could write a book of them. The loss of those bridges set Hungary back by a century, if not more. Not from the past into the future but from the future into the past had those bridges led the Hungarian people. It is a national calamity . . Quietly, the cruel, old Danube swallowed them all .. .

The City Park is empty and sad. The trees had been cut long ago by the freezing population. Where are the happy, laughing children? Oh, my dear fellow Verhov ay ans, fathers mo-By Jacqueline Jane Smor

thers, girls and boys, all of you who have a drop of Hungarian blood in your veins, I would like to write you about those emaciated, terror-stricken, sad-faced Hungarian children . . . I want to tell you of these innocent little souls who are not playing anymore in the Hungarian City Park. They don’t play, they don’t run around, for they are hungry . . .

The other day the baker-boy didn’t show up. My mother sent my brother to the store for bread, but there was no bread at the store eiher. My mother got into the car and ran all over the city for bread, but in vain. And what is more, there was no bread on the following day, either. Good heavens! What happened? Everyone was alarmed. What shall we do_ What will the people eat if there is no bread? Breadless, starving Europe suddenly seemed to be near . . . But on the third day—we had bread again. Nevertheless, it was a good lesson. Never before did we eat bread with such a deep sense of gratitude as on that day . . . But, my God, what should those people say who haven’t seen bread nor milk, sugar, lard, or meat—not for two day—but for months . . .

“Mother, give me something to eat . . .” “Mother, I am hungry!” . . . “Mother, I am terribly hungry . . .!” Oh, how many time? I have heard that cry over there . . .

I was born in Pittsburgh. For a long time I was the “only

one” in the family and you know what that means. My father and mother gave me everything my heart desired. I had so many clothes and toys that I wasn’t able to appreciate new things anymore. Good living and gifts l took for granted. Over there, however, I learned that one can take nothing for granted. It is a divine gift and privilege that we enjoy well being, plenty and liberty in our country. How did we deserve our standard of living and freedom? Surely, we American Hungarian young people are not superior to those over there! And how did those innocent children deserve their horrible fate? Don’t you agree that nothing can be taken for granted? Every day we should give thanks to God for the privilege of living in this country, but, at the same time, we should not forget those who are not as fortunate as we are. To you, dear Americans of Hungarian descent, to you who are able to surprise one another on birthdays, Mothers’ day, Fathers’ Day, not to speak of Christmas when the sky is the limit . . . to you who attend banquets where the tables are laden with excellent food, to you who by divine providence escaped the terrors of the war, to you I address my plea: save the future generation of the Hungarian nation, save the hungry Hungarian children! Give, oh, give just a penny a meal each day to that invisible emaciated little being . . .

Send those pennies of thanksgiving to the American Hungarian Relief, Inc. ... If everyone would do that each and every day, it would amount to a great deal. A penny isn’t much, but it means help to a Hungarian orphan, provided he gets that penny every day. For that is important: give while your donation helps. Not once, not twice only, but as long as help is needed. That is the real way of helping.

Where should destitute Hungary turn for help if not to us, her next of kin?

I still hear the pleading voice of those little children: “Mother, give me something to eat■ . . • Mother, I am hungry . . .”

Do you hear it, American Hungarians?

A little child begs for food.

TF I CAN STOP ONE HEART FROM BREAKING...

If I can stop one heart from breaking I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one lonely person Into happiness again,

I shall not live in vain.

Emily Dickinson.

OCTOBER PERFORMANCE REPEATED IN FIRST MONTH OF ANNIVERSARY GOLD RING CONTEST

October, 1945, the first month of the Sixtieth Anniversary Membership Contest, was hardly different from any other month. Organizing activities brought no better results than the preceding months and there was little reason to be optimistic about the outcome of the great campaign. Certainly, no one dared to hope that 3,015 new members will be recorded by the end of the contest.

The situation repeats itself at the end of the first month of the 60th Anniversary Gold Ring Contest. Results are almost the same □s those attained by the end of October, 1945, and there is nothing to indicate to the outsider that a contest has been launched.

