MENDEL RIVERS believed that weakness invites disaster and invites war, and that strength promotes peace-this MENDEL RIVERS believed. As a former GI myself, I can testify to the universal admiration the average GI held for MENDEL RIVERS. He was their champion. They believed in him.

Though, as we now know, he was then seriously ill, MENDEL RIVERS recently spoke out vigorously in the well of the House, citing the essential role the American textile industry plays in our national defense. And we well remember his recent speech at the keel-laying ceremonies for the nuclear frigate South Carolina where he pledged to fight for a U.S. Navy that is once again second to none. We remember too his gallant speech, but a few days before he entered the hospital, in behalf of our POW's.

I would like to tell you something else about MENDEL RIVERS, about the personal problems which he courageously overcame. For many years he vanquished the heart trouble that only some few of us knew about. We are aware of another personal problem over which he had been totally and courageously victorious. He was successful over this personal problem through the same tenacity and perseverance with which he led his great committee. His victorious battle over this problem is an inspiration to all of us.

In spite of his tremendously heavy workload, which often required him to be in his office before dawn, MENDEL RIVERS developed a closely knit family which he dearly loved. He was devoted to his mother, who was a great influence on his life and a great lady in the tradition of the old South. He was devoted to his two sisters. Always a source of strength to MENDEL RIVERS were his children and his lovely wife, Margaret, the former Margaret Simons Middleton, a daughter of one of our State's most distinguished and illustrious families.

On his last visit to my home, a little over 2 months ago, MENDEL RIVERS made a speech from my front porch and he spoke for 45 minutes. When lunch was served many of the rest of us stayed inside and had something brought in to us, but MENDEL RIVERS requested to go out and meet the people out in the pasture where a barbecue was being served. He wanted to mingle with them. He shook hands with at least 2,000 of the many thousands gathered there, and was so surrounded by wellwishers that he scarcely was able to eat.

He asked to walk up the main street of my hometown and go in some little stores, just meeting people on the street and in the stores.

This is one indication of the real character of Mendel Rivers, and the secret of his fantastic political success. He was a warm and colorful man loved and admired by people from all walks of life. He was loved and admired by the people of South Carolina as perhaps no other individual of our time.

I remember every time and I did not always go-but every time, Mr. Speaker, that I went to our congressional prayer breakfasts, MENDEL RIVERS was there. He believed fervently and devotedly in an all-powerful, omnipotent Heavenly Father. And I agree with Dr. Billy Graham upon learning of the sad news yesterday when he said that we are--and I believe this going to meet MENDEL RIVERS in Heaven.

Do you know what my two little boys said yesterday? They said: "Daddy, this is awful news." They loved MENDEL RIVERS, my children did. And you know, I remember asking them one time not so long ago whom they would like to see the next time as President of the United States, and I named several individuals. Without a moment's hesitation they said, "MENDEL RIVERS of Charleston, S.C." Not just my children, but a great many youngsters were attracted to him. They loved his colorful and unique manner, a public style which, of course, can never be duplicated. But perhaps more important, they believed in his genuineness, his straightforward manner, his utter lack of hypocrisy and duplicity. He always spoke and acted according to his beliefs.

Mr. Speaker, my wife Millie, who admired the chairman so much, and each of my children join me in extending to MENDEL RIVERS' family our deepest sympathy, to his lovely wife and daughters and to his son Lucius Mendel Rivers, Jr. In large measure their private loss is also our public loss. May we all derive strength and sustenance from his memory.

Mr. SIKES. Mr. Speaker, the death of MENDEL RIVERS will be mourned by a great many people. They include servicemen and their families who benefited greatly from his work. No man in our time contributed more to give them the same standard of living which they are called upon to defend. They include that great majority of American citizens who still understand the essentiality of a strong defense and who know he was one of the foremost champions of a strong defense for our country. He was firmly convinced, and properly so, that relaxing our defense efforts would represent a clear invi

tation to the Communist world that America no longer presents a threat to their plans for world domination. Those who mourn him include also the people who appreciate a fearless fighter for the ideals of America. He understood those ideals, and believed in them. They include in particular the State of South Carolina and his constituents who had great faith in him and benefited so richly from his 30. years of devoted stewardship and sound representation in Congress. And they include his colleagues, who can best measure the ability of the men and women with whom they associate and who know that here was a man who stood tall among our Nation's leaders.

MENDEL RIVERS has built a monument of good works, and he leaves friends and loved ones who know he will not be replaced. I knew him well, better than most. He and I came to Congress together in 1941, a long time ago. During these past 30 years we have shared a close and warm association and I counted him one of my dearest friends. I watched him grow in greatness and applauded his work for America. We have lost a champion among Congressmen. America has lost a great son—a man respected, honored, and beloved.

