From the Office of... WALTER B. JONES FIRST DISTRICT, NORTH CAROLINA COMPLIMENTS Of WALTER B PIRST DISTRICT JONES Memorial Services Held in the House of Representatives and Senate of the United States, together with remarks presented in eulogy of Herbert C. Bonner Late a Representative from North Carolina Eighty-ninth Congress First Session U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE WASHINGTON : 1966 Contents Page OCG N enpernilllh Bs clatigd “ga cat v POCORN SA at PIN reich han ct alice an I Announcement of death by Hon. Harold D Cooley, of North pi or-nappsererre cence nn ee a Se nan I Remarks by Representatives: Alert, Carlet Olieliome cs 6 Bennett, Charles B., of Florida 25 as MN OE Li 19 Broyhill, James T., of North Carolina. 14 Cooley, Harold D., of North US thiik agi io: I Downing, Thomas vice age ets sepmaen ee 13 . . . Pemondeon, Bd,-of Oblshome.2 i 16 Compiled under the direction Garmatz, Edward A., of Maryland Soe dee eee eee eee 8 of the psppadinar tines Soe liege oe Et LEME YF 25 , i eis Hateay, Ralphijal Willa. ec II Joint Committee on Printing Henderson, David N., of North Carolina... 2 Jonas, Charles R., of North Carolina. 10 Keogh, Eugene ced aero Meiea ae a 4 Kornegay, Horace R., of North Carolina... » Statement by former Representative Hon. Carl « sessatsne nee and CT ES ome 7 Lennon, Alton, of North 1 acura 9 McCormack, John W., of Massachusetts... 17 McMillan, John L., of South Carolina... 23 Mahon, Getege Ss, a6 Wintec di ile eles QI Matsunaga, Spark 66 cyanogen RT 14 maadsior hats seiner nsec ne ee QI Morgan, Thomas ict Penneyivesia 22 pppoe nae elt pps ee 22 Philbin, Philip J., of Mosenchusetts 24 Ramdety Wal. ye memeber 15 Scott, Ralph J., of North Carolina. a ER GTO a 3 Stubblefield, Frank ton coy go 2 ay a TATE ia 17 Taylor, Roy A., of North by ng en Pt ia Te 12 Whitener, Basil L., of North Carolina... 5 Rese SH WN nei inertia Midna a acai... I Senate resolution of lie tree eeabtes Nr 25 S33 083 Memorial addresses in the House of Representativesco6 0 27 np, fg dy gaan OT TD OEE 32 cravat, dhe ey oven OO LE PLANE 35 ponte + Sapling dy e a PLT e 30 Mailliard, William S., of California... 31 penn, Carian RO ON iin 33 Pelly, Thomas M., of Washingtonian 29 Rooney, John J., of New Vorko 31 St. Onge, William L., of Connecticut____._..______ 29 Whitten, Jamie L., of Mississipi pret nds cit pment 34 Procecdingw ire the WM Bettis 8 coli spd shacnls Ban saeco ser oes 39 Address by Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr., of North Carolina____ 40 House resolution of respect received____.--________ 39 Message from the House of Representativesict i fies peat 39 Remarks by Senator B. Everett Jordan, of North Carolina______ 40 Resolution of respect ite oblate endl 39 Memorial tributes _..__-ssitonici dinall in, ‘Vcoune! JGdendt 45 Cooley, Harold D., Representative from North Carolina________ 47 Article from the Daily News, November 8, 1965___________ 48 Editorial from the Daily News, November 8, 1965_-________ 47 Ervin, Sam J., Jr., Senator from North Catclinasi:# sascec) 49 Articles from— Greensboro, N.C., Daily News, November 10, #96511. 57 Raleigh, N.C., News and Observer, September 28, 1965_ 64 Winston-Salem, N.C., Journal, November 8, F96G=ck_ 71 Editorials from— Asheville, N.C., Citizen and Times, November 8, 1965__ 49 Asheville, N.C., Citizen, November 10, soGGase 50 Charleston, S.C., News and Courier, November 10, 1965 meee ereomsreninsnitineiihiiie Sn eh sel 51 Charlotte, N.C., Observer, November BcheGyae2tt 52 Charlotte, N.C., Observer, November 9, th, eid ee a 53 Durham, N.C., Sun, November ®;:39GGeeeck coils 54 Elizabeth City, N.C., Advance... 55 Greensboro, N.C., Daily News, November 9, 4065225 _ 56 Los Angeles, Calif., Times, November 8, {| no oe 58 New Orleans, La., Times-Picayune, November 8, 1965_ 60 New York, N.Y., Times, November 8, Ye 61 Norfolk, Va., Virginia-Pilot, November 9, 2905. 63 Raleigh, N.C., News and Observer. 64 Washington, D.C., Evening Star, November 8, 1965___ 64 Washington, D.C., Post, November 8, pe rgecr ack 65 Wilmington, N.C., Morning Star, November 8, 1965_-_ 66, 68 Wilmington, N.C., Morning Star, November 9, 1965___ 69 Winston-Salem, N.C., Journal, November S, WoGgzitece 69 Winston-Salem, N.C., Journal, November 6, 719652 ey 72 Winston-Salem, N.C., Sentinel, November 8, 3665 0. 73 Biography HeErBert Covincron Bonner, Democrat, of Washington, N.C., born in Washington, Beaufort County, N.C., May 16, 1891; son of Herbert M. and Hannah Hare Bonner; married Eva Hassell Hackney, of Washington, N.C.; Episcopalian; Elk; Mason; Shriner . graduated from Graham School, Warrenton, N.C.; engaged as a salesman and in agricultural pursuits; during World War I served as sergeant in Company I, Three Hundred and Twenty-second Infantry, with oversea service in Eighty-first Division; secretary to Congress- man Lindsay C. Warren, 1924-40; elected as a Democrat on No- vember 5, 1940, to the Seventy-sixth Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lindsay C. Warren, and on the same day was elected to the Seventy-seventh Congress; reelected to the Seventy- eighth and the 11 succeeding Congresses, and served from November 5» 1940, until his death; died in Washington, D.C., November *, 1965; interment in Oakdale Cemetery, Washington, N.C, an vil MEMORIAL SERVICES FOR HERBERT COVINGTON BONNER Proceedings in the House Monpay, January 10, 1966. Mr. COOLEY. Mr. Speaker, on next Wednesday I shall seek recognition for the purpose of paying appropriate tribu deceased colleague, the late Honorable Hersert C. Bon Mr. Speaker, I now send to the Speaker’s desk a reso ask for its immediate consideration. The Clerk read the resolution as follows: te to our NER, lution and The resolution was agreed to. Accordingly (at 1 o’clock and 1 minute p.m.) order, the House adjourned until Wed at 12 o’clock noon. » under its previous nesday, January 12, 1966, Wepnespay, January 12, 1966. Mr. COOLEY. Mr, Speaker, we pause to pay tribute to our be- loved colleague, HERBERT Bonner, who has passed from the shores By his intelligent devotion to duty, his great fidelity to truth, and by the honest and courageous manner in which he discharged all of the vital functions of high office, he endeared himself to his colleagues in Congress and to his countrymen. Modesty and simplicity marked his life; truth was his master; and his unblemished character was the [1] tower of his strength. Herserr Bonner was a dedicated public servant and was held in high esteem by the Members of Congress with whom he served so long and so well and by all the Presidents of our Nation with whom he served. He was near and dear to the people of the district which he so well and ably represented, and all the people of our State and of our Nation owe him a great debt of gratitude. He made many great and grand contributions to the wel- fare and happiness of the people of his district, State, and Nation. As chairman of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries he had jurisdiction over our merchant ships which sail the bosoms of the seven seas and visit all the ports of the world in the prosecution of peaceful and profitable commerce. The Coast Guard which has saved the lives of thousands of people is under the juris- diction of his great committee. The Coast Guard never had a better friend, nor have merchant seamen ever had a greater champion than HERBERT BonNER. He was worthy of the faith and confidence of the thousands of friends who trusted him. Just Be Giap (By James Whitcomb Riley) O heart of mine, we shouldn’t worry so! What we’ve missed of calm we couldn’t have, you know! What we’ve met of stormy pain, And of sorrow’s driving rain, We can better meet again, if it blow! We've erred in that dark hour we’ve known, When our tears fell with the shower, all alone! Were not shine and shower blent As the gracious Master meant? Let us temper our content with His own. For, we know, not every morrow can be sad; So, forgetting all the sorrow we have had, Let us fold away our fears, And put by our foolish tears, And through all the coming years, just be glad. Let us be glad that we knew and loved Hersert Bonner, and let us today pay tribute to the nobility of his soul. We cannot beautify his character, nor can we exalt his life. We can at this moment only commune with the spirit of our devoted friend. Mr. HENDERSON. Mr. Speaker, during the 5 years I have served as a Member of this body, I have seen on many occasions the [2] flag over the Capitol flying at half mast. I recall when it was so lowered upon the death of President John F. Kennedy. I remember when the body of Gen. Douglas MacArthur lay in state in the rotunda. I have recollections of the death of such congressional giants as the late Sam Rayburn and Clarence Cannon, but none of them came quite so close to home as the recent death of my respected colleague, Herzert Bonner. Having served as a Member of Congress for 25 years and for some 15 years before that as secretary to Congressman Lindsay Warren, of North Carolina, who later became Comptroller General of the United States, Hersert had been on the Washington scene far longer than the great majority of his colleagues. I never tired of hearing his accounts of Washington in general and the Hill in particular during the early twenties when life was simpler, problems less complex, but no less pressing or important. But unlike many men of his years, he never lived in the past or failed to recognize the changes wrought by time. He kept constantly abreast of current problems—both those national in scope and nature and those of particular or peculiar interest to the people in his own congressional district. No Congressman ever kept more attuned to the thinking and the wishes of his constituents, or worked any harder or more effectively to promote their interests and well-being. I learned a great deal from Hersert BONNER. Some of it came through verbal advice, but a considerable portion from observation of a skilled politician at work. He will be sorely missed: by his colleagues here in the Congress, by governmental leaders and officials at all levels of government, but most of all by the thousands of common people who were his con- stituents and whose cause he ardently championed. Mr. SCOTT. Mr. Speaker, the State of North Carolina, the Congress, and our country have suffered a great loss through the passing of Hersert Covincton Bonner on the morning of Novem- ber 7, 1965. I want to join our colleagues in paying tribute to our departed friend and express my deep sorrow that he has been taken from us. I was proud to number him among my closest and most cherished friends and will miss his easy and friendly good humor and his wise counsel. [3] Congressman Bonner was born in Washington, Beaufort County, N.C., on May 16, 1891. He came to Washington in 1940 as secre- tary to Congressman Lindsay C. Warren, a position he held for 16 years. Upon Mr. Warren’s retirement from Congress and his sub- sequent appointment as Comptroller General of the United States by the late President Roosevelt, Hernert BoNNER announced his can- didacy for Congress and was overwhelmingly elected on November 5, 1940, to the 76th Congress to fill the unexpired term of Congress- man Warren. On the same day he was elected to the 77th Congress and was thereafter elected to each succeeding Congress up to and including the 89th. No words of mine could add anything to the fine record Mr. Bonner has made as chairman of the House Committee on Mer- chant Marine and Fisheries. The written record is an appropriate and eloquent eulogy to him and is replete with proof of his legislative contributions in all areas coming within the jurisdiction of his com- mittee. Nor were his contributions confined to the work of his com- mittee. He kept abreast of all of the more important issues coming before the Congress from time to time and has left a lasting imprint upon the legislative history of our country. During the 9 years I had the honor and pleasure of being associated with him, I came to love, admire, and respect HERBERT BoNNER for his high Christian character, his ability as a legislator, and his un- flinching loyalty to duty and friends. His manner of life, his achieve- ments, and his faithful service to his country will long serve as an inspiration to others. I extend to his lovely wife, Eva, and all of his family, my very deep sympathy. May the days ahead lighten the burden of sorrow occasioned by their sad loss. Mr. KEOGH. Mr. Speaker, with the passing of Herserr C. Bonner the House has lost a genuinely able and dedicated Member, and I have lost a warm friend. It has been my good fortune to know Hers Bonner for almost 3o years. When he was elected to the House in 1940, to succeed Lindsay Warren, we were already ac- quainted with each other through his service as the invaluable secre- tary to Representative Warren. That acquaintanceship soon ripened into real friendship, and it was my privilege to serve with him on the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries immediately after the enactment of the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1946. [4] and Fisheries, Hers Bonner has b een the author and prime mover of some of the most important legislation enacted by the Congress in the past 20 years. His knowledge of shipping laws and problems was phenomenal. His efforts to strengthen the U.S, Coast Guard estab- lished him as one of the best friends of that great branch of the Armed Hers BonNER was, first of all, a dedicated American. What was best for our country was his first concern and dominated all his ac- tions. During World War I, he served Overseas as a noncommis- sioned officer in the armed infantry with the 81st Division. Through his many activities in his congressional district in North Carolina, Hers Bonner earned for himself th of his constituents and proved himself to be We need men like Hers Bonner in of American life. e affection and regard a real humanitarian. the Congress and in every aspect We are all going to miss him. To his beloved widow and family, I extend my sincere condolences. I know that my colleagues share their grief, Mr. WHITENER. Mr. Speaker, with the passing of the late Herserr C. Bonner on November 7; 1965, the people of North years when I took my seat as a Member of the 85th Congress on January 3, 1957. Prior to coming to Congress I had met Herp was familiar with his great record of service to t trict, State, and Nation. During the years that serve with him in the House of Representatives admire the many fine qualities exemplified in his sterling character and in his devotion to his work in behalf of his district State, and ERT Bonner, and I [5] oe EE EN eee eee Nation. I grew to respect his wise judgment and his views on matters affecting the national interest. Hersert Bonner had a rich background of public service. By experience and training he was superbly fitted to be an outstanding Congressman. Prior to taking his seat in the 77th Congress he had served as secretary to another great North Carolinian, former Con- gressman Lindsay Warren. He measured up in every respect to the demanding duties and re- sponsibilities of his high office. Yet in his approach to his work and in his contact with his fellow man Hersert Bonner displayed a deep — and abiding understanding and appreciation of human nature. This characteristic endeared him to all who had the privilege to know him and to work with him. HERBERT BoNNER was a patriot, a Christian gentleman, and a statesman. He was proud of the fact that he had served his country as a sergeant in World War I and had fought overseas with the 81st Division, U.S. Army. He was a strong and persistent supporter of national defense. As chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fish- eries Committee he had an outstanding record of service. His State and Nation will miss him in the trying days that lie ahead. All of us, however, can take pride in his many accomplish- ments. We can take renewed strength in the principles for which he labored. A great oak has crashed to the earth and against the sky there is a blank space. To the members of Hersert Bonner’s family Mrs. Whitener and I extend our deepest sympathy and sincere condolences on the great loss which they have sustained. Mr. ALBERT. Mr. Speaker, I join my distinguished friends from North Carolina in their tribute to our late, beloved colleague HErR- BERT BONNER. Representative BONNER was a pillar of strength in this House for many years. Chairman of the great Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, he was a master in his legislative field. He was devoted to the cause of the American merchant ma- rine. As much as any Member who ever served in the House, he understood its importance to our safety and our security. The last speech he made was a plea on behalf of the American merchant marine. [6] Congressman Bonner served with distinction, He served with rare dignity. He served with great credit to his district, his State and his Nation. He was a constructive Member of the peg He was a conscientious Member, a studious Member. At every moment of the day he was a gentleman—kind, courteous, and considerate On more than one occasion I have been with HERBERT Bonner in his district. It was a joy to observe the esteem and affection in which he was held by the people he represented. They loved him They trusted him. They looked to him for leadership in the great issues which confront our Nation. As for me, I shall miss him as long as I live. He was one of the best friends I had in this House His death has left a great void not only in the legislative o rations of this Chamber, but in the heart of every one of us. ii I extend my deepest sympathy to his farntt 3 7 hi Ie friends and his loved ones, 4 ny» to all his host of Mr. KORNEGAY. Mr Speaker, it is an h i 0 Z ; 3 onor, though one, to join my colleagues in ok aees paying tribute to a friend and fo associate—HErBErT C. BoNNER. cas of this great body. For, he served here not only long—for a quarter of a century—but he served here with distinction. With his death, the First Congressional District of North Carolina lost an able champion, the State of North Carolina lost a distin- guished representative, the Nation lost a noble statesman, and the world’s waterways lost a fearless pilot. extended throughout the House of Representatives and the Senate as well. During the many years in which he served the First District he gave to his — constituents a dedicated service. He will now take his place in the history of our State of North Carolina as one of the great and effective men to serve in the U.S. Congress. But the canvass of his achievements was not restricted to his district and State, for, as chairman of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, he made significant and enduring contributions to our national maritime policy which will long be remembered. