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

1946 / Verhovay Journal

AUGUST 14, 1946

THE VICTOR’S SUICIDE

—And Hitler Laughs in Hell—

“Pride goeth before destruction and an haughty spirit before the fall”—said King Solomon in the Proverbs and the same warning was reiterated ten centuries later by St. Paul who wrote: “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

Indeed, man is in the greatest danger of falling when he walks on what he thinks is safe ground. Many a triumphant army was defeated on the eve’ of victory by a subtle Cnemy and many a nation went to its destruction after a victorious war because its citizens took to plundering their own land and „.people instead of following up their victory by a united effcrt to rebuild their country and reconstruct the conditions that make for peaceful and productive life.

“Ev’n victors are by victories undone!”—wrote Dryden arid that is the grave danger confronting our nation today. A program of systematic looting has taken the place of the magnificent unity that crowned with victory the war effort of our people. Facing one another in an evil fight for profits and advantages, various groups within the nation are ready to cut each other’s throats in their quest for comforts and luxuries.

And Hitler laughs in hell . . . What the German armies could hot accomplish is being done for him now in America. The rocket bombs of the Nazis could not have done more damage to our nation than already has been done by the forces of avarice ... * * *

We don’t believe that the present inflationary tendencies are caused by the expiration of the war-time OPA. The lack of ef fective laws and artificial regulations is not the root of our troubles. Today’s conditions de veloped because the various groups within the nation were unwilling to work out such solutions for their problems that Would have been equally fair to every economic group of the nation.

' There is hardly anyone who would care what happens to his fellowmen. The wealth of the nation has become the bone of contention hetween selfish interests that, oblivious of the welfare of the rest of the nation, are intent only on filling their own pockets. “Gimme!” is the battlecry of those with the strongest arm who, pushing everybody aside, grab everything that comes within their reach. And the others? Who cares? Let them struggle, too, for whatever is left for them, if anything.

And Hitler laughs in hell . . . “Heil, heil-”—he cries happily to those who make him the con queror of America.

* * *

The race of wages and prices is on and the moon is the goal. And, regardless of what anyone Will say this did not happen because of what was done to the OPA, for the process was started While the OPA was still in business. Like a hastily erected dam the OPA succeeded to a limited extent in damming up the floods of rapacious claims during the war time emergency but as soon as the emergency passed, various groups within the U. S. citizenry began to wreck the dyke releas ing the flood that submerged the nation in an ocean of irresponsibility and tragedy. The fate which our heroes averted from the nation at the risk and cost of their lives, has overtaken us.

And Hitler laughs in hell . . . As hard as he tried, he could not ruin the United States of America, but now it is being done for him right here, in our own land.

# * *

Our country, the richest in the world already is poorer than most of its citizens would realize. The purchasing power of the dol lars has decreased by 50-60% if not more. The dollar is dollar in name only, in reality it is worth only 40 cents. And tomorrow it will be worth 35, in a week 30, and if this keeps up, in a month it won’t be worth a dime.

Wages may be raised as high as the sky, if the prices are raised, too, as they are in every instance, wages five times as high as they are today, won’t be worth as much as they are now. Of course, those, who get the higher wages, won’t be losing— for the time being. They will be where they are today. But—and this is the issue—the great majority of the citizens will lose. Millions of white collar workers, the employees of the government, the states, counties and cities, and all the others who work for fix ed wages, already have sustained terrific losses. And that is only the beginning. All those who had invested their savings,,, accumulated at great self-sacrifice, are condemned to lose. Every widow and every orphan for whom provisions had been made on the life insurance plan—is condemned to lose. All those who own War Bonds and Government Saving Bonds—are condemned to lose. Today they look forward to the time when their bonds will mature at $25. Whom will they blame when they find out that for more goods than $5 would their 25 dollar bond will not pay And what will happen on the day have paid a few months ago? when every wage-earner, in fact, every citizen of the nation will have to facé the fact that his social security benefits and old age pensions have evaporated? Indeed, on that day the entire nation will arise with the cry: “We have been robbed of everything we ever hoped to attain!”

Organized labor and a Kandiul of capitalists may escape the losses—for the time being. But more than seventy million wage

earners and their dependents, the great majority of the nation will have to pay with a life-time of misery for their escape . . .