To Margaret, his beloved wife, to his daughters Margaret-Mrs. Robert G. Eastman and Lois Marion, and to his son, Lucius Mendel, Jr., Mrs. Sikes and I extend our deep and earnest sympathies. We, too, have lost someone we loved and we understand, at least in part, the measure of their bereavement. This is a sad day for all of us and for America-a very sad day.

Mr. ARENDS. Mr. Speaker, it is difficult for me, almost impossible to express the great loss I feel with the passing of my good friend and colleague, Mendel Rivers. For many years I sat next to him on our Committee on Armed Services, he as chairman and I as ranking minority member. In all our committee proceedings he was fair and just, giving every member full opportunity to state his views.

Our committee has a reputation of being nonpartisan. There is nothing partisan about our defense posture. And, as chairman, MENDEL RIVERS made certain that partisan considerations did not enter into our deliberations. He was not arbitrary. He never made a major decision without consulting the minority.

He is said to have been controversial, but not insofar as I am concerned. He was controversial because he stood firm on what

he believed. He stood firm on making certain that our country had

a national defense second to none. He stood firm on the premise that the American people must at all times be secure. He stood firm on the principle that our best assurance for peace is to be prepared.

MENDEL RIVERS is no longer with us, but he will live on in the mind and heart of all of us who knew him. To know him was to love and respect him.

With the passing of MENDEL RIVERS this Congress has suffered a great loss. Our country has suffered a great loss, South Carolina has suffered a great loss, for no one could be more dedicated to his country than he. And I, Mr. Speaker, have suffered a loss, much greater than I can possibly say. God bless his fine family at this time in their bereavement.

Mr. GERALD R. FORD. Mr. Speaker, I can vividly recall my first impression of MENDEL RIVERS on the floor of the House. He was an active, vigorous participant in the business of the House of Representatives on a most important legislative matter. He was a most impressive debater, an individual who had a personality that was different from that of any one of us. Because of his great ability and his personality I was tremendously impressed with this Member that I had never met. On a number of occasions I had the opportunity to be with him on issues, and on a very few occasions to differ with him. MENDEL RIVERS was the best whether he was with you or against you.

I can say without any hesitation or qualification that MENDEL RIVERS was one of the most dedicated Americans that I have ever known to serve in the House of Representatives. He never ducked an issue, and when he felt that the views in which he believed should be expressed, he spoke them strongly, clearly, and was willing to stand on his record in defense of those views which, in almost every case, were on behalf of a strong America in a difficult world.

It was a shock to me, in the first instance, several weeks ago when I learned that he had a medical problem that eventually led to his passing. But I think the fact that he never told many that he had this illness was typical of MENDEL RIVERS. He had such strength of

character and such dedication to doing his job that his own personal ill health was secondary to the job that he had to do.

We in the Congress have lost a dear friend. We in the Congress have lost a man who was a leader for what was good for America. It will be most difficult to replace him. His record has been indelibly written over the long years he served.

I join the others in extending to his wonderful family the very deepest condolences from Mrs. Ford and myself, and extend to them our best wishes in this hour of difficulty.

Mr. PHILBIN. Mr. Speaker, like the other Members of the House, I am deeply saddened by the passing of my dear and esteemed friend, Chairman MENDEL RIVERS. I served with Mendel RIVERS for many years on the House Armed Services Committee and was in a position to know from close, almost daily contacts, his great talents, his irreconcilable commitment to country and the cause of human freedom. He was a great patriot and a great Ameri

can.

He was supremely dedicated to his work as has been so well observed here by the distinguished majorty and minority leaders, and other distinguished colleagues who have spoken.

He was knowledgeable to an amazing extent that is difficult to describe, because his knowledge was so all-embracing and his grasp of the affairs of the armed services was profound and relevant to virtually every facet of our far-flung defense system. His expertise in military and related matters was truly prodigious and covered the entire field.

He was powerful of advocacy, strong of conviction, and vigorous and courageous in his approach to vital defense questions and their appropriate settlement.

He knew what his goals were at all times, and he had the ability, the experience, the determination, and the strength of character combined with high resolve and patriotism, to perform his duties as he saw fit in the best interest, as he honestly conceived it, of building the strength of this Nation and protecting and defending its security and its posture in the world.

It would be impossible for me in these brief remarks to measure either the quality or the extent of the tremendous contributions that MENDEL RIVERS has made to this Nation during the time he has been chairman of our House Armed Services Committee, and during the