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to Eva and the family in their great bereavement, which is shared by all who knew Herperr and his sterling worth to his district, State, and Nation. We shall all miss his wise counsel and diligent work in behalf of his district, his State, and his Nation. But those who were privileged, as I was, to know him personally will miss even more the warmth and sincerity of his friendship. There will always be a void which can only be filled by the memory of a man who was small in physical stature but big in heart and accomplishments. I was proud to call Hersert Bonner friend. I valued that friend- ship as I shall his memory. I extend my heartfelt sympathies to his family and many friends. Mr. GARMATZ. Mr. Speaker, 2 months ago I had the sad duty | and, yet, the signal honor, to be a member of the official congressional delegation to go to Washington, N.C., to attend the last rites for our _ beloved friend and colleague, Herserr C. Bonner, who left us in the early hours of Sunday, the 7th of November. I had the privilege of serving in Congress with Hers BonNER ever since 1947 when I first came to Congress. We served on the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, an assignment mean- ingful and dear to both of us, since 1949. He was my friend. For almost 11 years now, since Hesrert C. Bonner became chairman of the Merchant Marine Committee, we have stood close together on the majority side of the committee. It was always a pleasure and a privilege to counsel with him. His views on com- mittee matters were always fair and impartial. Though he had_ short patience with those who tried to dissemble, he was always patient with those who appeared before us in sincerity. Hers Bonner was a statesman. He was a creator in legislative matters. He not only gave a ready ear to those who approached him [8] with proposals in accord with the constitutional right of petition, but he often vigorously took the initiative to advance worthy causes or explore fields which had otherwise been neglected or pursued too parochially. As chairman of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, he has been justly acclaimed for the leadership he asserted in the many fields under our committee’s jurisdiction: safety of life at sea following the Andrea Doria-Stockholm collision, the Isthmian Canal studies, the transpacific and transatlantic superliners, the unique and highly successful Boating Safety Act, the maritime labor management studies of 1955 and 1962, the nuclear ship Savannah legislation, the atomic icebreaker legislation, his recognition of the significance of and action in the vital field of oceanography, the reorganization of the Fish and Wildlife Service of the Department of the Interior, significant efforts in behalf of our ailing domestic shipping industry, the legislation to require authorization of major programs of acquisi- tion, construction, and improvement in the U.S. Coast Guard, and many other things. He was a broad and intense man who gave wholly of himself to the public service to which he was devoted. Perhaps the most moving testimonial of all to the greatness of HeErsert Bonner was the splendid service rendered to him at his funeral in his hometown of Washington, N.C. The reverence and human respect in which he was held was everywhere evident, from the crowds of neighbors who filled the beautiful St. Peter’s Episcopal Church to the outpourings of affection shown by the hundreds of schoolchildren who reverently lined the way to his last resting place. Bis who knew him, are happy that our ways ran together for a while. Mr. LENNON. Mr. Speaker, the State of North Carolina, the Congress, and this Nation of ours have lost a very distinguished and dedicated public servant. Those of us who are on the floor today have lost a very personable, winsome, lovable friend. Before I became a Member of this House on January 3, 1957, it was my privilege, during 1953 and 1954, to visit rather extensively in the great First Congressional District of North Carolina, so ably represented by Hers Bonner. There I found the respect, the esteem [9] and the affection with which he was held by all the people of his district. Mr. Speaker, since becoming a Member of this body in January of 1957 I have found that Hers Bonner was held in the highest esteem and respect and affection by the full membership of this House. I have been privileged during the past 9 years to serve as a member of the committee chaired by Hers Bonner, the Committee on Mer- chant Marine and Fisheries. I have never known a more knowledgeable man and I never expect to know a more knowledgeable, interested or concerned man than Hers Bonner was with respect to our national maritime policy. He was a man of great tolerance. He was tolerant of everything but intolerance. He was a man with a very keen sense of humor. He was a man with a deep sympathy for the problems and personal suf- ferings and conditions which existed in our world and with individuals. I counted him a good friend. I have lost a good friend. My wife Kay and I want to join with his other friends on the floor today to extend to his beloved and attractive wife, Miss Eva, as I have always called her, our sincere sympathy for the loss of a man who will always be remembered for his great service. Mr. JONAS. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy and sad heart that I join my colleagues today in paying tribute to the memory of Hersert Covincton Bonner. Although Herserr had been in declining health for most of 1965, his death came as a profound shock to Mrs. Jonas and to me. For a number of years we had lived in the same apartment house with the Bonners. Hardly a day passed that Eva and Annie Elliott did not spend some time together. They corresponded during con- gressional recesses, frequently borrowed household items from each other, and exchanged gifts. I cannot count the times HEerperT would knock at our door to share with us something special Eva had prepared for supper, and frequently I carried something to their apartment which Annie Elliott had prepared and which we wished to share with them. We often visited back and forth and HerperT and I often rode down to the Capitol together. Ours was therefore a close, personal friendship which ripened with the years, and through this close and intimate relationship I came to know Hersert better [10] than would have been possible through mere association in the Con- gress. It is because of this close friendship that we felt such a sense of personal loss in his passing. When I sat in the quiet church in Little Washington attending the funeral services for my departed friend, the words of John Donne, Written about 350 years ago, expressed my feelings on that sad Occasion: Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee (me). And yet perhaps Angelo Patri best described the feeling I had when my friend died: In one sense there isno death. The life of a soul lasts beyond his departure. You will always feel that life touching yours, that voice speaking to you, that spirit looking out to other eyes, talking to you in the familiar things he touched, worked with, loved as familiar friends. He lives on in your life and in the lives of others who knew him. So on this sad occasion I speak not of this man’s distinguished public career; that subject will be dealt with by others who were more closely associated with him in his congressional work. I speak not of the leadership he displayed as chairman of the great Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. That subject will be discussed by others who worked with him from day to day in the committee room. I speak not of the great loss suffered in his death by his dis- trict, State, and Nation ; others will devote their attention to that subject. I speak of the deep sense of personal loss my wife and I feel over the going away of a dear friend who will be sorely missed as the days and years go Passing by. To his grieving Eva, who was Herpert’s constant companion through the years, Annie Elliott and I send our profound sympathy. She has lost a gentle, kind, considerate, and devoted husband. We grieve with her because we have lost a tried and true friend. Mr. HARVEY of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate very much having the Opportunity to participate in this eulogy to our friend from North Carolina, Mr. BoNNER. When I first came to the House in 1947, it was my privilege to serve on the committee now known as the Committee on Government Operations of which Mr. [11] BonNER was a member. He became one of my first friends and I am happy to say also became one of my best friends during the intervening years. My first experience in traveling with the committee came in 1949 when a subcommittee of the Committee on Government Operations made a trip to Europe to observe the operation of the Marshall plan. It was on this occasion that I had a real opportunity to observe the fine wisdom, tact, diplomacy, and understanding of Herspert Bon- NER. Indeed, he steered our committee through very many trouble- some experiences because Europe at that time was still in the throes of the aftermath of World War II and we were ina position of trying to determine what we could and should do to alleviate the situation. So, Mr. Speaker, we have lost a fine friend and North Carolina has lost a fine Congressman. I would say that he was truly more than a Representative from the State of North Carolina, he was a repre- sentative of the people of the United States. It was my great priv- ilege just to have known Hersert Bonner and to have profited by his fine character. Mrs. Harvey and I join in extending to his widow, Eva, our sincerest and deepest sympathy in this hour of her grief. Mr. TAYLOR. Mr. Speaker, I wish to join my distinguished col- leagues in paying respect to our late and esteemed colleague, the Honorable Hersert C. Bonner. The people of North Carolina and the Nation realize that in Hersert BONNER they had a great and dedicated representative in the U.S. Congress. Congressman BonNER was a man of the people. He served as a sergeant in World War I, and throughout life he was a soldier in the ranks. He remained humble and close to the people whom he served. He kept an open mind and a responsive heart to the needs of the people. Even though he walked with kings, he kept the common touch. He loved the Democratic Party and his loyalty to that party even during times of storm and stress was firm and consistent. Congressman Bonner’s fairness and fine qualities of character made him a friend of Congress of both political parties. He estab- lished a standard of excellence in public service which all of us might well try to emulate. He added dignity, respect, and integrity to politics. [12] Mrs. Taylor and I also lived in the same apartment house with Herbert and Eva Bonner. We have never had better neighbors. When they would go home on weekends they would frequently bring us fresh fish from the North Carolina coast. Mr. Bonner did not miss an opportunity to do a favor for a friend and in turn he was held in high esteem and affection by the Members of Congress, by the people of his congressional district, and by his friends throughout the world. As a Member of Congress for 25 years, Mr. BonNER never lost faith in the principles of duty and devotion to the causes of freedom. We can keep faith with him now by continuing to fight for fair play, and justice, and freedom, and Americanism—as he would have done. Mr. Bonner was a friend to Mrs. Taylor and me, and we shall miss him. Mr. DOWNING. Mr. Speaker, it was my sad duty also to be present at the funeral of our beloved friend, Herserr C. Bonner, in the beautiful little town of Washington, in his beloved State of North Carolina. At that funeral there were literally thousands of people, sad people, from all walks of life, who had come to pay a final tribute to a beloved friend. It was an impressive display of devotion and love for their fellow man. It was my great privilege to have known Mr. Bonner. It was another great privilege to have worked with him. I loved him as a man, I respected him as a col- league, and I shall cherish his memory forever. Mr. Speaker, the domestic maritime industries have lost a close friend and a strong advocate. For more than ro years, Hersert C. Bonner dedicated himself to the creation of legislation that would vitalize our Nation’s maritime fleet and domestic fisheries. His chairmanship of the House Mer- chant Marine and Fisheries Committee spanned difficult years for the United States sea-based industries. But Hrrsert BoNNER’s patient legislative leadership has enabled our domestic maritime and fisheries interests to make progress—even in the face of harsh com- petition on the seas and hard economic ceilings on development. My North Carolina neighbor—my First Virginia District and his First North Carolina District adjoin—have been good neighbors and [13] good friends for the nearly 7 years that we worked together on mari- time and fisheries legislation. He helped me as a patient and thought- ful teacher and as an understanding House colleague. His passing has caused me real sorrow and I will remember the man all my life— not only for the warm friendship we knew but also for his contribu- tions to our maritime industries. HERsErRT Bonner’s record in this body is a record of great dimen- sion—encompassing safety of life at sea, the nuclear ship Savannah, the atomic icebreaker, oceanographic advancements, and fisheries research. His mark is on every major piece of maritime legisla- tion to emanate from the Capitol. We are all able to take a measure of pride in his dedication to meaningful legislation for the industries he served. Hersert Bonner served us well, Mr. Speaker, and he served his constituents well. He will be sorely missed. Mr. MATSUNAGA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to join my colleagues in paying tribute to our departed colleague, the beloved Hersert Bonner, and to extend my deepest sympathy and condolence to his widow and his family. As a Representative of a State completely surrounded by water, I have had the occasion to seek the counsel and assistance of Hers on many occasions about Merchant Marine and Fisheries matters, he being the chairman of that great committee. Mr. Speaker, Hers Bonner always lent a willing, and, what is more important, a cheerful and attentive ear and shared of his wis- dom accumulated over the years. Mr. Speaker, his constituents, his State, and the Nation, have lost a devoted and dedicated public servant. We will long reap the benefits of his toil. I, for one, can honestly state that my life has been enriched for having known Hers Bonner. I shall miss him as a friend and counselor, Mr. BROYHILL of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I join my col- leagues in this expression of respect for the memory of our late and great friend, HERBERT BonNER. When I came to this body just a few short years ago, Mr. BoNNER was known to me as an able legislator and a key figure in the House of Representatives. I, and I believe all North Carolinians, respected him as a statesman who in his years of leadership had been an elo- quent champion of causes for his State and his Nation. Ina personal [14] way this man’s ability, integrity, and wide-ranging knowledge was demonstrated to me in the early days of my first year of service here in the House of Representatives. And it was demonstrated as he ex- tended the hand of friendship and help across the political aisle. He was one who was willing to give of his advice and counsel from his vast store of information and eminent good sense. Mr. Speaker, HERBERT’s passing was a great loss to the State of North Carolina, and it was a loss to America. I was profoundly moved at his funeral services in November because of the fact that literally thousands of people in his hometown came out to pay respect to their friend and fellow townsman, HERBERT BonNeER. In this way they were returning the unswerving devotion that had been so mark- edly obvious in Herbert BoNNER’S years of service to the people in his district. