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Our former colleagues stricken during the past year were worthy and honored Members of the most distinguished legislative body in the greatest nation of this day. As we recall them to our minds, we appreciate the qualities of mind and soul that they exhibited among us. Today we bow in reverence and honor to them. Their passing leaves gaps that cannot be filled, although their places be taken by others who will measure up to the high standards of this body.

We are linked to our departed colleagues through pleasant memories of their words, acts, and deeds. We are privileged also to go to the RECORD at any time to derive inspiration from their recorded remarks and actions. Future Members may also know our comrades from the Record, but, unfortunately, they will be limited in their appraisal by the fact of not knowing the personalities and the friendships of these leaders, as we have known them.

Henry C. Churchman has written a poem entitled "What Monument?" which seems to me to summarize the lives and memories of our deceased colleagues in the continual struggle of life and in the service of our fellow men.

Mr. Speaker, I will read this poem in reverence and respect to those whom we today memorialize:

What monument shall you erect

To foil Oblivion's lethal scheme,
When Death his customs shall collect,
And terminate this fleeting dream?

Build not of stone, for stone is cold,

And heartless, through Time's deathless reign;

No tenderness doth mortar hold

Where mem'ries spring to life again.

Build not of tyranny nor greed,

Nor blood-drenched garments of the slain;

Build not of Mother's tears that plead

The safety of their sons in vain.

But build of honesty and grit,

With consciousness of virtue's might,
With force of wisdom, grace of wit,
Determination for the right.

And build of courage, worthy deeds,
With selfless service to your kind;
Yes, build of thoughts for others' needs,
Adorned with cheerfulness of mind.

Thus through the ages shall survive

This monument you've builded then,
Your inmost self kept still alive

Within the living souls of men.

I have one more thought that I would like to leave today. It is the thought that it is more fitting to honor our fellow Members during their days of active service in these halls rather than after they have shed this mortal coil. It has been tritely said thousands and thousands of times that honors mean more to a man when he is alive than when he is dead. But how often do we overlook in these busy and hectic days the simple truth of this statement. How often has the world eulogized in death the man it knew slightly and valued less during his lifetime. There is a moral in our thoughts at this point that we should all take to heart. In all of our relationships and activities of a kindred nature, as representatives of the people, let us strive to become better acquainted one with the other, and when one among us demonstrates qualities of leadership and virtues of rare and unusual worth, let us not permit these virtues to be hidden under a bushel, as it were, but render our acclaim and honor forthwith.

"The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" to which all men are targets would be easier to withstand if along the highway of life we were more alert and generous to give credit where credit is due.

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Waterman has expressed this thought in his homespun way so much better than I can that I wish to conclude with a few lines written by this advocate of the good-neighbor policy among men:

If I knew you and you knew me—
If both of us could clearly see,
And with an inner sight divine
The meaning of your heart and mine,
I'm sure that we would differ less
And clasp our hands in friendliness;
Our thoughts would pleasantly agree,
If I knew you and you knew me.

If I knew you and you knew me,
As each one knows his own self, we
Could look each other in the face
And see therein a truer grace.
Life has so many hidden woes,

So many thorns for every rose;

The "why" of things our hearts would see,

If I knew you and you knew me.

Charles Barnes, master sergeant, United States Army, sounded taps.

The Chaplain pronounced the following benediction:

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you; the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace, both now and evermore. Amen.

The relatives and friends of the deceased Members were escorted from the Chamber.

The SPEAKER. Pursuant to the provisions of House Resolution 604, and as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased Members, the House will stand adjourned until 11 o'clock tomorrow.

Accordingly (at 1 o'clock and 15 minutes p. m.), under its previous order, the House adjourned until tomorrow, Wednesday, May 29, 1946, at 11 o'clock a. m.

in the

House of Representatives

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