Verhovayak Lapja, 1947 (30. évfolyam, 1-24. szám)
1947 / Verhovay Journal
Verhovay Sunkist Southern California Echoes By Albert B. Steinmetz---------------Journal September 10, 1947 THE FERRET SEZ Jolán Lucas The chairman is üp on the rostrum, the gavel came down rapping for order, the delegates are all seated arid the XXI-st Convention | is in order, in Pittsburgh at the present time. From Sunkist southern California, this, sometimes-outspoken-columnist, heartily greets all delegates from all over the U.S. who are deliberating on official business. You, ladies and gentlemen, fellow fraternalists have my sincere wishes for a very successful and yet speedy convention . . . across these 2,800 miles of distance, I shake your hands and wish to cheer you on towards success. Being of fighting spirit, if it comes to sincere VERHOVAY business, I often pondered over the welfare of our “OFFICIAL ORGAN”, namely the VERHOVAYAK LAPJA but especially the VERHOVAY JOURNAL. In the reports by the many district meetings 1 noticed that almost all districts were talking about the JOURNAL, (most of them just talking), however some districts offered some real good, concrete suggestion^, I wish the convention would deliberate on . . . The VERHOVAY Association, will be as great, as it’s organ. Our JOURNAL must become bigger and better, but how? Definitely not by penny-pinching or by cutting it’s size, it’s publication -dates, and it’s quality. I have noticed in reports that at least one district wishes the JOURNAL to become a daily newspaper . . . Grand Idea ... It could be one, but personally I don’t think we are in the newspaper business. We haven’t money for it, no facilities, no editors who could spend all their time and energy for such undertaking right now. Later on? Perhaps ? . . . Some districts suggest that the Supreme President be the editor again like it was years ago, and the Verhovay Journal be edited by a capable 2nd generation Head officer. This is a very commendable Idea ... If we want the JOURNALS both Hungarian and American editions to remain on the weekly basis? FINE. It can be done with the cooperation of all concerned. Several districts brought up the idea of putting the JOURNAL on a sound business footing and start a real “advertising campaign”. The JOURNAL has the largest circulation in the U.S.A. you know ... I say it can be dorie! Elect a suitable man for the job. Pay him a decent salary (good living wage), let him put the JOURNAL on TOP. Let him be a real business advertising man. Let the JOURNAL and the VERHOVAYAK LAPJA appear once every week, combined if possible, that is printed in both languages together, and let every member receive the paper. Let it bring constructive, cultural and fraternal tidings, beside the official VERHOVAY news. Let it bring reports from the fields, of what is going on all over, let each branch elect, or select it’s own writers, reporters or journalists. Help them carry on, educate them, thank them, thank them for their efforts, and Yes, even pay them sometimes for their work, not just criticize, and discourage them . . . OUR PAPER WILL BE AS GOOD, AS VALUABLE TO ALL, AS ITS EDITORS AND WRITERS. No one can expect something for nothing nowadays. A small pay, a small encouragement to all those who are working for the JOURNAL and the VERHOVAY in general, will bring rich rewards to the Association . . . It’s an Open-Secret that the JOURNAL is not what is used to be, less than 4 years ago ... regardless what the “chief-belief in Pittsburgh may be”. If any of you have any back copies, go back 4—5 years on, and see that the VERHOVAY JOURNAL was a swell paper, that the members were proud to read, with many features written by many feature writers. Shall I name a few to refresh your memory? WHERE ARE ALL THESE 2ND GENERATION JOURNAL ISTS AND WRITERS TODAY? WHY DID THEY THROW IN THE TOWEL ? ? ? ? ? Miss BETTY CAROL BALEGA, WHO Co-edited the lovely Ladies’ Page. Miss AMELIA NYERS, CHILDRENS’ PAGE ... MR. JOHN DIRK FÜLÖP, Humorist . . . MR. -JOSEPH SZENTKIRÁLYI, on Hungarian History . . . MR. JOE VARGO, for Lovable Love Lyrics . . . STEPHEN HUZIANYI, an expert on Kossuthianna, etc . . . “THE SYLHOUTTE” of Youngstown, Ohio. WM. B. YUHASE, Stamps and “Southland” . . . JOHN VAUGHT, VERHOVAY sports . . . JOSEPH J. HORVATH, of Cleveland, . . . MARGARET STANGRET, of Chicago . . . ALEX PETHO, from LORAIN, 0. . . . Margaret Vargo Jozik, also her sister IRENE VARGO . . . MARGE SONKOLY, of Cleveland . . . IRENE BALLA of Chicago . . . Frank Balogh Sr., ANDREW SIMCHO . . . MRS. LOUIS SABO . . . FRANK A. SZOPKO . . . HELEN STIPKOVITS . . . FRANCIS MULLEN . . . Who remains??? “THE FERRETT” BILL KOHUT, & Ye’ “SUNKIST REPORTER” of the “OLD GANG” . . . WHY ? ? ? I say we had a friendly Journal 5 years ago, and I can prove my claim. Today, rather tomorrow we can again have a swell COMBINED JOURNAL if we’ll concentrate all our efforts . . . Let’s woo and win the old timers back, also cultivate the field, open the door for new writers from all over the U.S.A. Let’s welcome all talented writers, revamp, remake the official newspaper of the largest Hungarian Fraternal Organization . . . WE CAN DO IT! Give us freedom dear delegates, give us encouragement, give us help . . . Don’t be tight. Don’t make a “once a month JOURNAL”. Enlarge the paper, start a huge advertising campaign, sell space in the JOURNAL, bring in advertisements on big and small scale. Have wellbred editors, or assistants to the Supreme President if needed, but omit controversial copies, namely cut out all news dealing with politics, which always create echoes and ill effects, believe me . . . I sincerely believe that this is vital . . . Don’t sell the “Official By Mrs. “1 speak truth, not so much as I would, but as much a» I dare; and I dare a little more as I grow older.’’ — Montaigne. Many times in the last four years, your Ferret has written about the numerous advantages which I have enjoyed as a Member of the Auditing Committee. It has been a privilege to learn the fundamentals of a growing organization ... it has been a privilege to meet our Leaders who put heart and soul into the Verhovay Association. Last, but not least, it was my privilege to stop in for a few moments a day in the office of our all-around Editor, whose time is taken up with so many other big details of the Verhovay that often he has to put the paper together in the wee hours of the night, on his own time! Quite often I was fortunate enough to see some of the contributions which are sent in for publication. It was indeed a privilege to read “Southern Sunkist California Echoes” which will appear in the current issue of my beloved Journal. The writer calls it “Southern Sunkist California Echoes”, but I wonder if it isn’t "as much of a misnomer as the “Sunny California”, so-called by the Chamber of Commerce! It is not my aim to contradict a man, and fellow contributor, 2,800 miles away. Neither is it my aim to pin roses in the editor’s buttonhole, but I must mention one fact which I received from our Mailing Department. Four years ago the English edition of the Verhovay Journal had 6,000 readers. Today the figure is close to 15,000, more than double! To further prove the fact that the Journal is on a par with other official fraternal publications, I might mention that several editorials have been reprinted in such widely published magazines as the “Fraternal Age”, “Monthly S.A.F. Journal”, etc. etc. This must mean that the Journal, if not on TOP of the heap, is not far behind. Any reader who takes the time to read the Journal from beginning to end will find that there are items Organ” short, if you do, it will hurt our Association . . . ¥ * * That bird they call stork, has been busy in our southland lately, which left a 7 lb. 2 oz. bundle to Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Béres on Aug. 6th. Baby’s name is Joseph David Béres. On Aug. 10th, the old bird visited the Bora resident. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bora are the proud parents of an 8 lb li oz. boy, also, who received the name of Thomas Frank Bora. * * ¥ While on other VERHOVAY fronts Wedding bells were the ox-der of the day. In a short announcement I learned that, Mr. and Mrs. Ivan Somogyi announced the marriage of their daughter OLGA IRENE to Mr. Claude E. Bartlett on Aug 9th. On the other hand our lovely Rose Marie Bacsó eloped to Las Vegas, New, on Aug. 17th, and became the Happy Bride of Mr. Saniford Rogers . . . All my wishes to all these happy folks . . . * * ¥ Now if I were to report on New- Comers to our Southland, and vito suit a variety of tastes . . . constructive ideas (even from The Ferret) . . . cultural articles (when there is breathing space between official data and Board of Directors’ Minutes, etc.) . . . and always plenty of fraternal tidings (äs much as can be squeezed into 80 columns a month.) Reports from the field are always published, if received before deadline. As for the branches selecting publicity agents, the privilege was granted to us way back about eleven years ago when The Ferret first began a fairly regular column. If the writers do not contribute, it cannot be expected that Ye Ed will go out into the field and club them over the head. Now we must remember that our Verhovay Association sells fraternal insurance to its members, and has its Official Organ in which the members are notified about what happens to the money they put into our trust as a form of protection. It was never intended to publish a type of Good Housekeeping or even a True Story Magazine. We never have, and never will, pay any compensation to the contributors. In fact, at least as far as I am concerned, it would be an insult to offer anything to us of this nature. I am justified in stating that there are eoncientious Verhovay members who still have time to contribute their ideas and consti-uctive criticism to the ever-growing membership, who look forward eagerly to read another side of major problems. It is indeed with great pleasure that I read the long list of names in my fellow contributor’s column — folks who wrote right along with this old gal, but who for one reason or another dropped from sight — and not because of PRESSURE! It just happens that I know a few of them, either personally or via correspondence. There is Marge Stangret, who was one of the originators of our modern Journal and who has moved to Phodnix, Arizona. I remember when she publicly announced her temporary withdrawal. Her column sitors 1 could write columns of names every month ... I did meet quite a few visitors at branch 525’s Grape Festival Dance, here on Aug. 24th. Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Palos, fellow VERHOVAY delegate, former VERHOVAY JOURNAL printer of Detroit had a swell time here for about 3 weeks. They Loved our climate, our land . . . ’ Lovely blonde VALERIE HERNITZ, of South Bend, Ind. also is enjoying her stay in “Sunkistland” while Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Kovács, from Cleveland branch 45, Mr. and Mrs. Janoshy from bi'anch 212 Fairmount, W. Va. and countless of others are new settlers here . . . ¥ * ¥ Southland’s own, the “CALIFORNIA MAGYARSÁG” is 25 years old. This is the Hungarian weekly paper edited by Vei'hovay member ZOLTÁN V. SZABADOS. It’s one of the swellest little Hungarian newspapers in the U.S.A. today. We. 'will celebi-ate him and his paper on September 9th, and the anniversary edition will be out in October. Best wishes for a Happy future to you, brother Szabados! (Continued on page 9)
