Remarks by Representative Curtis

Of Nebraska

Mr. CURTIS. Mr. Speaker, I wish to say a few words concerning the life and work of Representative GEORGE HEINKE of the First Nebraska District. He was a distinguished lawyer, patriot, and statesman.

I have known Mr. HEINKE for a long time. I first became acquainted with him in the County Attorneys' Association of Nebraska. I was then county attorney of my home county, and Mr. HEINKE represented Otoe County. He was well liked and respected. He was an able lawyer and knew the law; in addition to that he possessed a courage that was admired by everyone. When we came to Congress at the beginning of the Seventy-sixth Session, I found Mr. HEINKE the same lovable, genial, fair, independent, and courageous individual. I have referred to him as a lawyer, patriot, and statesman. He was all three, but, in addition to that, he was my friend. I was grieved at his passing, and I cherish his memory.

I journeyed back to Nebraska with the funeral train to pay the respects of this House for our departed Member. The people of his home town, Nebraska City, were in sorrow. Men and women, young boys and girls of all walks of life, both rich and poor, high and low, came to pay their respects to the man they admired-GEORGE HEINKE. It was, indeed, fitting that the pastor of the church of which Mr. HEINKE was a member, in his funeral sermon likened the courage, honesty, and strong will of Mr. HEINKE to the qualities of the Apostle Paul.

GEORGE HEINKE was not one to boast of his piety, yet there was something in his make-up that convinced me beyond all

doubt that there was a spark of the divine in his breast. It was that he loved little children and little children loved him. There was nothing that he would enjoy more than to take little tots on his knees and tell them stories and sing to them. They would look up into his face and know that there was a real friend. He is the father of three manly boys who would be a credit to any man.

Representative HEINKE made a distinct contribution to the Seventy-sixth Congress. Commenting on this, one of the leading daily papers in the State of Nebraska said upon his passing:

Representative GEORGE H. HEINKE, of the First Nebraska Congressional District, who died Tuesday night of injuries received in an automobile accident, went to Congress imbued with some definite ideas about government. His philosophy was that the Government should not spend beyond its means, that bureaucracy should not be extended, that Congress should keep control over appropriations and not issue blank checks to the executive department, that individual initiative should be encouraged. His enemies called him a reactionary, but the policies he opposed have not yet proven that they can lead this country into the promised land.

When I ponder upon the memory of my friend, I think of the lines of the song, I Would Be True:

I would be true, for there are those who trust me;

I would be pure, for there are those who care;

I would be strong, for there is much to suffer;
I would be brave, for there is much to dare.

Remarks by Representative Gwynne

Of Iowa

Mr. GWYNNE. Mr. Speaker, the news of the tragic death of the Honorable GEORGE HEINKE came as a shock to all of us. During his year in Congress I had the opportunity of knowing him both at his work and in his home. As a Member of Congress he was in constant attendance upon his duties. He made a careful study of all legislation coming before the House. He was quick to grasp the principles involved in the most complicated bill, and decided upon it after he had reduced it to its simplest terms. However, his outstanding characteristic was his courage. His vote was dictated by his own conscience and by no other consideration. His philosophy of life and his views of government were those of the pioneers who made his State and his Nation great.

The passing of such a man from public life is a distinct loss to the Nation in this critical period. Those of us who had the privilege of knowing GEORGE HEINKE and his family, most sincerely sympathize with them in their bereavement.

Remarks by Representative Bender

Of Ohio

Mr. BENDER. Mr. Speaker, the United States House of Representatives has lost one of its most promising first termers in the death of GEORGE H. HEINKE, of Nebraska.

Representative HEINKE was born on a farm near Dunbar, Nebr., on July 22, 1888, the son of a pioneer family. He was trained in the Nebraska schools and was graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1907, where he studied law, after working his way through the undergraduate school. For 10 years he practiced law with Judge D. W. Livingston, and in 1919 became prosecuting attorney for Otoe County.

The opportunity for distinction was not slow in coming. He led the battle to rid his county of undesirable elements at every turn, and earned reelection for 12 consecutive years. In 1935, he felt that the time had come for him to retire from public life, and he resumed the private practice of law. But he was not permitted to remain long in retirement.

In the spring of 1938 GEORGE HEINKE attended a Republican meeting at Beatrice, Nebr. Here he was asked to say a few words, and in 5 minutes of speaking he demonstrated the ability which it was his great good fortune to possess. Within a week, the demand that he run for Congress was heard throughout his district. He was nominated and elected in November 1938, but he was not destined to serve out his term. Returning to Washington at the opening of the second session of the Seventy-sixth Congress, he lost his life in an automobile accident.

The death of Representative HEINKE leaves a deep void in the ranks of the Republican Party of the United States Congress. His work had just begun. His abilities were already evident. In a day when the Nation needs strong personalities, the loss of Representative GEORGE HEINKE will not be easily repaired.