Sen. Taft was a philosopher; Sen. DIRKSEN basically was a philosophical doer. In an age that practically has forgotten what rhetoric is, Sen. DIRKSEN was the closest thing we had to a Ciceronian rhetorician. Perhaps when all else about him is forgotten, he will be remembered for that. Words fell from his mouth mellifluously. Listening to him in comparison with most other contemporary senators was like listening to a 33 rpm recording of the New York Philharmonic played on the best stereo set, in contrast to a 78 rpm recording to the local 5th grade band played on grandpa's old Victrola. He knew what well-chosen words, well-spoken and properly laced with humor, could do. For him and the United States, they did a great deal. The essential purpose of rhetoric is to persuade. Sen. DIRKSEN's extraordinary talent as a legislator was his capacity to persuade a majority of senators to vote with him on a particular issue. As the Senate's Republican leader for 10 years, during none of which he had a Republican majority in the Senate, and during eight of which he had a Democrat in the White House, Sen. DIRKSEN worked political miracles. In doing so, he infuriated all segments of the political spectrum. His efforts brought about Senate confirmation of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1963, and Senate passage of the Civil Rights Bill of 1964. Yet, he was instrumental in the Senate's recent approval of the Safeguard Anti-Ballistic Missile System, and he labored diligently for the day when constitutional amendments could be approved that would alter the effect of the Supreme Court's reapportionment decisions and deny the court's authority in cases involving nondenominational prayers in the public schools. "The letters of Cicero breathe the purest effusions of the exalted patriot," Jefferson wrote. So did the orations of the last Cicero, EVERETT DIRKSEN. He loved America, loved it absolutely. His patriotism was manifested in many ways, but perhaps no more clearly than in his constant forensic struggle to make the marigold the national flower. The marigold, he told the Senate, has a “rugged humility of character; and, like the American eagle and the American flag, (is) an exclusively American emblem." He might as well have been describing himself, for behind the clouds of florid verbiage, there was a ruggedly humble senator who stood exclusively for American interests. For that, too, we who remain behind, must send him final gratitude and wish him every success as he delivers the votes on the celestial Senate floor. DOUG FRAZER, age 15. Proceedings in the House MONDAY, September 8, 1969. The Chaplain, Rev. Edward G. Latch, D.D., offered the following prayer: And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may be well with thee.-Deuteronomy 6:18. O God, our Father, the light of all that is true, the life of all that is good, and the love of all that is beautiful, we lift our hearts unto Thee that we may find wisdom, strength, and love sufficient for all our needs. Help us to walk in the light of truth, to live the life of goodness, and to share the love of the beautiful that we may play our part and do our full duty in this high hour of our national life. We pray that Thy spirit may enter the hearts of all people that our Nation, and all nations, may be free from malice and bitterness and be filled with goodness and good will. To this end and by Thy grace may we do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with Thee. Bless the family of our beloved Senate colleague with the comfort of Thy presence as they walk through the valley of the shadow of death. In the spirit of Christ we pray. Amen. A message from the Senate announced that the Senate had passed the following resolutions: SENATE RESOLUTION 253 Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the announcement of the death of Hon. EVERETT MCKINLEY DIRKSEN, late a Senator from the State of Illinois. Resolved, That the President of the Senate appoint a committee, of which he shall be a member, to attend the funeral of the deceased Senator. Resolved, That the Secretary communicate these resolutions to the House of Representatives and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. Resolved, That as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased, the Senate do now adjourn until II a.m. tomorrow. SENATE RESOLUTION 254 Resolved, That the Secretary invite the Members of the House of Representatives to attend memorial services for the Honorable EVERETT MCKINLEY DIRKSEN in the rotunda of the Capitol on Tuesday, September 9, 1969, at 12 o'clock noon; and be it further Resolved, That invitations be extended to the President of the United States and the members of the Cabinet, the Chief Justice and Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States, the diplomatic corps (through the Secretary of State), the Chief of Staff of the Army, the Chief of Naval Operations of the Navy, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, the Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the Commandant of the Coast Guard to attend the memorial services in the rotunda of the Capitol. Mr. ARENDS. Mr. Speaker, of the many tasks I have been called upon to perform in the course of my many years in Congress, this is for me the most difficult. It is with a heavy heart that I officially advise the House of the untimely passing of Senator EVERETT MCKINLEY DIRKSEN, the distinguished senior Senator from my State of Illinois, and the beloved minority leader of the U.S. Senate. He was indeed, as President Nixon said yesterday, “a giant in the history of Congress." In the courage of his convictions and in his oratorical eloquence of their advocacy, Senator DIRKSEN will forever stand tall on the pages of the history of our day with the Clays, the Calhouns, and the Websters of yesterday. It is not whether he or they were right or wrong in what they did or said; it is that they were fearless in what he and they believed and eloquently persuasive in expressing their beliefs. He is the last of the old school of orators. Among his contemporaries in the Senate while he was serving in the House were Tom Connally, of Texas; Hiram Johnson, of California; and Bill Borah, of Idaho. With the passing of Senator DIRKSEN something has passed that was truly American in the history of the greatest deliberative |