There is a purpose in mentioning the similarity between these two first-months. The generous provisions set for the 60th Anniversary Gold Ring Contest should have sufficient appeal to arouse the membership. It would be a bitter disappointment and a tragic setback were the contest to continue as it started. The experiences of the last contest, however, give us every reason to hope for an increasing volume of business during the next six- months.

FIRST MONTH’S RESULTS

During June, 1946, 164 membership certificates, representing $148,500 insurance were issued in the Senior Order and 82 certificates, total face value $54,800, in the Juvenile Order, or a total of 246 membership certificates for $203,300 insurance.

In comparison, during October, 1945, we issued 128 certificates in the Senior Order, 114 in the Juvenile Order, or a total of 240. In other words, the results of June exceeded those of last October by only 6 new membership certificates!

Indeed, that is a poor start, for during May, when there was no contest, 249 certificates were issued, that is 3 more than in June, the first month of the Gold Ring Contest.

Participation was somewhat better during the first month of this campaign. By the end of last October, 96 branches had joined the contest, while by the end of June we had 110 branches on the record.

CONTEST-PUBLICITY

Scores will be published during this contest as was done in the previous campaign. In addition to the monthly totals, the leading contestants, branches and cities will be listed at the close of every month, thereby keeping the contestants informed as to their chances for winning any of the prizes set for this contest. After the conclusion of the campaign, the list of all winners, participants and non-participants will be printed. All this is done in the hope that, during the next few months, all branches will enter the centest and contribute to its success.

LEADING CONTESTANTS

At the end of the first month, all contestants with $3,000 or more insurance qualify for being listed as leading contestants. The amount will be raised to $5,000 at the end of the .second, to $7,000 at the end of the third, 510,000 by the end of the fourth month etc., notwithstanding the fact that prizes w7ill be awarded to all contestants who will have written at least $3,000 worth of new insurance.

At the end of October, 1945, we had 13 leading contestants an record. At the end of the first month of the current contest their number is 15, two more than at the close of the first round rtf the last contest. This, perhaps, can be taken as a sign of greater and more successful participation on part of our branch-managers and fellow-members. The list of the 15 leading contestants, as of

June 30, 1946, follows:

L) 443. Detroit, Mich. Joseph Szabó _____$8 000 (5 members)

2. ) 362. Dayton, O. Julius Polichany ___ $5,000 (5 members)

3. ) 164. Chicago, 111. Ernest Kunstadt ____$4,800 (8 members)

4. ) 27. Toledo, O. Julius Kerekes _______$4,500 (6 members)

5. ) 452. Colliers, VV. Va. D. Palfalvy ____$1,200 (8 members)

6. ) 412. Flint, Mich. John Kremple _______$4-200 (5 members)

7. ) 500 Detroit, Mich. John Gyiraszin ____$4,000 (4 members)

8. ) 84. Lackawanna, N. Y. John Beky___$4,000 (2 members)

9. ) 237. Steubenville, O. Joseph Fajcsi___$3 500 (4 members)

10. ) 226. McKeesport, Pa. Al. Nemeth ______$3,000 (4 members)

11. ) 327. Joliet, 111. Peter Kiss ____________$3,000 (3 members)

12. ) 159. Phoenixville, Pa. L. Papp _________$3,000 (3 members)

13. ) 171. Sharpsville, Pa. J. Feedier ________$3,000 (3 members)

14. ) 216. Northampton, Pa. John Szőke____$3,000 (3 members)

15. ) 248. Logan, W. Va. John Vizi _______$3,000 (3 members)

Full-time Local Organizers participate in the contest with production in excess of their quota. It is to be expected, therefore, that they will figure among the leading contestants during the later months, as happened in the last campaign.

LEADING BRANCHES

Branches with $5,000 or more to their credit at the end of ihe first month are mentioned at this time.

1.) SOUTH BEND, IND., Branch 132, Frank Wukovits manager, local organizer, again heads the list with $17,000, 15 new members, secured during June.

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