And Hitler laughs in hell . . . for that’s just what he wanted to happen* * *

And no OPA will help this nation to avoid the tragic fate that is threatening today every househild in the United States of America. It is up to us, the citi zens of this great country, to save ourselves- It is up to every economic group within the nation to decide not to raise any demands that cannot be met without causing serious losses to the rest of the nation. If the Congress and the Senate of the United States really are what they are supposed to be: the representative body of the people, they should consider the welfare of not only a privileged group but that of the entire nation and act accordingly, in fairness to capital and labor, the farmer and the office worker, the businessman and the professional, the private and the government employee. Vociferous minorities cannot have exclusive claim to the wealth of the nation! The people cannot be permitted to yield to extortionists and strongarm men who are out to make the most of troubled conditions. No individual and no group has the right to enrich himself by impoverishing millions. A definite stand must be made before it is too* late lest we leave to our children and children’s children the heritage of a bankrupt nation.

Let’s not forget that Hitler laughs in hell because his fondest dreams are being realized in our land. Let’s also remember that he isn’t the only one who Wants to see America impoverished, torn apart and weakened. No profits and no raises in wages are worth the national calamity that would result from the economic collapse of the American nation.

And let’s not forget either that this is the road leading away from democracy toward national socialism or communism. This nation is doomed if it yields to the never-proven promises of any kind of “ism.” Hitler de rided our democracy claiming that we are weak and emasculated. His defeat proves that there is no task too great for the inherent strength and power of a true democracy. Now, however, we face the real test of our national strength. Shall we pass this test or shall we yield our hard-won victory to Hitler and his fellow-travellers?

We realize that today an appeal to the masses is just a voice in the wilderness. “Bosses” rule in almost every field of endeavor and the voice of the individual, no matter how prophetic and true, is lost in the confusion. But as long as there is a possibility to save ourselves from relentless

THE LIFE AND ÁRT OF PAUL SZABADY

Last year, in the issue of October 10th, we had the pleasure of presenting the reproduction of an exquisite mural adorning Camp Picket’s Officers’ Club, painted by Paul Szabady, a member of Branch 503, Chicago, 111. While we went to some length in evaluating his art from the American Hungarian point of view, we felt that our article was not entirely satisfactory due to the lack of biographical data which would have been of interest to our readers. This we mentioned in a letter to our good friend, Stephen Huzianyi, who was kind enough to comply with our request by furnishing a detailed biography of Verhovay’s most promising and already famous artist. At the same time, friend Huzianyi also sent us several pictures taken of the interior of St. Mel’s Church which was decorated under the direction of Paul Szabady, himself painting the murait and art panels. A reproduction of a section of the in terior, with a beautiful mural and other details, is shown below.

Interior Of St. Mel’s Church Decorated By Paul Szabady

Paul Szabady hails from Mishawaka, Indiana, where he was born on November 3, 1913. When seven years old, his parents took him to Moholy, in the Bacska and there he received his elementary education attending afterwards the “gimnázium” (high school) at Zenta. He started to paint as a high school student and encouraged by his teachers, went to Belgrade where he met Arpad Balazs, one of the leading cartoonists. Balazs, seeing his sketches of peasant life in southern Hungary, was deeply impressed by the great talent of this young men and gave him encouragement and advice on how to forge ahead with his studies. Strengthened in his determination to devote his life to the art of painting, Paul attended a Russian art class, where there were old artists from Russia who welcomed him most cordially in their midst referring to him as their “son,” for he was the youngest student there.

In 1933 Paul entered the Institute of Art at Zagrab where he studied, among others, under the world-known Ivan Mestrovich, a famous sculptor whose statue of the Indian stands in one of Chicago’s parks. At this Institute Paul studied for three years, with utmost devotion and diligence.

Then, in 1935 he went to the Hungarian Royal Academy of (Continued on Page 2)

ly approaching ruin, it is the sacred duty of every intelligent, self-respecting citizen to protest against the rule of INDIVIDUALS over ten thousands, hundred thousands and millions of citizens.

Woe unto us, woe unto the nation if we now serve proof to the world that we cannot settle our

own economic and social problems in fairness to all the classes and groups which make up the United States of America! Woe unto us if we prove to the world that our national character is weaker than our military power! For then—we will have lost the war . . .

And Hitler will laugh in hell.