that will stand as a shining symbol to those of us who follow in his wake, was HENRY STEAGALL.

In my humble opinion, one of the finest qualities in the life of HENRY STEAGALL was his ability to make and keep friends. To know him was to love him, and he will live forever in the minds and hearts of his friends.

The heart of a friend never wonders or doubts,

No matter if years intervene,

The old faith is there and naught can compare
With the comfort it gives though unseen.

Yes, the heart of a friend is the one thing I prize
As life lengthens and twilight descends,

It's the last boon I'll ask when I've finished my task,
That I live in the hearts of my friends.

Remarks by Representative Brown
Of Georgia

Mr. SPEAKER: My steadfast friend and colleague, HENRY BASCOM STEAGALL, was serving his fifteenth term in Congress at the time of his sudden passing on November 22, 1943. As chairman of the Banking and Currency Committee, for which he was so eminently qualified, he distinguished himself and maintained the high regard and ready cooperation of every member of the committee by his quiet strength combined with gentility. His unwavering zeal and industry, and consistent efforts in behalf of the little man, won for him his life battle. Many important laws are now on the statute books of the Nation as living memorials to HENRY STEAGALL, the leader, the stateman and great American. Alabama and the whole country have lost a true patriot, and the farmer has lost his best friend.

He was born at Clopton, Dale County, Ala., and received his early schooling in the common schools of Alabama, having graduated in law at the university of his State. He practiced law a number of years, was a member of the State Legislature of Alabama, and was State district prosecuting attorney several years before he was elected, without opposition, to the Sixty-fourth Congress on June 29, 1914. He was elected to each succeeding Congress until the time of his death.

He was a man of fine intellect and keen perception, and thoroughly understood all proposed legislation that was brought before the Banking and Currency Committee during his more than a decade of outstanding service as its able chairman and leader.

It was my privilege to know HENRY STEAGALL intimately and to love him dearly, and I submit these brief remarks as a final tribute to him whose sincerity of purpose and greatness of character enriched the lives of all who were fortunate enough to be touched by his ennobling influence, which seemed to radiate around him like warm sunshine.

Remarks by Representative Elmer

Of Missouri

Mr. SPEAKER: This is the second memorial service I have attended in this House. Both were impressive. I listened to the eloquent addresses of a year ago and of today and I observed to myself, how fitting.

I knew our deceased colleagues for only a short time and cannot appraise them like those who have known them longer. I accept the appraisal of their worth, made by their people who sent them here on the mission to serve our common country.

On the surface, it sometimes seems, there is more strife than unity, and when one falls by the wayside his place is so quickly taken by another we forget the comrade of yesterday in greeting the one of today. But not so. The greatest thing in this House is the fellowship among its Members and their respect for each other. The strife comes from the earnestness of each to serve his country in his own way. Such fellowship cannot exist in any body of 435 Members which does not have a common purpose. If all were melted into one mass and poured into one mold there would emerge the image of Uncle Sam-the symbol of our united country. We remember them day by day, and on this annual occasion, show to our fellow Americans we have not forgotten.

When Columbus discovered America he saw a light burning on the shore. It was a signal from the New World to the Old, symbolical of the light of liberty that has burned here ever since. God had erected in our country His great lighthouse of freedom-evermore. It has sent its rays to all parts of the world. It has never lost its power, but has grown increasingly bright and strong as the years roll by.

Our decreased brothers, when alive, stood guard over this gift of God and with us have kept the lamps trimmed and the lower lights burning along the shore. They must be kept here, else freedom and liberty would be extinguished from the earth.

Remarks by Representative Jarman

Of Alabama

Mr. SPEAKER: Having spent considerable time in his congressional district some years previously, during which I heard from his constituents so many complimentary references to their Congressman, I was not at all surprised to learn upon entering this House what a kindly, patient, charming, able gentleman and legislator our lamented colleague was. I thoroughly enjoyed my entire service with him and am very grateful for his considerate kindness and friendship. He had no enemies in the House and must have had few, if any, real ones elsewhere. On the other hand, his attractive personality and excellent disposition was such that to know him was to at least like him, if not, in fact, to be thoroughly devoted to him.

It was my misfortune to be out of town when this able and lovable dean of the Albama delegation passed away. In fact, my colleague the gentleman from Alabama [Mr. Boykin] and I left Mobile, Ala., at approximately that sad hour to fly here and vote on legislation being sponsored by him as chairman of the Committee on Banking and Currency. Our arrival was tremendously saddened by information of the great bereavement we, his congressional district, his State, and his Nation had suffered.

Hon. HENRY B. STEAGALL had not only been dean of the Alabama delegation for 7 years but was 20 years senior to the Alabamian who ranked next to him in point of service. It was perhaps for this reason that I and many others addressed and referred to him as Marse HENRY.

I vividly recall my last conversation with Marse HENRY, of which I naturally thought immediately upon learning of his death. It occurred several days previously; in fact, just

the day before we left for Mobile and perhaps 30 minutes before he commenced his last speech in the House. Not wishing to miss the vote, I approached him with the idea of ascertaining when it would probably occur. During the conversation he said, “I am a sick man and ought to be in bed." I thought he merely suffered from a cold and had no idea of the ample warning he had received or that he had undergone a physical examination that very morning. It was characteristic of Marse HENRY, despite the warning, to make that great speech, primarily in behalf of those for whom he had fought so long, so ably, and so successfully.

His 29 years in this body is probably a record for our State. Throughout that time he rendered valuable service to his constituents and his country, but the broad field of momentous, well-nigh breath-taking, accomplishments opened for him only after he became chairman of the all-important Committee on Banking and Currency 11 years ago. Difficult though it be to choose from the vast amount of valuable legislation he was privileged to sponsor, I have an idea that his name will go down in history most indelibly as the father of guaranteed bank deposits, for which law he indefatigably fought and which legislation has saved and will continue to save millions, yes, billions of dollars for the comparatively small bank depositors of America. Of his many monuments, I am impressed that this stands out above the others.

It is most regrettable that his valuable service had to conclude and that this distinguished gentleman is with us no more. He will be greatly missed by his colleagues here, by his relatives, and by his host of friends in the Third Congressional District of Alabama and elsewhere. The members of his family, to whom our hearts go out in deep sympathy, have lost a devoted father, grandfather, and uncle. We in the House have lost a dear friend and an able colleague. His constituents are bereaved by the loss of an excellent public servant, and the Nation is denied the ability of a great statesman.