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Broyhill joins me in extending deepest sympathy to Mrs. Bonner. We shall miss Hersert in the years ahead. We shall miss his mellow good humor, his friendship, and his inspiring example as a dedicated servant of his State and the American people. Mr. RANDALL. Mr. Speaker, I could not permit these tributes to the late Hersert Bonner to close without adding a few words, Mr, Speaker, I was not a member of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries and I do not come from the area represented by the late great Hers Bonner. However, I would like to re- late to the Members of the House a pleasant experience which I had with this fine gentleman, A few years ago my family wanted to make a visit to the State of North Carolina. I spoke to Mr. BoNNER about our anticipated trip. Instead of sending over some tourist brochures, he went out of his way to propose an itinerary through his district. He mentioned the important things to see. Also, he offered to make reservations, This demonstrated to me his spirit of unselfish- ness and his desire to be of service to any of his colleagues. Then, Mr. Speaker, when we arrived in the district which he “epresented, I learned that everyone in that district was proud of their Congressman. When I mentioned that I was a fellow Member of the House of Representatives, they would say, “Do you know our Congressman?” I said, “Yes; not as well as I would prefer, but in the few years that I have had the privilege to know him, it has been # great thrill to be an associate of a man like Hers BoNNER.” [15] Mr. Speaker, I feel that a few words should be said about his work on the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. This is a way of saying some of the things that he did for his country. Mr. Speaker, Hers BonNER was not simply a proponent of a strong merchant fleet, or just another advocate. He was its cham- pion. I am sure that his warning, again and again, will stand us in good stead. We are beginning now to wake up to the fact that not as much attention has been given to our merchant fleet as should have been given in the past. I know that the new chairman of the committee will follow in the footsteps of the late Hersert BONNER to see that measures are taken to arrest the declining strength of our fleet and instead build up our merchant marine which represents such a great asset not only to our commerce but as an arm of our national defense. Mr. Speaker, we have all lost a good friend. I know that as the years go by he will always be esteemed in the memory of his fellow Members of the House of Representatives. Mr. EDMONDSON. Mr. Speaker, on the first day of my service in this body I met a quiet, soft-spoken, and sweet-tempered gentle- man who performed an act of gracious neighborly kindness to a freshman Member of the House of Representatives. For nearly 12 years after that I had the privilege of officing in close proximity to this fine American, Hers Bonner. North Carolina has sent many outstanding men to the Congress, but a doubt that any Representative of that great State has ever been held in higher esteem or greater affection by his colleagues, than our dear friend, Hers BONNER. A quiet, modest, and kindly man, Hers Bonner was both per- suasive and powerful in his participation in debate. He handled the legislation of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fish- eries, over which he presided as chairman, with outstanding ability and success, A gentleman in the finest and broadest sense of the word, Hers Bonner contributed greatly to the constructive work of the House of Representatives, and won new friends with every day of his service, [ 16 ] He will be missed by a host of friends in this body, and every one who knew him well will treasure the memory of his friendship. Mr. STUBBLEFIELD. Mr. Speaker, it is with a feeling of great Personal loss that I join my colleagues in the House in paying tribute to the memory of the late Honorable Hersert C. BONNER. In a broader sense, however, his untimely passing is a loss to every citizen of this great Nation. I was privileged to serve on the Mer- chant Marine and Fisheries Committee under his capable chairman- ship. I shall remember him as a highly dedicated legislator who served the public interest with all the strength and capacity at his command. It goes without saying that Hersert BoNNER was a man of integrity and unquestionable character. He loved his native North Carolina and was continually alert to opportunities to be of service to the people of his district and State. His devotion to and love of country was unexcelled, as evidenced by his zealous efforts to uphold and defend those principles which have made this country great. Here Bonner will be missed, not only by his devoted family and Members of this House, but also by countless people throughout the Nation who came to know and respect him. I extend sincere sympathy to Mrs. Bonner and to the other family members. Mr. McCORMACK. Mr. Speaker, the Congress and the country have lost a great man and a distinguished legislator. I have lost a dear friend. In Hersert C. Bonner, of North Carolina, were combined the qualities that endear a man to friends, colleagues, con- stituents, and even to casual acquaintances. His life was a record of achievement worthy not only of praise, but of emulation as well. He was born in Washington, N.C., on May 16, 1891, and com- pleted his education in Warrenton, N.C. During World War I, he Served as a sergeant in the AEF. In 1924, he became an aid of Hon. Lindsay C. Warren, then a member of the State assembly, but soon to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. HERBERT Bonner accompanied Mr. Warren to Washington, D.C., where he was employed by Mr. Warren as a congressional assistant. [17] When Mr. Warren was appointed Comptroller General of the United States in 1940, HERBERT C. Bonner, his faithful and dedi- cated assistant through the years, ran successfully to fill the vacancy. He was continuously reelected thereafter, and served in the halls of the House of Representatives for a quarter of a century. As a member of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee of the House of Representatives from the time of his first election to this body in 1940, and as committee chairman from 1955, he was impartial in his criticism of the role of management, labor, and the Federal Government in maritime affairs. He believed that maritime labor demanded excessive wages, that management refused to cross the frontiers of automation, and that the Government was unwilling to broaden Federal aid. His efforts through the years were strenuous indeed as he sought to impose some order on what he once called the Alice in Wonderland world of the maritime industry. After hearings by his committee, construction was authorized for the nuclear-powered commercial ship, the freighter Savannah. When the $50 million vessel was finished in 1962, and the crew specially trained, the vessel was struck, and demands were made for better accommodations, more safety precautions, and increased benefits. This incident and others convinced Representative Bonner that Federal arbitration might be necessary in the maritime industry. He was thus an ardent proponent of modernizing the U.S. merchant fleet. He once wrote: The inability of domestic shipping to revive or even survive with tradi- tional means of cargo handling and traditional ships is painfully evident. He called upon his congressional colleagues to find ways to get “new ideas and new life into water transportation.” He bent his every effort to this purpose. He became convinced that an international agency to oversee safety standards on all ships was necessary after the collision of the vessels Stockholm and Andrea Doria in 1956. His committee held an in- vestigation of that disaster which had occurred outside American territorial waters, off Nantucket Light, and had claimed 50 lives. Hersert C. Bonner’s interest in maritime affairs came naturally to him. His district spanned Pamlico Sound and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. In the words of a friend, “He loved the water [18] and was a superb fisherman.” He even worked with pleasure- boating associations to promote water safety among small boat Owners, He initiated a congressional study of the present efficiency of the Panama Canal as a modern interocean waterway. A board of con- sultants, appointed at his suggestion, is studying the problems of modernizing the canal, and considering the feasibility of constructing alternate routes, During his 25 years as a Member of Congress, HerBERT C. BONNER Served on six committees. He was a member of the House Com- mittee on Un-American Activities from 1945 to 1947. As chairman of a Subcommittee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments, he supervised an investigation of postwar profiteers who had bought US, surplus materials and then resold them to the Government at inflated prices. After this inquiry had been completed, Representa- tive Bonner led a group of Members of the House on a 41-day world- wide examination of both efficiency and waste at American military establishments abroad. Among his recorded votes were those which favored lend-lease and the Marshall plan. He was awarded the American Legion’s Distin- Suished Service Medal for his efforts to strengthen the merchant ma- rine. He was often called the father of the Savannah. Last summer, when he returned to the House of Representatives after a Painful Operation and a long convalescence, he was greeted by applause on the floor of the House by his fellow Members. It was well that this accolade was given to him then, for he was lost to us on November 7, 1965. He was soft spoken but incredibly hard working. His manner was retiring, but his popularity among the Members of this House was Overwhelming. On this occasion, I join with all his friends here, throughout the country, and back in North Carolina, in mourning his Passing, Mrs. McCormack and I extend to Mrs. Bonner our deep sym- pathy in her very great loss and sorrow. Mr. BOGGS. Mr. Speaker, the American merchant marine, be- set by difficult problems today, owes its present strength and growth to our colleague, HERBERT Bonner, more than to any other man in [19] assing las: i i i thousands our country. By hi i j * Boat Act of 1958 which gave a classification system to ae RY. 1S passing last fall, our merchant marine has lost 95° 8 its stoutest defender, its §reatest exponent, its strongest promoter. more of our smaller boats and thus enhanced boating safety through- Stricken though he was with a f. tal malady, Herserr Bonner OU¢ the Nation; and the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956, which pro- with a fatal mala y, Her z continued to work in the best interests of our country until the end. He was planning to direct the conduct of thorough hearings into the present status of the merchant marine, the problems which it faces, with a view toward providing remedial, constructive legislation which would bolster our merchant fleet and give to it renewed vigor and greater world influence. Hervert Bonner, the great patriot that he was, also was working to find ways and means to furnish more merchant ships for carrying desperately needed food, medi- cines, and other cargo to our troops in South Vietnam and to the stricken people of that wartorn country. 5 ? public service, he was chairman of that great committee. Probably the Committee on Merchant Marine and vided for the establishment of an independent, separate agency for commercial fisheries, and also brought vastly expanded protection for our Nation’s wildlife. What I have cited here are but a small rendering of the contri- butions made to his State and our Nation by Herserr BoNNER. I loved him as a brother; I salute him as a fellow colleague of this House which we all love so well; and I am happy and proud to have known him, to have shared in his friendship and his wisdom. May God rest his soul always. Mr. MAHON. Mr. Speaker, I want to join with my colleagues in Paying tribute to the life and memory of the late Honorable HERBERT Bonner, the able former chairman of the Committee on Merchant Marine ana Fisheries. It was my privilege to serve with Mr. BONNER during the whole of his 25 years as a Member of the House. Indeed, he and I became friends during the time he was an aid to the late Lindsay Warren of the great State of North Carolina, whom he succeeded. I could not improve upon the fine sentiments expressed here but T can do no less than endorse them. It was a pleasure and an honor to serve in this great representative body with a man of the stature of Hersert Bonner. The people of North Carolina and of the Nation Owe him a debt of gratitude for his contributions to the national welfare. May the Lord bless his memory. Mr. MILLS. Mr. Speaker, the tragic passing of our respected and admired colleague, Hers BonNER, was a sad event for the Nation and for the district which he represented for so many years in such a dis- tinguished way, as well as for all of his host of friends and admirers, both here and throughout the country. Hersert Bonner was elected to the Congress shortly after I be- came a Member, and we have served together throughout the years as close friends. His contributions as chairman of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, which has handled such a volume of legislation of vital interest to this Nation over a period of many [2x] Sea eS SONNE years, will serve as q i icati ili a longer tenure of service. its Members had come in with the 76th Congress and had been re- elected at each succeedin g election. Now the number has been deaths during the past year of Clarence I shall always remember HERBERT colleague, HERBERT C. Bonner. For more than a way" of . century he had served with great distinction in the House of 1s sentatives and during that time he won the friendship, esteem, an irati 1 who came to know him. ae pope important Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries he showed a rare legislative insight and the ae degree of statesmanship. It was my privilege and honor oma if : Hers Bonner through the many years we served toget af aoe House of Representatives. He was a great Seas - ae ard to our party. He was one of yee raps modest m worked quietly and succeeded in reac ing hisgoals. Hund Banoo legislative achievements were coer ai many. His passing leaves a void that will long be felt in this seni and we shall miss his cheerful personality and the outstanding abi he applied to the legislative work of the Congress. Sate ae Mr. Speaker, I wish to join with the host of his frien s desc workers in extending our heartfelt condolences and dia ymp.: to the family of our departed friend, Hersert C. BoNNER. Mr. McMILLAN. Mr. Speaker and Members of the ee ‘2 was with a deep sense of sadness that I learned of the a ie : admired and highly respected Congressman HERBERT | yer “se Want to join my colleagues in the House this se . a2 - this Outstanding statesman and gentleman from Nort zt oles I had the privilege and pleasure of knowing HERBERT : I fe when he was a traveling salesman in North and South Carolina m later when he was secretary to Congressman Lindsay oe — was later appointed to the position of U.S. Comptroller ene of Mr. BonneER was an outstanding Member of this body and a so = 4N excellent record as secretary to Mr. Warren for approximately ¢ years before he succeeded Mr. Warren as a Member of the House. am certain I have never met anyone who had a better sense of oe and possessed all those necessary factors to work with all types o €rsonalities, : Congressman Bonner made an excellent committee posses = Tam certain every member of his committee feels as I do when I sta that the State of North Carolina and the entire country have lost one Of its greatest statesmen. [23] ee ——— EEE Bonner, of North Carolina, is a great loss to the Congress and the Nation and to this great deliberative body, His long devoted service here constitutes an imperishable record which has been marked by outstanding ability, unexcelled fidelity to principle, and the highest order of patriotism. He was both articulate and knowledgeable. His diligence and his work and his attention to duty marked him as an extremely conscientious public servant. His spirit of dedication commanded the respect, confidence, and admiration of al] of us and all those who knew him. His great district and State have sustained a truly irreparable loss i i i ople knew no bounds, and he served world, for many years to come, [24] We may well say to him: “Well done, thou good and faithful serv- ant.” May the good Lord smile upon him and bring him peace in His eternal home. Mr. GROSS. Mr. Speaker, it was a privilege for me to have the °pportunity to serve on the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee under the chairmanship of our departed colleague, the Honorable HERBERT Bonner. Through many long and involved hearings, I found him to be able and completely fair in his conduct of the committee. With scores of other Members, I will miss the presence of my friend, Herserr Bon- NER, in the House of Representatives. I extend my sympathy to his widow and to other members of his family, Mr. BENN ETT. Mr. Speaker, the absence of Congressman