a friend who but last Friday greeted me in the Chamber here, when we exchanged pleasantries as we have done almost every day since I came here in the 84th Congress.

Congressman MCVEY is almost a legend where I come from. I grew up in the shadows of Thornton Township and the shadows of Harvey, Ill.; and there, as almost everywhere, his reputation for truth and for honesty and for integrity, for intelligence and talent is remembered permanently among the fine citizens of that sector of our State.

In the law we say a man can always defend his general reputation but not his specific acts. That is a postulate in the case of Congressman WILLIAM MCVEY, he not only deserved that general reputation, but every one of his specific acts indicated he took his fiduciary relationship with his constituents, the people of Illinois, and the people of the United States, in the highest traditions of that assignment, because we find him always exercising the greatest care, obedience, loyalty, and duty to account in his lawmaking assignment.

We do not have to search far to find some appropriate and meaningful paragraph or statement that might point up his dedication, his aims, and his norms or yardsticks. Upon the wall in this very Chamber immediately in front of us we read Daniel Webster's poignant and succinct words: "Let us develop the resources of our land, call forth its powers; build up its institutions, and promote its great interests and see whether we also in our day and our generation can promote something worthy to be remembered."

By Congressman MCVEY's attention to duty, he has written in his epitaph, in letters of gold, or at least of some such permanent, those observations and those goals enunciated by that former great statesman.

In the name of the Illinois delegation and the people of the great 12th district, whom I have the honor to represent,

I extend our heartfelt sympathy to his wife and family in the hour of their great loss.

Mr. VURSELL. Mr. Speaker, it was a great shock to me, as it was to all Members of this House, and particularly to the Illinois delegation, to learn of the death of our colleague, Dr. MCVEY.

I have had a very close association with him for many, many years.

I only hope that when I have finished my service in the Congress, as doubtless other Members do in thinking of themselves, that the fine remarks of commendation, or at least some of them may be said about me that we have heard today in this memorial to our beloved colleague, Dr. MCVEY.

Dr. MCVEY spent his whole life in the service of his country, in studying the history of our country, in guiding the youth of our country. He has had a long service of interpreting to the youth our history as it has unfolded itself in the years he was in the educational service. As a tribute to his worth as a citizen, his educational leadership and community service, his people for years have reelected him to Congress where he has served with integrity and honor, which seems to me to be a fitting conclusion to a life of service to his country well done.

Mr. Speaker, I want to associate myself with all of the splendid commendations that have been paid to this colleague of ours today. I want to particularly point out that he had only one interest, in my judgment, in this Congress, and that was the interest of the Government of the United States, which is made up of all the people of the United States.

I have never seen Dr. MCVEY hesitate to follow his considered judgment in rendering a service that he felt his conscience dictated that he should render.

It is going to be a great loss to the Illinois delegation, a loss to the Members of Congress generally, and the Nation.

I want in closing to take this opportunity of expressing the deep sympathy of Mrs. Vursell and myself to Mrs. McVey and their beloved family.

Mr. HENDERSON. Mr. Speaker, it is sad to realize that we will not have our good friend, Dr. MCVEY, with us in this Chamber again. We regret that we will no longer have him on our Committee on Banking and Currency where we could ask for and receive his counsel and guidance. His deep insight into the affairs of our Government, into the matters that came before his committee, was of great benefit to this Nation. We feel a deep sense of loss because of his passing. Mr. Speaker, I wish to express my heartfelt sympathy to his family, to his loved ones, to the Illinois delegation, and to his constituents who will miss him so very, very much.

Mr. MADDEN. Mr. Speaker, I was greatly grieved this morning when I learned of the passing of Congressman WILLIAM MCVEY. I became acquainted with him when he first came to the Congress. His congressional district and mine adjoin the Illinois-Indiana State line. We have had a number of matters in common, legislatively and otherwise, during his service in the Congress. We both conferred several times during the last couple of weeks pertaining to a drainage and flood situation on the Little Calumet River that runs in both our districts. Several years ago we devoted considerable time on the same problem which ever few years creates a bad flood condition. I have always admired Dr. MCVEY for his serious attitude and his conscientious hard work as a Member of the Congress. My relations with him, legislatively, have always been very cooperative, and I know that the people of his district and all his friends will be shocked to hear of his passing. America has lost a great

statesman; he legislated not only for his district in Illinois but for the benefit of the Nation generally far more than the average Congressman.

Very few Members come to Congress as well equipped as Dr. MCVEY. He won degrees at Ohio University and Chicago University. He was a professor and lecturer at a number of colleges and universities. He also enjoyed considerable reputation as an author. His vast educational background and experience served him well as a legislator during his terms in Congress.

I wish to join the Illinois delegation in extending to his wife and family my sincere sympathy in their bereavement.

Mr. Speaker, it was a

Mrs. ROGERS of Massachusetts. great shock to me this morning when I learned of the passing of Dr. MCVEY. We in the East had great admiration for him, as well as all of you from the West, and, from the eulogies of the Members of Congress, those of the entire Nation. I can see him now sitting on this aisle with his ready smile for everybody, his kindliness, his intelligence. Dr. MCVEY used his great intelligence to do what he thought was right not only for the United States but for the entire world; sure of himself, tolerant of the opinions of others, and he possessed great anxiety to help others. He was a great asset to the Congress and to this Nation. Dr. MCVEY, I always felt, legislated from love rather than from hate or prejudice; a tremendously fine trait; a wonderful trait, and in nearly 34 years' experience in the Congress and nearly 50 years in Washington, I know it to be a trait more precious than rubies and one that is tremendously valuable to this great Nation. We have had many difficult votes to make, during the past few years especially, very far-reaching votes, and while I did not always vote with Dr. McVEY, I always knew when I passed

up the aisle where he always sat after voting there would be a ready smile and a sympathetic understanding.

The last time I ever talked to him, curiously enough, was when I yielded time to him and referred to him as "the gentleman from Ohio," little realizing that he was born in Ohio. So both Ohio and Illinois may claim him. But we of the East, too, would like to claim him.

Mr. Speaker, my deepest sympathy goes to his wonderful family and also to his hosts of friends. After I had referred to him as the gentleman from Ohio, the last thing I said to him was, "I shall never forget you now, Dr. MCVEY." And I never shall forget him.

Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, as the years go by it is becoming more difficult for me to stand up and pay tribute to the Members of this House for whom I have the highest respect and esteem. I became acquainted with Dr. McVEY when he came to Congress. You know, I feel that the greatest responsibility of a Member of Congress is so to conduct himself that he is an example to the young people who are coming on. I think a man like Dr. MCVEY, and his wonderful life as he lived it, and as I have seen him live it here on the floor of the House, was a splendid example to the youth of America who will come along, patterned after him, to strengthen this Nation.

It has been said that bad will be the day for a man when he becomes absolutely contented with the life that he is living, with the thoughts that he is thinking, with the deeds that he is doing, when there is not forever beating at the doors of his soul some great desire to do something larger, which he knows he was meant and made to do. I believe Dr. MCVEY had that everlasting desire to do something larger which he knew he was meant and made to do.

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