[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 29 (Wednesday, March 6, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E293-E294]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO PLATO (BUDDY) MATHIS

                                 ______


                           HON. CLIFF STEARNS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 6, 1996

  Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to an 
outstanding employee who has worked at Munroe Regional Medical Center 
in my home town of Ocala, FL. Munroe's longest serving employee and his 
name is Plato ``Buddy'' Mathis. He will be soon retiring.
  Mr. Buddy Mathis' loyalty and dedication to Munroe spans over 50 
years. He first came to work at the hospital in 1946 as a young boy. In 
fact, back then he had to stand on a wooden box to perform many of his 
chores.
  Munroe Regional has seen many changes both in its physical makeup, 
not to mention changes in personnel. But, one thing that did not change 
over the years at Munroe was Buddy Mathis. He remained a constant in 
the lives of the people who worked in the medical center and a constant 
in the community.
  Buddy should serve as a role model to all of us. He is the 
exemplification of the true work ethic. He started working at Munroe 
when he could barely reach the counter tops without standing on a box. 
And through the years he moved up, performing a variety of duties, 
including putting away stock and gathering vegetables from a small 
garden on the north side of the building. He also assisted fellow 
employees such as Felicia Stevens--head cook--Mrs. Annie Lee Stroud, 
and Mrs. Luella Strupp, among others.
  In 1951, he joined the military to serve in the Korean war and served 
for several years. After the war, he returned to Munroe as a cook and 
was also in charge of inventory. He then attended night school under 
the GI bill and finished his education.
  During the last 10 years, he and Jim Ruth have worked as a team, 
running the dietary department. Buddy has seen many changes take place 
in the building and operations of the hospital.
  Everybody who has or is still working at the hospital loved working 
with Buddy and I'm sure they will all hate to see him go. Buddy is 
respected by all. I am pleased to be able to join with his many, many 
friends and colleagues in paying tribute to Plato ``Buddy'' Mathis for 
his hard work through the years and his kindness and generosity over 
the years.
  I sincerely wish him the best in his retirement and congratulate him 
on his outstanding service to my hometown hospital, Munroe Regional 
Medical Center.

[[Page E294]]



  INTRODUCTION OF A BILL TO DESIGNATE THE UNITED STATES COURTHOUSE IN 
      WASHINGTON, DC, AS THE ``E. BARRETT PRETTYMAN UNITED STATES 
                              COURTHOUSE''

                                 ______


                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 6, 1996

  Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to introduce a bill to name the 
U.S. district courts and circuit court of appeals building for the 
District of Columbia Circuit after the late chief judge E. Barrett 
Prettyman. I am very pleased that the Chair of the District of Columbia 
Subcommittee is an original cosponsor. Senator John Warner has 
introduced an identical bill in the Senate.
  Judge Prettyman was born in Virginia, where he graduated from 
Randolph-Macon College in Ashland. He then graduated from Georgetown 
University School of Law.
  Judge Prettyman served on the Federal bench for 26 years. He was the 
chief judge of the U.S. Circuit Court from 1953 to 1960. He was widely 
regarded as one of America's leading legal scholars and a pioneer for 
judicial reform. He sought the advice of his colleagues to better 
understand the issues to help improve the efficiency of the judiciary. 
He also testified many times before Congress as a strong advocate for 
increasing the number of judges on the District's juvenile court.
  As a jurist, Judge Prettyman was known for his centrist positions and 
his thorough opinions. His most notable opinion concluded that the 
State Department had the authority to bar U.S. citizens from entering 
certain areas of the world. He wrote: ``While travel is a right, it can 
be restrained like any other right.'' The Supreme Court ultimately 
upheld the decision.
  Judge Prettyman also championed the cause of the indigent. At 
Georgetown University, he established a program where lawyers were 
trained to better assist indigent defendants.
  Naming the courts after Judge Prettyman would be a fitting tribute to 
an outstanding jurist and legal scholar. I strongly urge my colleagues 
to support this measure.

                          ____________________