Bon- NER from our Chamber is sadly felt by us all; and the country mourns his Passing as an able and dedicated legislator and American, It was my pleasure for several years to serve on his Committee on Merchant arine and Fisheries; and it was a rich and inspiring service because of his ability, character, and his kindness to all with whom he associ- ated. We have lost a great Congressman and a dear friend and our hearts 80 out in sympathy to all his bereaved family. Monnay, January 17, 1966. A message from the Senate announced that the Senate had passed 4 resolution as follows: Senate Reso.ution 176 Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow the announce- Ment of the death of Hon. Herserr C. Bonner, late a Representative from the State of North Carolina. : Resolved, That the Secretary communicate these resolutions to the House of Representatives and transmit an enrolled copy thereof to the family of the deceaseg. Resolved, That, as a further mark of respect to the memory of the deceased, the Senate do now adjourn until Monday next. [25] ———— SS Oovitet 2:95925 eee MEMORIAL ADDRESSES IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES it Wy SS SS eee Svar es See ADDRESS BY HON. WILLIAM L. ST. ONGE OF CONNECTICUT Mr. Speaker, I wish to join my colleagues in paying tribute to our late beloved chairman of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, the Honorable Hersert C. BonNER, whose death is a Srievous loss to all of us. I have had the honor and the privilege of working with him as a member of the committee which he so ably headed. I found him to be a man of deep understanding, a devoted public servant, and a capable leader. His guidance and counsel were always most helpful. He was particularly helpful to me in matters pertaining to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and other Coast Guard installations located in my district in Connecticut. During the quarter of a century of his service in the House of Representatives, HERBERT BonNER not only left his imprint on Con- Sress and on many legislative acts, but he also left a host of friends and admirers who had the highest regard for him. We shall always remember him as a man of wisdom, patience, courtesy, and able leadership. His death is a deep loss to those of us who had the °ccasion to work with him more closely. I extend to his widow and to other members of his family my deepest sympathy in this hour of their great bereavement. ADDRESS BY HON. THOMAS M. PELLY OF WASHINGTON Mr. Speaker, for more than 10 years it was my good fortune to ser ; : 4a = on the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Ww > . . . . le Herp Bonner was the chairman. During this time, I learned [29 ] firsthand that HErs was a man of the hi the wel ghest integrity, dedicated to welfare of all matters coming under h is committee jurisdiction, er of years, my wife and I lived right across the hall ie ~ = ————— = she viness es for me to Congressman Bonner. It was always a great pleasure listen to his many fishing experiences. : : I am sure the Outer Banks of the Carolina coast will no longer be the same. The fisherman has gone to his eternal home. ADDRESS BY HON. JOHN J. ROONEY OF NEW YORK Mr. Speaker, I was saddened and shocked a I neg - November 7, 1965, the Honorable HERBERT C. ON asad Carolina, died in Walter Reed Army Hospital sect * biome T wish to join my many colleagues in sadly ae hongene holy man who devoted 25 years of his life to serving the peop Carolina and the United States. ; “. For most of the 25 years Hers BonNER spent in the inbeet nt ae resentatives, and in his service on the House sper ae ayseneg Marine and Fisheries, he fought to strengthen and stabilize try’s maritime industry. He believed, as most of a do, wort meta Chant marine was and is a vital part of America's ore . "at roved decade as chairman of that vital comunittee, ~ ecg ee safety regulations at sea and technological popr erento a fight the industry. In fighting to strengthen the merchan , NER was that I wholeheartedly did and do support, enon hs yon peo- Serving not only the great State of North Carolina, ; issed. ple of this country. He shall be sorely misse lence. To his family, I extend my deepest sympathy and condolen ADDRESS BY HON. WILLIAM S. MAILLIARD OF CALIFORNIA ation has Mr. Speaker, in the passing of HERBERT arate pet yas lost a wise and able statesman. But, more particularly, [31] a his country well, he served his beloved State of North Carolina well, and he served his district well and long and faithfully. As chairman of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, he was known nationally as the father of the nuclear-powered ship Savannah, and for other work directed toward modernizing our merchant marine fleet. I knew Hersert C. Bonner as a dedicated American, an able colleague, and a man devoted to principle. He had a keen grasp of the responsibilities of public service, and he responded to those responsibilities. He will be sorely missed in the Congress and most difficult to replace. His legacy of service will live for untold generations as a monument to his dedication. I extend to Mrs. Bonner and other members of his family my deepest sympathy in their irreplaceable loss. ADDRESS BY HON. CHARLES A. MOSHER OF OHIO Mr. Speaker, I wish to join my colleagues in paying homage to the late Honorable Hersert C. Bonner. It was my privilege to serve but briefly with this courtly gentleman on the Committee on Mer- chant Marine and F isheries, which he so ably chaired for more than a decade. My great regret is the brevity of my association with Hers BoNNER. It is my personal loss that I did not know him sooner. He was a man whom I rapidly grew to respect and admire. Dedicated in purpose and undaunted by adversity, Chairman Bonner gave unsparingly of himself to the service of his constituents, the development of a strong American merchant marine, and the preservation of this Nation’s natural resources. The product of his tireless efforts stand in tribute and memorial to his skill and dedication. The late Father Edmund A. Walsh, S.J., of Georgetown University, Was a stanch advocate for a strong American merchant marine. Men such as Congressman Bonner must have been in his thoughts when Father Walsh wrote: A statesman is the rar eration. He will have le We can ill afford t missed. To his wife BEE alelctintanitne ae aw St ee rete Sant Pewee e lost a dear hy. The country has lost a fine man and we hav Sympathy. friend. ER ADDRESS BY HON. O. C. FISH. OF TEXAS ded to my ; ies that have been accor i I join in the eulogies iet, calm, an 1 aa margeek” clingee eeraeess Peege e9 pa ema Always ate fri ‘ 4 ent : , i faithful and devote iversal respect. eis ery colaadiaiiiade HEasxet Sate aaa the Nation honorak e ra I have lost a close personal a nd family I extend Me op ‘alisha public servant. To the surv as lost a v; i t. my deepest sympathy in their bereavemen [35] = ee eee 2 PROCEEDINGS IN THE UNITED STATES SENATE 333083. Proceedings in the Senate WEDNESDAY, January 12, 1966. A message from the House of Representatives communicated to the Senate the intelligence of the death of Hon. Hersert C. Bonner, late a Representative from the State of North Carolina, and trans- mitted the resolution of the House thereon. Fray, January 14, 1966. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Byrd of Virginia in the Chair) . The Chair lays before the Senate a message from the House of Representatives, which will be read. The legislative clerk read as follows: House ReEsoLuTION 632 Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death of the Honorable Hersert C. Bonner, a Representative from the State of North Carolina. Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate and transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. Resolved, That as a further mark of respect, the House do now adjourn. Mr. ERVIN. Mr. President, on behalf of my colleague, the Senator from North Carolina [Mr. Jordan], and myself, I submit a resolution relating to the death of the very able and much loved Representative from North Carolina, Hersert C. Bonner, and ask for its immediate consideration. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The resolution will be stated. [39] s32n Ine —— MBrai#e 12eAAF ‘my | The legislative clerk read the resolution (S. 176), as follows: SENATE RESOLUTION 176 Resolved, That the Senate has heard with profound sorrow the announce- ment of the death of the Honor ; able HersBert C. Bonn sentative from the State of North Carolina. 5 does ea R ? = — That the Secretary communicate these resolutions to the House €presentatives and transmit an enrolled copy thereof to the family of the deceased. Mr. JORDAN of North Carolina. Mr. President shortly after the Ist session of the 89th Congress adjourned, the United mae lost one of its truly outstanding citizens in the death of the Honorable oon Cc. Bonner, the Representative from the First District of : art pr onmgars of the House Committee on Merchant The many friends Herbert Bonner had over the years felt a ve deep personal loss in his passing. He was a very down-to-earth son who always put the welfare of the public ahead of other ead erations. I am sure he did this because he loved just plain peo ! much and because he knew them and their problems mort I knew Hersert Bonner for many, many years, aad I have ne known a more conscientious, honest, and dedicated man in my life. Although we have lost a dear friend a ; F : nd the Nat dedicated public servant, all of us are better off fo ion has lost a HeErsert Bonner and benefited from th i e work h of the United States. iia The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without obijectj : object i is considered and unanimously agreed to. eciat ontea r having known d in the Congress THurspay, February 10, 1966. ADDRESS BY SENATOR SAM J. ERVIN, JR OF NORTH CAROLINA Mr. President, I wish to pay a word of tribute to the late Congress- man HeErsBert Covincton Bonner, whose death ha: a good and kind neighbor. s deprived us of [40] | Hersert Bonner was born in the year 1891 in Washington, N.C., the son of Herbert Macon and Hannah Hare Bonner. His father was the captain of the steamboat Hatteras which carried passengers and cargo from the port of “little Washington” to points along the intercoastal waters. HerBERT sometimes accompanied ‘Captain Mac” on these excursions and his early love of the water and boating never left him. After attending Graham’s Academy in Warrenton, N.C., he joined the George B. Helms Tobacco Co. as a traveling tobacco and snuff salesman. By horse and buggy he covered the roads and byways of a five-county area selling his wares. He loved these trips and looked forward to the warm hobnobbing at the country stores. He opened his own tobacco company in 191! with his brother-in- law and continued as a salesman for the company until World War I when he left to serve as a sergeant in the 81st Army Division. In 1925 he accompanied his boyhood friend, Lindsay C. Warren, to Washington as his secretary, and brought his lovely bride of 6 months with him. When Warren was appointed Comptroller General in 1940, Hersert BonNeR was his uncontested successor. He en- countered opposition only 3 of 13 times he ran for reelection during the 25 years he served in Congress. I know of no Congressman in the past or present who was more fervently dedicated to the well-being of those he represented than was Hersert Bonner. He felt a genuine empathy with the people back home he so loved, and his efforts for them were tireless. With his instinctive avoidance of ostentation, he went about the attainment of his aims with a noted absence of display. Among his legislative achievements was passage of the measure which led to the establishment of the Cape Hatteras National Sea- shore, the first of the seashore areas in the Nation to be set aside as a public playground. He was responsible for construction of the bridge which bears his name and links the once isolated Outer Banks of North Carolina, and was one of the first to recognize the need for a revised acreage allotment tobacco program. He continually worked for improvements in the postal facilities and service for the people of his district, and his competence in obtaining his objectives was remarkable. Hersert BonneEr’s accomplishments, however, were not confined to the State level, and he left an impressive legacy as chairman of the [41] Lpanai soem 1sRR IRL House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. His good friend, Speaker Sam Rayburn, said of him in this capacity: és His committee has been chairmaned by some of the greatest Members of ongress, but none greater than HERBERT BONNER. Herserv’s interest in marine affairs was profoundly earnest and the work of the committee during the 10 years of his chairmanshi bore the mark of his imagination and courage. Through his aoe tenacious efforts, he offered and steered to enactment legislation au- thorizing construction of the first nuclear-powered merchant shi the SS Savannah. It was his idea that the ship should be a tly passenger vessel which could be practically employed in its demon- stration of the peacetime possibilities of nuclear power rather than simply a showboat for display purposes. After the sinking of the Andrea Doria in 1956, he chaired a subcommittee investigation of the incident which resulted in the 1960 Convention for Safety of Life at Sea. He was one of the first to recognize the unique a t- ability of atomic power to icebreaking vessels, and in 1958 his val posed legislation for a nuclear-powered icebreaker successfull path both the House and Senate but was defeated by Presidential v t In all likelihood the future will be the beneficiary of his vision He initiated a congressional study of the efficiency of the Panama Canal asa modern interoceanic waterway, and led efforts that resulted in the revision of obsolete passenger shipping laws and thus insured the survival of American passenger shipping. He also concerned himself and his committee with labor-management relations in the mariti 2 industry which he considered to be the basis of many of the Besta problems. In the last speech he was to deliver in the House of Rep- resentatives on October 20, 1965, less than a month before the death which he knew to be inevitable, he argued for the establishment of an independent Federal Maritime Administration. He stated: I intend as soon as possible in the next session to ho i i i abe te the hope that by giving everyone a Ba gd icin ggg sea 8, we will be able to get our merchant marine policy back on course. His courage and optimism never failed and, unlike Tennyson’s Ulysses who feared to “rust unburnish’d,” HERBERT Bisel life up to its end “shined in use.” ' I never knew him to hold bitterness or enmity in his heart against his fellows, and his generous nature was quick to forgive pie. and [ 42 ] malevolence in others. He possessed an extraordinary facility of get- ting along with men of heterogeneous political faiths, and his native temperance together with his political acumen and sincere liking of people enabled him to accomplish ends which would have eluded others. He was a man of relentless honesty and when he gave his word it was his honor. With all his astuteness as a political leader, he was on occasion deceived by the very reason of this honesty, since he assumed the same allegiance to it in others. He never lost his eager interest in everything and his wonderful teasing and dry humor was a source of much pleasure to those who knew him. Congressman Hersert C. BonNER was known and addressed as simply “Hersert” by the people back home, young and old alike. He was one of them and they knew it. It is a moving tribute to the man that his name has been given to many of the children of those who loved him. One of his most devoted friends and longtime em- ployee named her only son Herbert, and, if it could be determined, we might well find that there are as many Herberts scattered throughout the First District of North Carolina as there were Georges in the Col- onies during the days of the American Revolution. Hersert Bonner was always interested in the opinions of his friends and associates, and he listened to others with respect and attention. He once remarked that during his early days in Wash- ington he observed a sign in Speaker Sam Rayburn’s office which read: When you’re talkin’ you ain’t larnin’. He received this homely instruction well, and may years later, when he had distinguished himself as a Congressman, Speaker Rayburn was moved to say of him: Hersert BonNER doesn’t talk too much. So when he does talk, he chal- lenges the attention of the House because he knows what he’s talking about. And indeed he did. He felt a special warmheartedness for children and expressed this fondness in many kindnesses for them. He once read an item in his hometown newspaper which casually alluded to a little boy with ragged pants who was seen rolling a warped wooden hoop [43 ] sansa Liphadé ayes rsx Mian i Tag) Iw) | down the street. The boy was described as looking rather forlorn. Herpert Bonner called the newspaper editor from his Washington office and said: You go buy that boy a pair of pants and also a real hoop and let me know how much they cost. In the final weeks of Herserr Bonner’s life when death was Close at hand, he made every effort his failing body would allow to attend the sessions of the House of Representatives. On several occasions he had an aid rush him back from his visits to Walter Reed Hospital in order that he might cast his vote. HERBerT Bonner was survived by his devoted wife, Eva Hassell Hackney Bonner, who had been his constant inspiration in all his public services. Since his passing, those of us who called him friend remember with a new awareness the poignant truth expressed by the Persian poet ages ago: For some we loved, the loveliest and the best That from his vintage rolling time hath prest, Have drunk their cup a round or two before, And one by one crept silently to rest. [44] | | | i! MEMORIAL TRIBUTES TO HERBERT C. BONNER SS } f — ————__ __—_ —_____ — SSS SSS Ss TRIBUTE BY REPRESENTATIVE HAROLD D. COOLEY OF NORTH CAROLINA Mr. Speaker, I insert as a part of my remarks an appropriate edi- torial which appeared in the November 8 edition of the Daily News, and which was written by those who knew and understood and ap- preciated the true worth of HERBERT CovincTON BONNER: [From the Daily News, Nov. 8, 1965] Hersert C. Bonner, A GREAT AMERICAN Hersert Covincton Bonner, truly a great American, has answered his last rollcall. Here was a man who for most of his adult life had been in the public, serving fully and capably his fellow man, knowing full well that when one serves well his fellow man, he has served his God better. Here was a man who never stopped to ask, “What is politically wise?” Rather he asked only, “What is humanly right?” Here was a man who lived with his political future in his hands, but with his Nation, his State, and his beloved First Congressional District in his heart. Here was a man who chose all his life to light a candle rather than to curse the darkness. Along the way he lit many candles, and in this hour of sadness the lights of love, faith, honor, truth, self-respect, and tremendous dedication glow more brightly, as the man lies in stillness, than they ever did in life. In his days here we all knew he was a wonderful person. In death we realize now how much greatness we have lost. His strength lay in his cour- age, his courage in his faith, and his faith stood every test and was never found wanting. Here was a man who spent his happiest hours here with his own “homefolks,” as he so proudly and so often said. No heart was bigger; no soul more generous. His entire life was lived with genuine kindness and love for all, and with bitterness and malice toward none. Here was a man set apart in his generation, a man beloved by so many because he loved so many, a man who has so many monuments which he built and which shall stand as long as one of us remains who knew him and loved him. [47] gssotme remem ein Liskadé MET HEX Zs z t _$i__* ¥ HErseErT Bonner, for us, cannot die. Like a ship sailing out of harbor, we lose sight of the physical being, but what he did for so many and what he meant to so many are matters which death cannot take away nor time dim. The candles he lit in his life have served not only to chase away the darkness, but in greater and more glowing terms, they have kindled the fires of hope, freedom, and progress for so many whose steps otherwise might have faltered as they groped along life’s pathway. From his life, we the living, can find new faith, and from his works, we the humble, can find new inspiration. Hersert Bonner finished his journey on Sunday. What a beau- tiful thought to feel that he deserved to go away on the day of rest. Those he loved and those by whom he was beloved are one today in sadness, while at the same time we can look upon his life proudly and say, “There was a man.” He does not die; he lives forever in the hearts of those he served; he was a joy to himself and an inspiration to those about him. Yes; he was a great American because he was first a great human being. [From the Daily News, Nov. 8, 1965] MILLIGAN STEW (By Dave Milligan) There was not a vindictive bone in his body. When we were on opposite sides of a bombing range squabble, he treated me with such friendship, cordiality, and warmth that there were times I didn’t know which side I was on * * *, That’s when I found out why people voted for HERBERT Bonner, because knowing him personally, it was impossible to vote against him. I was chatting with Mr. R. S. Spencer, Sr., of Englehard the other day and I found out something else about him. Years ago, shortly after the turn of the century, Mr. BonNER was a to- bacco and snuff salesman. This is what Mr. Spencer said: “HERBErt use to sell me snuff and tobacco when I opened my store 60 years ago; I was only a boy, and HERBERT was too. “He would come down from Washington in a horse and buggy, and as you can guess we didn’t have much in the way of roads back then, but, that’s the only way he could get there, so that’s the way he came.” That’s 75 miles by horse and buggy. And he wasn’t sure at all of making a sale. [ 48] Edmund Harding said he traveled about five counties on horse and buggy. So, if somebody tells you they don’t make them like HersertT BoNNER any more, he’s probably right. TRIBUTE BY SENATOR SAM J. ERVIN, JR. OF NORTH CAROLINA Mr. President, when my longtime friend, Representative HERBERT C. Bonner of the First North Carolina District, died on November 7, 1965, his district, his State, and his country suffered an irreparable loss. Immediately after his passing a number of articles and editorials depicting his magnificent public services appeared in the press. I ask unanimous consent that these articles and editorials be printed in the Record. bee ‘ There being no objection, the articles and editorials were ordere to be printed in the Record as follows: [From the Asheville (N.C.) Citizen and Times, Nov. 8, 1965] ANCER Norru CAro.ina’s First District CoNGRESSMAN Bonner Digs oF C AT 74 WaAsHINGTON.—Representative HerserT C. Bonner of North Carolina, sometimes called the father of the nuclear ship Savannah, died Sunday at Walter Reed Army Hospital. He was 74. Democrat BonNER came to the Capitol 50 years ago as a congressional sec- retary and went on to a 25-year career as a House Member. For the past : o years, as chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, he exerted strong influence in maritime affairs. And he enjoyed a reputation also as a poker player s poker player. Bonner’s First Congressional District, which included 15 sparsely popu- lated counties in North Carolina’s northeast corner, is laced by sounds, streams, and coastline. A bridge joining two of the Outer Banks in his district was named for him last year. Among North Carolina’s 11 Congressmen, BONNER was the most consistent supporter of the policies of Democratic administrations. He underwent surgery in North Carolina several months ago for removal of a cancerous kidney. Then he returned to Washington to vote for various Johnson administration programs. He entered Walter Reed Hospital last month soon after Congress adjourned. [49 ] Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Washington, N.C. Burial will be in Oakdale Cemetery. BonneEr’s death leaves the House lineup at 292 Democrats and 140 Repub- licans, with 3 vacancies. Representative Edward A. Garmatz of Maryland is the second-ranking Democrat on the Maritime Committee and thus is in line for the chairmanship. When he was 24, BonNnER came to Washington as secretary to Representa- tive Lindsay C. Warren of North Carolina. He won Warren’s seat in 1940 after the Congressman resigned to become U.S. Comptroller General. Bonner was reelected to every succeeding Congress. In 1955, the year he became chairman of the Merchant Marine Committee, Bonner introduced legislation to install nuclear reactors in existing merchant ships as a means of producing a floating exhibit of peaceful uses of atomic energy. This plan did not work out, but he subsequently led in obtaining legislation which brought the building of the Savannah, the world’s first nuclear- powered freighter. He pioneered also with the idea of a nuclear-powered icebreaker for the Coast Guard. Years ago, a 10-cent-limit poker game started in the Capitol. It grew toa 20-cent game and a regular recreational event for some Congressmen and congressional aids. From this came Bonner’s repute as “a mighty good poker player.” He is survived by his widow; three brothers, John and George Bonner of Washington, N.C., and James Bonner of Atlanta, Ga., and a sister Mrs. W. H. Williams, of Washington, N.C. [From the Asheville (N.C.) Citizen, Nov. 10, 1965] Hersert C. Bonner Buriep on Nort Carona Coast Wasuincton, N.C.—Hersert C. Bonner, who represented coastal North Carolina in Congress for a quarter of a century, was buried Tuesday near the banks of the Pamlico River. The 74-year-old Bonner, who introduced legislation that led to the Na- tion’s first nuclear-powered merchant ship, died Sunday in Walter Reed Army Hospital. He had been ill since the removal of a cancerous kidney in July. Final rites for the veteran Democratic Representative were held in the century-old St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. All the seats in the small, red brick church were filled with visiting dig- nitaries and the family. Inside were Gov. Dan Moore and two former North Carolina chief execu- tives—Terry Sanford and Luther Hodges. There was a large delegation from Congress, including two of BonNER’s longtime friends, Representative [50] Michael J. Kirwan, Democrat, of Ohio, and William M. Colmer, Democrat, of Mississippi. - : Most of North Carolina’s congressional delegation was there, executive, judiciary, and legislative branches also attended, such men as State ‘Treasurer Edwin Gill and Joe Hunt, chairman of the State highway commission. Military representatives from the various armed services were in attendance, including the merchant marine which BonnER had championed during his 25 years in the House of Representatives. ; Outside the church more than 300 other mourners stood silently along a narrow road named Bonner. ; =e a The Congressman’s bronzed metal casket was covered with a single wrea of yellow roses and was carried by the men who had served as his personal aids. ; Shortly before the funeral procession arrived, a U.S. Coast Guard plane flew over the church. [From the Charleston (S.C.) News and Courier, Nov. 10, 1965] FuneraL Hep 1n NortH Caroina ror RepresENTATIVE H. C. BoNnNER Wasutncton, N.C.—Herzert C. Bonner, who represented coastal North Carolina in Congress for a quarter of a century, was buried Tuesday near the ico River. ects Bonner, who introduced legislation that led to the Na- tion’s first nuclear-powered merchant ship, died Sunday in Walter Reed Army Hospital. He had been ill since the removal of a cancerous kidney in July. Final rites for the veteran Democratic Representative were held in the century old St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. 4 is t All the seats in the small, red brick church were filled with visiting dig- nitaries and the family. : a Inside were Gov. Dan Moore and two former North Carolina chief execu- tives—Terry Sanford and Luther Hodges. There was a large delegation from Congress, including two of BonNER’s longtime friends, Representatives Michael J. Kirwan, Democrat, of Ohio, and William M. Colmer, Democrat, : reg ‘North Carolina’s congressional delegation was there. Scores of State officials from the executive, judiciary, and legislative branches also attended, such men as State Treasurer Edwin Gill and Joe Hunt, chairman of the State highway commission. ; ; P Military representatives from the various armed services were in attendance, including the merchant marine which BonNER had championed during his 25 years in the House of Representatives. : Outside the church more than 300 other mourners stood silently along a narrow road named Bonner. [51] —— = —————————— The Congressman’s bronzed metal casket was covered with a single wreath of yellow roses and was carried by the men who had served as his personal aids. Shortly before the funeral processional arrived, a U.S. Coast Guard plane flew over the church. During the funeral hour all closed. Many businesses in the downtown area of memory of their native son. Conducting the services were the Reverend John Bonner, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chattanooga, Tenn., and a nephew of the Con- gressman; the Reverend Irwin Hulbert, Jr., rector of St. Peter’s and the Right Reverend Thomas H. Wright, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern North Carolina. Burial was in Oakdale Cemetery. Bonner was born in this Washington near the great shipping lanes of the Atlantic and spent most of his life between here and the Nation’s Capital City of Washington. A former traveling salesman, then a con to the House on November 5, 1940. He never forgot his closeness to the sea and in 1955 became chairman of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. He sponsored the legislation that led to construction of the Savannah, the Nation’s first nuclear merchant ship. Bonner also worked to keep both channels open on the North Carolina Outer Banks and pushed for the estab- lishment of the Cape Hatteras N: ational Seashore Park. He helped modernize passenger shipping laws that allowed American ships to compete for the rich Caribbean and Mediterranean winter cruise trade. government, county, and city offices were Washington also were closed in igressional aid, BoNNER was elected [From the Charlotte ( N.C.) Observer, Nov. 8, 1965] History Witt REMEMBER Bonner, Moore Says RateicH.—Gov. Dan Moore said Sunday that in the death of Repre- sentative Herpert C. Bonner the State has “lost one of the outstanding men of our time.” The Governor ordered all State flags flown at half staff in honor of the veteran Congressman. “HERBERT BONNER was a Congressman of the highest order,” Moore added. € served not only the people of his First District, but all Americans as well with distinction and honor. His deeds of public service will cause him to be remembered on through history, “His accomplishments have North Carolinians mourn his lo Associate Justice E. B. Den “had an excellent record in Co helped to make ours a better country. All ss and honor his memory,” Moore concluded. ny of the State supreme court said BonNER ngress and he will be difficult to replace.” [52] J. M. Broughton, Jr., of Raleigh, chairman of the State Democratic execu- .M. Fe, i i i ‘will be sorely missed. tive committee, said BonNER “will House apeilies Pat Taylor of Wadesboro, said, “He contributed many i i d to his country.” ears of valuable service to his State an ; es ; ; a Dr. Charles F. Carroll, State superintendent of public saa wea? a? i th Caro- “T consider him one of the most solid men to have represented Nor lina in the Congress at any time.” [From the Charlotte (N.C.) Observer, Nov. 9, 1965] BonNER SERVED STATE, NATION WELL “HerBert BoNNER doesn’t talk too much. So when he —s naa e challenges the attention of the House because he knows what he’s talking about.” ; é , Representative Herpert C. Bonner, who died Sunday in Mb an after an extended illness, has served his district and his country well. - oa one of the ways in which he served it best was by not talking too much an knowing what he was talking about. The ve tribute quoted here came from Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn in 1957, when a portrait of BonNER was being placed in his committee neg Bomeen went to Washington nearly 50 years ago to serve os fag orig i him, Lindsay C. Warren. en War the Representative who preceded ‘ warhsn in 1940 to become U.S. Comptroller General, Bonner ran for the i il hi th. House seat and held it until his dea : In 1955, BONNER became chairman of the important Merchant Marine a Fisheries Cocnaiiittes, a committee which has considerable power “i iy development of this Nation’s merchant ships and over the US. Coast na Bonner served a district in the northeastern corner of this State, one me with sounds and rivers and one with an economy tied in part ne the ay Me was inevitable that his interest should run to the Merchant ean cs mittee, but it was not inevitable that his vision should stretch to t ~ po’ of being largely responsible for the development of nuclear-powered cargo shi « . . . . - The mark of a Congressman is found in two areas, his service to his =, stituents and his service to his country, regardless of the special interests o is district. : ak “pag Congressmen achieve long years of service with little but work for the homefolks to their credit. Others make their national marks early and live r years. pat oe Bonner, from a largely rural eastern North Carolina district, 2 served his people well. But he had the happy faculty of being able to serve is distri his State. i far beyond the borders of his district or i bs east deem of a Congressman should be in how he has served in both areas. Hzrsert C. Bonner ranked high in both and, because of that, was a Cécighoaindin North Carolina will find it hard to replace. [53 ] TH CouracE AND IMAGINATION The death of Congressman Hersert C. BoNNER took from his friends and constituents an uncommon man, and a dedicated public servant who left his district, his State, and his Nation better than he found them. The short, bald little man with the coastal Carolina brogue first went to Capitol Hill in 1925 as congressional secretary to his friend and neighbor Lindsay Warren. Bonner was elected to his own seat in 1940, and his right to represent his district was seriously challenged only twice in the ensuing 2 5 years. During his time in Congress, BonNER earned a solid reputation as a man of remarkable personal and political loyalties. He was a respected political ally of such men as Sam Rayburn, John Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson. And he was a personal friend to countless numbers of street-corner-and-iron-stove constituents back home. He was an astute student of popular moods, and reputed among both colleagues and voters to be a man who never forgot a face, a favor, or a promise. Out of this complex of personal and political ties, HErsert BoNNER man- aged to forge a legislative record that bears the mark of courage and imagi- nation. He was tireless in his effort to keep in touch with his people and see to their needs. He landed major defense installations during World War II. He took a vigorous interest in farm legislation and authored some of his own. As chairman of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee he was an outspoken advocate of conservation legislation, and was responsible for the establishment of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Bonner was no less active at the national level, He was an ardent and hardworking New Dealer during the Roosevelt administration. It was he who authored the legislation that gave the United States its first nuclear- powered ship, the Savannah. His unusual mixture of durable loyalty and political gumption earned him valuable friendships in high places, but often left him standing alone among North Carolina’s congressional delegation. He campaigned hard for John Kennedy in 1960 and was the first State Democratic leader in 1964 to come out for the Democratic ticket—despite the very real possibility that Goldwater’s racial reputation might prove dangerously popular in his eastern North Carolina district. HErzBert Bonner took his work seriously and did it well. It is a measure of his caliber that he will be genuinely missed by congressional colleagues and grassroots constituents, alike, and that he will be remembered by all of them as a man who cared. [From the Durham (N.C.) Sun, Nov. 9, 1965] State Loses a FrreND AND ADVOCATE In the death of Representative Hernerr C. Bonner, whose funeral was held in his hometown of Washington, N.C., today, his beloved First District [54] and the State whose causes he championed in Congress for 25 years have lost ble spokesman and a true friend. sit 2 i ng a= Bonner, who died at Walter Reed Hospital in the Nation’s Capital Sunday, was not addicted to dramatic preachments or colorful oratori- preps hs ns on the floor of the House. He went about the task of espousing those things he considered best for his district, his State, and his country in a i i termination. calm manner but with efficiency and de ; Many believe that it was BonNER’s seemingly calculated avoidance of the spectacular that enabled him to build quietly a tremendous amount of influ- i is fellow lawmakers. ence and to win the great respect of his : ‘ He became chairman of the powerful House Merchant Marine Committee i of the committee at the time of his death. 4 ph te was almost as familiar with the Halls 7 ae as he was with the streets of his hometown long before he ascen: a ‘ seat vacated by Lindsay C. Warren in 1940. Wren Warren resigne sd . come U.S. Comptroller General, BonNER was a “natural” for the seat, for he had served as Warren’s secretary for 25 years. tons 4 Leaders in the Nation’s Capital and in his own State paid tribute to Bon fter his death. NER, the man and the Congressman, a : ’ One of the most descriptive tributes to Representative BonNER during his long career came a good many years ago, however, from the late House Speaker Sam Rayburn, who said: carota BonNER doesn’t talk too much. So when he does, he challenges the attention of the House because he knows what he’s talking about. [From the Elizabeth City (N.C.) Advance] Hersert C. BONNER Herpert C. Bonner for 25 years was, before he was anything else, the Representative from the First District of North Carolina. The coast was native and dear tohim. He helped to establish the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the first of the country’s seashore areas to be set aside as a public playground. From military installations to duck-hunting regulations, he kept an alert eye on any legislation or policy that might affect his back-home potas a Yet Mr. BonNER, who died at 74 over the weekend, was a nationa gure and influential internationally. As chairman of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, he was responsible for the ideas and acts that led to the construction of the world’s first nuclear-powered merchantman, the Savan- nah. He argued for an international agency to oversee safety standards of ip a as a member of the Expenditures in the Executive Department Committee he supervised an investigation of postwar profiteers who bought up U.S. surplus materials in Germany and sold them back to the Severs and led a congressional subcommittee around the world in an examination 0} waste and inefficiency at American military installations. A ; His identity with the Savannah in a sense was symbolic. F or he saw in the nuclear vessel much that was wrong with the merchant marine: maritime la- [55] bor’s excessive wage demands, management’s unwillingness to take advantage of automation, and the Government’s reluctance to broaden its aid. The strike that followed quickly the Savannah’s launching struck him as a national disgrace and spurred his efforts to impose Federal arbitration on the mari- time industry. It was geography, not experience, that placed Mr. Bonner on the important committee that he headed for 10 years. His early years were spent not in shipping but as a farmer, a salesman, and secretary to the Congressman he suc- ceeded, Lindsay Warren. Capacity for growth was his great asset, his accom- plishments were numerous, and the work he applied to measures and proposi- tions yet unrealized will have a bearing in Congress for sessions yet to come. [From the Greensboro (N.C.) Daily News, Nov. 9, 1965] REPRESENTATIVE HERBERT C. BONNER The death of Representative Herbert C. BONNER deprives North Carolina of a knowledgeable and serviceable Congressman. Nor is the loss confined to North Carolina. Congress and the Nation are also losers, for Representative Bonner took a leading role in the accommodation of his State and the South to changing times. As chairman of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, he exerted a powerful influence. Nationally his major contributions included his chairmanship of the subcommittee investigating sales of war surplus ma- terials and his championing of the U.S. merchant marine. He not only worked tirelessly for its advancement but offered and steered to enactment legislation authorizing the SS Savannah, the first nuclear- powered merchant ship. Endless difficulties and technical problems failed to deter Representative Bonner, who ultimately saw his dream come true. The United States had a first in the nuclear age. Our guess is that HerBerT Bonner would wish no higher compliment than to have it said that he was a worthy successor to Representative Lindsay Warren, Sr. He was “Lins” Warren’s own choice when the latter was named Comptroller General by F.D.R. in 1940 after a congressional record as “watch- dog of the Treasury” which brought national recognition. It was natural that Herpert BoNNER should be the same type of Congress- man that his predecessor and mentor was. When Lindsay Warren was elected to Congress in 1924 he took BONNER to Washington with him and there he remained, as secretary and administrative aid—his eyes and ears in the large First District. During that long interval “Lins” Warren became a household word through- out the district, even to the fringes of the isolated Outer Banks. No one was more responsible for Representative Warren’s closeness to his district than Herpert Bonner. He carried on in the Warren tradition, which he himself helped create and perpetuate. With all his national responsibilities, he looked out for his district ; and his district knew it. On the record Representative BoNNER was the foremost moderate among the Tar Heel delegation. He supported Roosevelt’s New Deal, stuck with his [56] party leadership through successive administrations and went contrary to his colleagues when he voted for the key Kennedy-backed measure to enlarge the Rules Committee and break the hold of the hand of the past. The Bonner record speaks for itself. In backbone politics he went along with Governors Scott and Sanford. Whether Bonner’s philosophy, smart politics, or a combination of the two, inspired his moderate stand—he took > it. That is what is important. The voters of his district, however many of them may have disagreed with his position at intervals, nevertheless trusted and respected him, and repaid his efforts in their behalf by making him invincible election after election. Representative Hersert Bonner clearly showed, perhaps above all else, that a Congressman may serve his district’s interests intensely but at the same time never lose sight of national perspectives and responsibilities. It took far more than legerdemain to keep the First District constituency and the national administration on his team; yet that’s precisely what Herbert Bonner did. [From the Greensboro (N.C.) Daily News, Nov. 10, 1965] AYING TRIBUTE Sotemn Occasion: Home Forks, Dicniraries Jorn In P. to BONNER (By Roy Parker, Jr.) WasuincTon, N.C.—HErsert Bonner’s people flocked here Tuesday to pay final tribute to the man who had served them as Congressman for 25 There were dignitaries aplenty at the funeral of the 74-year-old BonNER, who died Sunday after an 8-month bout with a malignancy. 4 The dignitaries were led by Governor Moore, high-ranking officers of the armed services, and veteran Members of Congress. Zé There was solemn pomp, too, with a fly-over by a silver plane of the Coast Guard, a slow-moving procession of official automobiles, and music igh school band. ake eicedad were often lost in the outpouring of plainer people, the constituents and neighbors who had known Bonner as leader, mentor, d friend. bar es came from as far away as the isolated Outer Banks villages of Ocra- coke and Rodanthe. 23 ; There were people from the small towns, the larger communities, and the farms of the sprawling eastern North Carolina district which Bonner had represented since 1940. o : : Delegations of as many as 30 local political friends came from such counties as Hertford and Pitt. . sa , There were his neighbors—neighbors of this old riverside town, founded in 1771 by an ancestor, James Bonner. the hae of veberua organizations, including old buddies from World War I days, came in a body. [57] rennin Lohan Schoolchildren by the hundreds lined the route from old St. Peter’s Church, where the funeral services were held, to tree-crowned Oakdale Cemetery where—to the strains of “The Mariners Hymn”—Bonner was buried. Bonner’s death had ended a career that had begun in 1925, when he came to Washington as aid to newly elected Congressman Lindsay C. Warren. Bonner succeeded to Warren’s seat in 1940. Warren was among the mourners who listened as Episcopal clergy, includ- ing Bishop Thomas Wright of the diocese of east Carolina, intoned the 30-minute service. Governor Moore, accompanied by former Governors Terry Sanford and Luther Hodges, headed the State dignitary list. They were joined by the council of state, colleagues of the North Carolina congressional delegation, State Democratic Party Chairman Melville Broughton, Jr., more than a score of State legislators, old political warhorses such as “Cousin” Wayland Spruill, of Bertie, and new figures such as former gubernatorial candidate Richardson Preyer, Jr., of Greensboro. From Washington, congressional friends were led by Representative Ed Garmatz, of Maryland, who will succeed BONNER as chairman of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, and oldtimers Representative Mike Kirwan, of Ohio, and William Colmer, of Mississippi. Adm. James Rowland, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, headed a group of high-ranking armed service officers who represented their services. Bonner’s committee handled Coast Guard legislation and the Congressman was a champion of the coastal service. More than 300 mourners stood outside the small brick church as services were conducted by Bishop Wright, the Reverend John Bonner, a nephew of the Congressman, and the Reverend Irwin Hulbert, rector of St. Peter’s. To the strains of “Onward Christian Soldiers,” the bronze coffin was borne to the hearse by pallbearers who included BoNNER’s congressional staff and two sons of Warren, plus former staff aids. Led in motorcade by Governor Moore, the procession moved slowly along 16 blocks of student-lined streets to the cemetery. The weather was warm and the autumn sun was bright as the Washington High School band first rendered “My Country ’Tis of Thee” and the min- isters conducted short graveside rites, Bonner is survived by his wife, Mrs, Eva Hassell Bonner; by a sister; and by three brothers. [From the Los Angeles (Calif.) Times, Nov. 8, 1965] REPRESENTATIVE Bonner, “FATHER” or NucLEAR FREIGHTER, Dies—Nortu Carouina Democrat SERVED IN House 25 Years, Was Active In Mart- TIME AFFAIRS Wasuincton.—Representative Hersert C. Bonner of North Carolina, sometimes called the father of the nuclear ship Savannah, died Sunday at Walter Reed Army Hospital. He was 74. [58] Democrat BonneER came to the Capitol 41 years ago as a congressional sec- retary and went on to a 25-year career as a House Member. For the past 10 years, as chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, he ex- > erted strong influence in maritime affairs. ; He underwent surgery in North Carolina several months ago for remova' of a cancerous kidney. Then he returned to Washington to vote for various Johnson administration programs. He entered the hospital last month soon after Congress adjourned. FUNERAL TUESDAY Funeral services will be conducted Tuesday in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church here. Burial will be in Oakdale Cemetery. Bonner’s death leaves the House lineup at 292 Democrats and 140 Repub- licans, with 3 vacancies. Representative Edward A. Garmatz, of Maryland, tl is the second-ranking Democrat on the Maritime Committee and thus in line for the chairmanship. : When he was 24, BoNNER came to Washington as secretary to Representa- tive Lindsay C. Warren of North Carolina. He won Warren’s seat in 1940 after the Congressman resigned to become U.S. Comptroller General. Bon- NER was reelected to every succeeding Congress. PUSHED ATOMIC SHIPS In 1955, the year he became chairman of the Merchant Marine Commit- tee, Bonner introduced legislation to install nuclear reactors in existing irae chant ships as a means of producing a floating exhibit of peaceful uses o afi plan did not work out but he subsequently led in obtaining legislation which brought about the building of the Savannah, the world’s first nuclear- powered freighter. He also pioneered the idea of a nuclear-powered ice- breaker for the Coast Guard. ‘i ol Bonner initiated a congressional study of the Panama Canal and its effi- ciency as a modern interoceanic waterway. A board of consultants, appointed at his suggestion, is carrying on a study looking to modernization of the canal and/or construction of alternate routes. . ; “The existence of an adequate passageway between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans is vital to our commercial and defense needs,” BONNER said after his committee found that the present canal is too small for today’s needs. LED MODERNIZING He led efforts that updated 30-year-old passenger shipping laws, which, he said, were stifling American-flag passenger shipping and permitting foreign- flag ships to increase cruise service out of American ports. Bonner concerned himself and his committee with labor-management re- lations in the maritime industry which he said were at the heart of many maritime problems. [59] He worked for and got congressional authorization for new superliner U.S. passenger vessels, although Congress has not appropriated money for them. Representative Bonner is survived by his widow, three brothers, John and George Bonner of Washington, N.C., and James Bonner of Atlanta, and a sister, Mrs. W. H. Williams, of Washington, N.C. [From the New Orleans (La.) Times-Picayune, Nov. 8, 1965] Bonner Succumss at 74—CALLEp FATHER OF NUCLEAR SHIP WASHINGTON.—Representative Herpert C. Bonner, of North Carolina, sometimes called the father of the nuclear ship Savannah, died Sunday at Walter Reed Army Hospital. He was 74. Democrat BonNER came to the Capitol 41 years ago as a congressional secretary and went on to a 25-year career as a House Member. For the past 10 years, as chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, he exerted strong influence in maritime affairs. He enjoyed a reputation also asa poker player’s poker player. He underwent surgery in North Carolina several months ago for removal of a cancerous kidney. Then he returned to Washington to vote for various Johnson administration programs. He entered the hospital last month soon after Congress adjourned. SERVICES SET Funeral services be held at rr a.m. Tuesday in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Washington, N.C. Burial will be in Oakdale Cemetery. Bonner’s death leaves the House lineup at 292 Democrats and 140 Repub- licans, with three vacancies. Representative Edward A. Garmatz, of Mary- land, is the second-ranking Democrat on the Maritime Committee and thus in line for the chairmanship. When he was 24, Bonner came to Washington as secretary to Representa- tive Lindsay C. Warren, of North Carolina. He won Warren’s seat in 1940 after the Congressman resigned to become U.S. Comptroller General. Bon- NER was reelected to every succeeding Congress. In 1955, the year he became chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fish- eries Committee, BonNER introduced legislation to install nuclear reactors in existing merchant ships as a means of producing a floating exhibit of peaceful uses of atomic energy. PLAN FAILS This plan did not work out but he subsequently led in obtaining legislation which brought the building of the Savannah, the world’s first nuclear-powered freighter. He pioneered also in the idea of a nuclear-powered icebreaker for the Coast Guard. Years ago, a 10-cent-limit poker game started in the Capitol. It grew toa 20-cent game and a regular recreational event for some Congressmen and congressional aids. From this came BonNER’s repute as “a mighty good poker player.” [60 ] He is survived by his widow, three brothers, John and George Bonner of Washington, N.C., and James Bonner, of Atlanta, Ga., and a sister, Mrs. bp eee W. H. Williams, of Washington, N.C. [From the New York (N.Y.) Times, Nov. 8, 1965] REPRESENTATIVE HERBERT C. BonNNER Is Deap; HEADED Maritime Com- MITTEE—SPONSOR OF NucLEAR VESSEL—ReEBUKED ALL HANpDs For Suippinc CONFLICTS Wasurncton, November 7.—Representative HernErt C. BonnER, Demo- x . crat, of North Carolina, who started as a congressional secretary and went on > to a 25-year career in the House, died today at Walter Reed Army Hospital. He was 74 years old. For 10 years he had been chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. Representative BoNNER was operated upon in North Carolina last July for removal of a cancerous kidney. He returned to Washington in time to vote for various Johnson administration programs in the closing days of this year’s session of Congress. He entered the hospital soon after the session ad- journed. ; He is survived by his widow, three brothers, James, John, and George, all of Washington, N.C., and a sister, Mrs. W. H. Williams. : A funeral service will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Washington, N.C. TWENTY-FIVE YEARS IN CONGRESS For much of his quarter century in Congress, Mr. Bonner fought whens pose some order on what he once called the Alice in Wonderland world o the maritime industry. ; As a member of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee of oe House since his first election in 1940, and its chairman since 1955, ” oO ‘ served that maritime labor was demanding excessive wages, management wa reluctant to cross the “frontiers” of automation, and the Government was unwilling to broaden Federal aid. " fad r Together, he said, they were “hastening the digging of our own grave. - 4 . Shortly before his death, Mr. BonNER introduced a measure that wou : take the Maritime Administration out of the Department of Commerce an reorganize it as an independent agency. ; “Our merchant marine is too important a part of our national posture to be allowed to continue to drift in a sea of inaction as it has for the past 4 ears,”’ he said. “7 Tasatcalty. it was partially due to Mr. Bonner’s support that the Maritime Administration was put under Commerce in a 1961 reorganization program. He said later that he had come to regret that support. [61] id é — nae ret 22 mid FIRST NUCLEAR SHIP Mr. Bonner found a symbol of everything that was wrong with the mer- chant marine in the problems that plagued the building and launching of the first nuclear-powered commercial ship, the Savannah. After years of pleadings and pressure by his committee, construction was authorized in the late 1950’s. No sooner was the $50 million vessel finished in 1962 and the crew specially trained, than the men struck, demanding better accommodations, more safety precautions and increased benefits. “The entire affair,’ Mr. Bonner said in 1963 after the ship had been launched and made idle again by a walkout, “is simply unbelievable. It is already a national disgrace.” This incident and others convinced him that Federal arbitration in the industry would be necessary. He also became convinced that an international agency to oversee safety standards on all ships was necessary after the crash of the Stockholm and the Andrea Doria in 1956. His committee held an investigation of the disaster, which occurred off Nantucket Light outside American territorial waters, claiming 50 lives, Mr. Bonner entered the Congress with no background in shipping. He was born in Washington, N.C., on May 16, 1891, and attended school in Warrenton, N.C. After graduation, he worked as a salesman and farmer. In 1924 he became secretary to Lindsay C. Warren, a State assemblyman. When Mr. Warren was elected to Congress the next year, his secretary accompanied him to Washington. When President Roosevelt appointed Mr. Warren U.S. Comptroller Gen- eral in 1940, Mr. Bonner won the election to fill out the term—and every election since. INVESTIGATED PROFITEERS Over the years, Mr. Bonner served on six committees, including the Un- American Activities Committee from 1945 to 1947. As a member of the Expenditures in the Executive Departments Committee he supervised an in- vestigation of postwar profiteers who bought up U.S. surplus materials in Germany and sold them back to the Government at much higher prices. After that inquiry, Mr. Bonner lead a group of Congressmen on a 41-day, around-the-world examination of efficiency and waste at American military installations. Among his recorded votes were ones in favor of lendlease, Taft-Hartley, rent control, and the Marshall plan. He opposed the foreign aid appropriation figure in 1953, 1954, and 1955, flexible farm supports, a permanent Un- American Activities Committee, anti-poll tax measures, and a voluntary fair employment practices bill. The first year that Mr. BonNER chaired the Merchant Marine and F isheries Committee—1955—he was responsible for beating back amendments to the so-called 50-50 law. The law, favored by shipowners, requires half of all aid cargoes to move in U.S. vessels, [62] That year he was awarded the American Legion’s Distinguished Service Medal for his efforts to strengthen the merchant marine. [From the Norfolk (Va.) Virginia-Pilot, Nov. 9, 1965] Hersert C. BonNER, A GREAT AMERICAN i ed his Hersert Covincton Bonner, truly a great American, has answered licall. : anda a man who for most of his adult life had been in the public, serv- ing fully and capably his fellow man—knowing full well that when one serves well his fellow man, he has served his God better. =i eh Here was a man who never stopped to ask, “What is politically wise? ; ‘cine he asked only, ““What is humanly right? aes preva pre man ih lived with his political future in his hands, but with his Nation, his State, and his beloved First Congressional District in his heart. Here was a man who chose all his life to light a candle rather than to curse the darkness. Along the way he lit many candles, and in this hour of sadness the lights of love, faith, honor, truth, self-respect, and tremendous Mee er: glow more brightly, as the man lies in stillness, than they ever did in li ee In his days here we all knew he was a wonderful person. In dea we realize now how much greatness we have lost. His strength lay in vod age, his courage in his faith, and his faith stood every test and was never foun aero ‘wes a man who spent his happiest hours here with his own “home- folks,” as he so proudly and so often said. No heart was bigger; no soul eer generous. His entire life was lived with genuine kindness and love for all an ith bi d malice toward none. Saakaee aa set apart in his generation, a man beloved by so many 24 cause he loved so many, a man who has so many monuments which he ba and which shall stand as long as one of us remains who knew him and lov yr sede Bonner, for us, cannot die. Like a ship sailing out of ae we lose sight of the physical being, but what he did for so many and w a e meant to so many are matters which death cannot take away nor neh im. The candles he lit in his life have served not only to chase away the we — but in greater and more glowing terms, they have kindled the sai : hae freedom, and progress for so many whose steps otherwise might nut or3% as they groped along life’s pathway. From his life we, the living, can find new faith, and from his works we, the humble, can find new inspiration. oe Hersert Bonner finished his journey on Sunday. What a beautifu day of rest. ht to feel that he deserved to go away on the ae he nasi and those by whom he was beloved are one today in sadness, while at the same time we can look upon his life proudly and say, “There was aman.” He does not die; he lives forever in the hearts of those he served. He was a joy to himself and an inspiration to those about him. ; Yes, he was a great American because he was first a great human being. > [ 63 ] — lepanaé rennin ‘4 ms F th i 5 [From the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer, Sept. 28 1965] > ma > 5 FLoor or Houssz: Bonner Gers OvATION (By Roy Parker, Jr.) WASHINGTO N.—Representative H floor Mond ive FIERBERT Bonner returned ay and gota standing ovation from his colleagues a The 74- 7 i istri WF isaes a x ~~ oo District Congressman had been sidelined since mid » He underwent an operation for a cancerous kidney a ; re bill to welcome Bonner back. Albert called B ONNER a “great warrior * ‘ or * * * ; rageous battle against illness,” who has been waging a cou- More than 200 Memb > ers, Demo ° bert’s announcement. ‘ crat and Republican, rose to applaud Al- [From the Raleigh (N.C.) News and Observer] Ma NUSCRIPTS OF BONNER AT UNC Limrary Marine and Fisheries Committee, died yesterday at Walter Reed Hospital. He was 74. Bonner had been gravely ill since Thursday. He underwent an operation last summer for the removal of a cancerous kidney, but recovered enough to be able to attend Congress regularly this past session. A native of Washington, N.C., he had maintained a home there and at 2601 Woodley Place NW. here. Bonner, a member of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee since joining Congress, and chairman the past 8 years, introduced legislation that created the first nuclear merchant ship, the S ‘avannah. INVESTIGATED SINKING He also headed a subcommittee that investigated the sinking of the Italian liner Andrea Doria in 1956. In the early 1950’s BonNER headed a House expenditures subcommittee that investigated military waste for 2 years. The subcommittee contended that hundreds of millions of dollars could be saved through a better system of buying supplies used by all services. : The group’s findings eventually were released in a report bearing BonNER’s name. After graduation from Graham’s Academy in North Carolina, BoNNER joined the George B. Helms Tobacco Co. as a salesman. From 1917 to 1918 he served overseas as a member of the Army’s 322d Infantry. About 1921, BonNER bought a tobacco and snuff company in his home- town and operated it until he came to Washington as an administrative assistant to Representative Lindsay C, Warren, Democrat, of North Carolina. When Warren was named Comptroller General of the United States, Bonner ran for the congressional seat and was elected in 1940. Since then, he had served on the House Un-American Activities Com- mittee, the Accounts Committee, the Government Operations Committee, and as chairman of the Committee on the Election of Presidents, Vice Presi- dents, and Members of Congress. While a member of the latter committee, whose functions have since been taken over by the Judiciary Committee, the bill permitting servicemen serv- ing overseas to vote was passed. [From the Washington (D.C.) Post, Nov. 8, 1965] REPRESENTATIVE H. C. BONNER, OF Norto Caroiina, Dirs; CALLep FatuHer oF Nuciear Sup Representative Hersert C. BonNER, Democrat, of North Carolina, in Congress 25 years, died at Walter Reed Army Hospital yesterday after a prolonged illness. Representative Bonner, 74, had undergone surgery in July to remove a cancerous kidney. Sometimes called the father of the nuclear ship Savannah, Representative Bonner had been chairman of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Com- [ 65 ] - é scree oo pas fires Zz z mia a mitt “ om mee oa years. In 1955 he sponsored legislation that authorized con- ro 4 : e Savannah, the world’s first nuclear-powered freighter. gener si proponent of modesnizing the U.S. merchant fleet, Representative — —_ nay = the inability of domestic shipping to revive or even r raditional means of car, i iti ips i ada go handling and traditional ships is He called on Con gress to find ways to get “ i ife i ss iaiateen mana y get “new ideas and new life into Prieta r BonneER’s interest in maritime affairs came naturally. His me “ spanned Pamlico Sound and the Outer Banks in North Carolina, and = oe se be: - friend, he “loved the water and was quite a fahermen “s orked with pleasure-boating associations to promo t small-boat owners. “ amg be Born in Washington, N.C., and educated there, Mr. BonNER served overseas F : a oe in the Army during World War I. He worked as a farmer “ a salesman before coming to Washington 50 years ago as secretary to ghey Lindsay C. Warren, Democrat, of North Carolina. - e was elected to Congress in 1940 when Warren retired to become U.S po ate) General, and has been reelected each succeeding term. a e second ranking member of the North Carolina delegation behind senior mace Harold Cooley, Mr. BonNnER was soft spoken, retiring, and : pu pe with his colleagues. When he returned to the House after a long regen escence following his operation last summer, he was greeted by a ie of applause from his fellow lawmakers. eas a BoNNER initiated a congressional study of the efficiency of the Panama as a modern interocean waterway. A board of consultants, appointed at his suggestion, is carryi i ; rying on a study looking to modernizatio , n and construction of alternate routes. sec aa : When in Washington Mr. Bonner lived at 2601 Woodley Place NW. He pA seat AEE Fi wife, Eva H.; three bothers, John and George, of Wash. gton, N.C., a i ili : hain "aM Pb a of Atlanta, and a sister, Mrs. W. H. Williams, also [From the Wilmington (N.C.) Morning Star, Nov. 8, 1965] REPRESENTATIVE BonNER Digs AT 74 WwW ‘. Ccllieare te Hersert C. Bonner, Democrat, North ; ; irman of the H: i i i nila dance vi Committee on Merchant Marine and Fish- Bonner died at Walte r Reed Army Medical Cent bw last July and returned October 26. paterson Pi» A, moverca was second in North Carolina seniority only to Repre- prsgerre eae ooley. He was elected to the House November 5 1940 ndsay C. Warren, whose aid he had been for 16 years : ‘ BoNNER wa: S among those who led efforts to establish the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the fi rst : givana: > of the seashore areas set aside as a public play- [ 66 ] f the Panama Canal and its efficiency A board of consultants, appointed at looking to modernization of the canal He initiated a congressional study o as a modern interoceanic waterway. his suggestion, is carrying on a study and/or construction of alternate routes. He led efforts that brought up to date go-year-old, passenger-shipping laws, which, he said, were stifling American-flag passenger shipping and permitting foreign-flag ships to increase cruise service out of American ports. his committee with labor-management Bonner concerned himself and relations in the maritime industry, which he said were at the heart of many maritime problems. He directed two sides in longshoremen’s strikes on the e He worked for and got congressiona’ passenger vessels, although Congress ha extensive investigations in this field and talked with both ast and west coasts. 1 authorization for new superliner U.S. s not appropriated money for them. GARMATZ IN LINE Bonner’s death leaves the House lineup at 292 Democrats and 140 Repub- licans, with 3 vacancies. Representative Edward A. Garmatz of Maryland is the second-ranking Democrat on the Maritime Committee and thus is in line for the chairmanship. When Bonner’s portrait was hung in his of the House, Sam Rayburn, Democrat, of Texas, said: “Herpert BonNER doesn’t talk too much. So when he does, he challenges the attention of the House because he knows what he’s talking about.” BonNER was a member of the Elks, the Masons, the Shriners, and the Army- Navy Country Club. He leaves his wife, Eva H., of the Woodley Place home; three brothers, George and John, both of Washington, N.C., and James, of Atlanta, Ga.; a sister, Mrs. W. H. Williams, of Washington, N.C., and two step-grandchildren. Services and burial will take place in Washington, N.C. committee room, the late Speaker DELEGATION CHOSEN n W. McCormack today announced the names of a dele- s at the funeral. Included were members 1 delegation and of the House Merchant House Speaker Joh gation which will represent Congres of the North Carolina congressiona Marine Committee. Others designated we Ohio, and Representative William time friends of the Congressman, Democrat, of Maryland. Garma committee chairman, is flying back Members of Bonner’s office an funeral. Warren left Congress to become U.S. Comptroller General. re Representative Michael J. Kirwan, Democrat, of M. Colmer, Democrat, of Mississippi, long- and Representative Edward A. Garmatz, tz, who is expected to succeed Bonner as from Tokyo to join the funeral delegation. d committee staff also will attend the [ 67 ] ww ree ZF Mires Oe The slightly built North Carolinian was a popular figure among his col- leagues, and was warmly applauded near the end of the congressional session after appearing on the floor following a long absence because of his illness. Bonner was born at Washington, N.C., May 16, 1891. In private life he worked as a farmer and salesman. He served overseas during World War I as a sergeant and was married to the former Eva Hassell Hackney, also of Washington, N.C. An aid said Mrs. Bonner had just left the hospital room when Bonner died. Representative Edward A. Garmatz, Democrat, of Maryland, is the next ranking member of the committee Bonner headed. Bonner’s death brought to three the number of House Members who have died since the beginning of the 8gth Congress. The others were Representa- tives T. A. Thompson, Democrat, of Louisiana, and Clarence Brown, Republi- can, of Ohio. Bonner had the cancerous left kidney removed at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem, N.C., July 21. Doctors said then the operation was “highly successful” and said it appeared the cancer was curtailed. Bonner had been ill more than 4 months before the operation. He was or- dered to “take it easy” for several months after his operation. He was reelected to Congress 12 times after succeeding Warren. He was the son of Herbert M. and Hannah Hare Bonner. He attended Washington public schools and Graham’s Academy in Warrenton. BonneER came to Washington in 1924 as Warren’s secretary. When War- ren resigned, he was named to the post. He represented 15 counties in the Coastal Plain and along North Carolina’s coast. He was a prime mover in the construction of the bridge over Oregon Inlet on North Carolina’s Outer Banks and the bridge was named for him. [From the Wilmington (N.C.) Morning Star, Nov. 8, 1965] AREA CONGRESSMEN JoIN IN MourRNING DeEaTH oF BoNNER Two southeastern North Carolina Representatives—Alton Lennon, of Wilmington, and David N. Henderson, of Wallace—joined the State and Nation in mourning the death of Representative HerBert C. Bonner, Demo- crat, of North Carolina, who died at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington Sunday. Lennon, who represents the Seventh District and is a member of the Mer- chant Marine and Fisheries Committee, which Bonner headed, said: “North Carolina has lost a very distinguished, able, and dedicated public servant who will be greatly missed by his colleagues in Congress, the people of his district, and many others throughout North Carolina and the Nation. “T had the pleasure of knowing him for many years, of serving in Congress with him, and of serving on the same committee with him for 9 years. We shall all miss him.” Henderson, Third District Representative, said, “I was greatly shocked to lose a good personal friend and a great American. The State of North [ 68 ] istingui i d I am sure the entire i lost a distinguished public servant, an seneaaead Senihed and the people of the State are sad with his passing. pg osname people of the First District, especially “T’q like to extend my sympathy to the family.” 4 taarreme' was: has served in Congress 5 years, said that when he first went 2 i i d considerate i ive BoNNER “certainly was kind an Washington, Representative . oe a oun ibbelit: I never could say how much he really did — a me si Re resentative and Mrs. Lennon and Representative and Mrs. - omit 1 we attend funeral services for Representative Bonner in Washington, plan N.C., Tuesday. [From the Wilmington (N.C.) Morning Star, Nov. 9, 1965] REPRESENTATIVE HERBERT C. BoNNER The death of Representative HERBERT C. Bonner is a loss to the Nation i of an able and dedicated man. ; ‘ At een in seniority in the State’s 1 1-member delegation, he repre n h Carolina and about a third of its he northeastern part of Nort ta a2 rsa The geography of his district recommended him in the sid past a his capnee in the House to a place on its Committee on ae Marine and Fisheries. Eventually he became its chairman and in - ing cage responsibilities and duties, he extended his service in this par- i to the Nation as a whole. ! i se Bonner was considered more liberal than most of his — Carolina colleagues, this did not affect his personal popularity among t > He was also respected and liked by many other eeu of = a ES . i i ident when he was greete m with which he was held was evi | v pao near the end of the congressional session, after appearing on the . . i f his illness. floor following a long absence because ° é "His experience in Washington began in 1924 pe - a poem - i i Warren, of the First D1 : 4 to Representative Lindsay C. en, pe fcc as his aid for 16 years until Mr. Warren left eee am become Comptroller General. Afterward, he was elected to “ys Touse ad times, a tribute not only to his personal popularity but practical testimony Is . . . . i iency in representing his large district. ba pe of ia First District, other North Carolinians and the Nation will miss Representative BoNNER, a distinguished public servant. [From the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal, Nov. 8, 1965] Tar Hert LEADERS PratsE BONNER —G i day that in the death of USS. —Gov. Dan Moore said yester b enero Hersert C. Bonner the State has “lost one of the outstand ing men of our time.” The Governor ordered all State flags flo veteran Congressman. wn at half staff in honor of the [ 69 ] ow £ — Zz Zz TT Tea “aks “HERBERT Bonner was a Congressman of the highest order,” Moore added. “He served not only the people of his First District but all Americans as well with distinction and honor. His deeds of public service will cause him to be remembered on through history. “When I visited him at the hospital in Winston-Salem a few weeks ago, I was impressed with his dedication to duty,” Moore stated. “Though weak- ened by his long illness, he was determined to return to Washington. Con- gress was near adjournment and there were matters that needed his attention. In spite of his condition, he returned to work and finished the job he had begun. “This was characteristic of HERBERT Bonner,” Moore said. “This was one reason his people kept him in the House of Representatives for 2 5 years. His abilities there earned for him the respect of his fellow representatives and of all North Carolinians. His accomplishments have helped to make ours a better country. “All North Carolinians mourn his loss and honor his memory,” Moore concluded. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Mrs. Bonner and we share her feeling of loss.” Associate Justice E. B. Denny of the State supreme court said BonNER was “an outstanding man and an outstanding Congressman. He had an excellent record in Congress and he will be difficult to replace.” State Treasurer Edwin Gill said, “I’ve lost a very close friend of a life- time. I think Mr. Bonner was a fine representative of his district and of North Carolina. We’ve suffered a great loss in his passing.” J. M. Broughton, Jr., of Raleigh, chairman of the State Democratic execu- tive committee, expressed “great sorrow over the passing of Congressman Bonner. He served his district, State, Nation, and party for many years and will be sorely missed.” House Speaker H. P. (Pat) Taylor, of Wadesboro, said, “I regret very much to hear of his death. He contributed many years of valuable service to his State and to his country.” Dr. Charles F, Carroll, State superintendent of public instruction, said, “It’s a profound loss not only to the people of his district but to the State of North Carolina and the Nation. I consider him one of the most solid men to have represented North Carolina in the Congress at any time. Attorney General Wade Bruton said, “We’ve lost a mighty good man. I thought he was a mighty fine Congressman.” James A. Graham, commissioner of agriculture, said BoNNER’s death was “a loss to North Carolina’s agriculture, particularly to the northeastern sec- tion because he did so much for the potato farmer.” Representative Ralph J. Scott, of the Fifth District, said from his home at Danbury that Bonner “was a personal friend of mine and I regretted very much to learn of his death.” Scott said he has been “very closely associated with him for the past 10 years. I have had the opportunity to observe him in his work and can sincerely say that he was one of the more valuable Members of the House. [70] i a “He had rendered to his State and country very valuable services over i ime,” Scott said. oh % Peau Horace Kornegay, of the Sixth District, reached at his ep Oro. said: BONNER was not only a close personal friend of home in Greensb y ” m ing Members of the Congress. i e of the truly outstanding Me ; ie go Sages his district, State, and Nation for some 41 years in Washing: ton in one capacity or another,” Kornegay said. “Certainly his presence will be greatly missed by all of us.” nston-Salem (N.C.) Journal, Nov. 8, 1965] [From the Wi Bonner RespecTeD In DistTRICT OF CoLuMBIA Loyat To DEMOCRATS: (By Lloyd Preslar) Herpert Bonner, who died yesterday at : 5 on ter the interests of his constituen s a man who looked af c constit ay he pat, oer had represented North Carolina’s First District in the ince 1941 ‘ lina House Ls agp many Federal projects for the district. ie ar rst *s loyalty to the Democratic Party was unquesti 4 a ep TO} sad of Democratic administrations more often than sary: : ar ; hem North Carolina delegation, except perhaps Representativ member 0! 2 h District. Id Cooley of the State’s Fourt wee ie aid, talking about BoNNER recently, $ ” man who “leads his district, rather than follows it. WAsHINGTON.—Representative described him as a USED JUDGMENT the official said, “panic every time they get f legislation. Hersert BONNER cal con- Some Members of the House, ( t a piece o T four letters from home abou s ante that. He makes his judgment and worries about the politi sequences later.” ; The First District inclu North Carolina coast. 4 : Bonner, the White House assistant said, > privileged district and that he can’t let the peop des several counties on the northeastern part of the “realizes that he’s got an under- 2. » le who own it run the show. WAS ABSENT e early spring, BoNNER was absent from the House essional session. But in earlier years he and to support Democratic Presidents when other Plagued by his illness sinc during most of this year’s congr d on Cooley often could be counte | ; Eades of the State delegation were voting against them. i pen Bonner was able to get Federal money for his district because z aii ‘ toa Am to his party, his craftiness as a legislator and politician, his age os : f a House committee, and his experience and seniority in Washington. man [71] ~~ ca 2 & Mies PART OF LEADERSHIP For 16 years before his election to the House, Bonner was administrative assistant to former Representative Lindsay Warren. When Warren resigned in 1940 to become Comptroller General of the United States, BoNNER was elected to Warren’s seat. As chairman of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, Bonner had been part of the Democratic leadership of the House. The com- mittee is not among the most important in the House, but the committee’s work is important to the First District. Bonner’s sometimes gruff manner and his devotion to his party made him a vigorous partisan in political dis- putes. He was known for his outspoken speeches at party rallies. But a Republican member of BoNNER’S committee has described him nevertheless as “a fair and decent man—a real gentleman,” whether he was questioning a witness before the committee or dealing with Republican or Democratic colleagues. [From the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal, Nov. 9, 1965] Quiet But EFFECTIVE HERBERT BONNER was a quiet, undramatic sort of Congressman. But he had strong loyalties, was firm in his convictions, and was vigilant in advanc- ing the interests of his district. A conservative in the deeper sense, he was not afraid to embrace new ideas and support legislation designed to meet the changing times. Mr. Bonner, from all accounts, was an effective chairman of the House Maritime and Fisheries Committee, In that role, he did much to promote the use of nuclear power in the development of our maritime fleet. His influence also helped to bring about the establishment of the Cape Hatt Seashore Park. Former Gov. Terry Sanford once called Mr. Bonner “my Congressman.” This statement probably reflects the sentiment of most North Carolina people who knew him well. Until he fell ill several months ago, he was one of our hardest working Representatives. The State and the Nation owe him much. eras National [From the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal, Nov. 9, 1965] Bonner’s Funerat Is Topay WASHINGTON, N.C.—Representative Hersert C. Bonner, who served North Carolina in the U.S. House of Representatives for 25 years, will be buried this morning in this Tar Heel town where he grew up. The 74-year-old chairman of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee died Sunday in Walter Reed Army Hospital. He had a cancerous kidney removed in July at Baptist Hospital, Winston-Salem. Speaker John W. McCormack, Democrat of Massachusetts, announced yes- terday the delegation to represent Congress at the funeral. [72] f The group includes North Carolina Members of Congress and members 0 i irman. the House committee on which BoNNER served as chai LONGTIME FRIENDS resentative Michael J. Kirwan, Democrat of Ohio, a ee ee Democrat of Mississippi, longtime and Representative William M. Colmer, ee pabehitew mo A. Garmatz, Democrat of Maryland, who is ex- i i i i from ted to succeed BonNER as committee chairman, is flying back pecte Oo Ss i gati n. Tokyo and expects to arrive in time to join the funeral dele: 0) The bers of B WwW e in mem ONNER S office and committee staffs also ill b Washington for the final rites. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. at St. Peters Episcopal Church. TO CONDUCT SERVICE The Reverend John Bonner, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in e will assist the Rev- ., and a nephew of the Congressman, oad tee hash. 16: of St. Peters and the Right Reverend Thomas erend Irw a H. Wright, bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of eastern North Carolina, in con- . Wright, ducting the services. : pin dei will be buried in Oakdale Cemetery. : . . Pi llbearers for the services will be men who are either now or have been a. ids of the Congressman. ae ae ‘é half staff in North Carolina yesterday on orders of Gov. Dan ag Moore. j The Governor sal of our time.” North Carolina Sena Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr., : J to be back in the country in time for the services. : A Senate Armed Services Committee, is inspecting military d North Carolina has “lost one of the outstanding men tor B. Everett Jordan is expected to attend the funeral. Democrat, of North Carolina, is not expected Ervin, a member of the ases in Europe. [From the Winston-Salem ( N.C.) Sentinel, Nov. 8, 1965] FUNERAL For BONNER Is TUESDAY WASHINGTON: N.C } —Representative HERBERT Cc. BoNNER, Democrat, of N th Carolina. was a quiet man who pushed the idea that the world s first or 2 hip should fly the American flag. nid : gy oars gpeager a of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Com 0 2 2 lear ship Savannah, died in i imes called the father of the nuc scan eat ae Hospital Sunday. He had a cancerous kidney removed alte . 5. ak body is being returned to this eastern North Carolina e i i he grew up. The funeral will ks of the Pamlico River where : : : greeter eh in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church. Burial will be in Oak. dale Cemetery. [73] cre tere Monn s Bonner became chairman of the Merchant Marine Committee in 1955 and introduced legislation to install nuclear reactors in existing merchant ships. This plan never materialized, but he later led the way in obtaining congres- sional approval of the Savannah. He also pioneered with the idea of a nuclear-powered Coast Guard icebreaker. NEW LINEUP Bonner’s death leaves the House lineup at 292 Democrats and 140 Re- publicans, with 3 vacancies. Representative Edward A. Garmatz, of Mary- land, is the second-ranking Democrat on the Merchant Marine Committee and in line for the chairmanship. BonNER went to Washington 50 years ago as secretary to Representative Lindsay C. Warren, of North Carolina. Before that he served as an Army sergeant overseas during World War I and was a traveling salesman. He won Warren’s First District seat in 1940 when Warren resigned to be- come U.S. Comptroller General. Bonner was reelected to every succeeding Congress. He was popular with Republicans and Democrats and was noted as a “poker player’s poker player.” Bonner had his left kidney removed in July at North Carolina Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem. He was released in time to return to the Capital to vote for several Johnson administration programs. Bonner is survived by his widow, three brothers, John and George, of Washington, N.C., and James Bonner, of Atlanta, Ga., and a sister, Mrs. W. H. Williams, of Washington, N.C. I ee SS 7? TITRE aes AGF BEI SOI SP mit TIE aS SS $33083 JOYNER 0019 8790 2 ANNAN A emorial services held in REN