[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 30 (Thursday, March 7, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1623-S1624]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          LONGEVITY IN THE SENATE: RECOLLECTIONS OF T.F. GREEN

  Mr. PELL. Mr. President, today the number 93 symbolizes a notable 
milestone in Senate history. It is the 93d day after Senator Strom 
Thurmond's 93d birthday, which was the same span of days and years 
reached by my venerable predecessor Senator Theodore Francis Green on 
the day of his retirement on January 3, 1961. Tomorrow, Senator 
Thurmond will be 93 years and 94 days old and he will assume Senator 
Green's mantle as the oldest sitting Senator in history.
  I join in extending hearty congratulations to Senator Thurmond on his 
remarkable durability and I wish him well in years to come. But I do 
hope we will not lose sight of the extraordinary long and distinguished 
career of the previous record holder.
  The career of Theodore Francis Green will always be an inspiration 
and a model for productive senior citizenship. He was a classic late 
bloomer whose political career did not really begin until he was 65 
years old. And his most prolific years were in the two and a half 
decades that followed.
  Born in Providence in 1867--a year before Ulysses Grant was elected 
President--Senator Green was descended from a distinguished line of 
forebears dating back to the founding of colonial Rhode Island. Five of 
them served in Congress. He began his own public life when he raised 
and outfitted his own company in the Spanish-American War.
  He served a single term in the Rhode Island General Assembly in 1907, 
but then endured 25 years of political rejection and disappointment. He 
ran for Governor three times without success, in 1912, 1928, and 1930--
counted out he said by the opposition--and he lost a race for Congress 
in 1920. And then in 1932, at an age when his contemporaries were 
contemplating retirement, he was elected Governor of Rhode Island, 
swept in on the New Deal tide.
  Reelected to the governorship in 1934, he engineered on inauguration 
day the so-called Bloodless Revolution which in a single afternoon 
ended Republican dominance of the State government and earned him the 
pejorative of ``Kingfish Green'' in some circles. The coup was never 
successfully challenged and he went serenely ahead with his reform 
agenda.
  In 1936, Theodore Francis Green was elected to the U.S. Senate, 
beginning 24 years of continuous service during which he became a 
colorful and beloved fixture of Washington life. He was a strong 
supporter of the New Deal and of social legislation in the post-war 
era. A dedicated internationalist and a tireless world traveler, he 
ascended to the chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee 
at the age of 89 in 1957.
  He was not particularly impressed by his own longevity. ``My age is 
nothing to be proud of,'' he said. ``It's just an interesting 
incident.'' But the secret of longevity, he said is moderation. ``I 
don't get worried and don't get excited. It would take more or less of 
a bomb to upset me.''
  There was, however, another factor that kept him going and that was 
his almost ceaseless thirst for physical activity. It can hardly be 
coincidental that Theodore Green and Strom Thurmond--both devotees of 
physical fitness--should be the record holders for Senate seniority.
  Green's prowess was legendary and he was sometimes referred to as 
Tarzan, notwithstanding his modest 150-pound physique. He was a 
wrestler and a mountain climber and a handball player. He continued 
high diving until he was 82 when he was finally convinced by doctors 
and friends to give it up. And he continued to play tennis until he was 
87, and they quit only because he could not find time in his busy 
schedule to play.
  But to the end he continued to work out and swim several times a week 
in the Senate gymnasium or at the YMCA. And most of he walked, daily--
except in the worst weather, from his bachelor quarters at the 
University Club to his office in the Russell Building. Every morning at 
about 8:35 he would start out on the 2-mile walk, a familiar stooped 
figure with his pince-nez eye glasses, usually proceeding down through 
Lafayette Park and up Pennsylvania Avenue. It usually took about 45 
minutes.
  The daily walk was prompted as much by an aversion to automobiles as 
it was by a love for exercise. The only car he ever owned was acquired 
for ceremonial purposes and it spent most of its days on blocks in his 
Providence garage. He never learned to drive. But he loved trolleys and 
legend has it that he once showed up, impeccably attired in top hat, 
white tie and tails, to take a society matron to a concert, traveling 
by street car.
  Like the new holder of the longevity record, Senator Green had great 
appreciation for women. He often liked to joke that he looked forward 
to every leap year in hopes that some lovely lady would claim him. Even 
as he approached 90, he was regarded as one of the better dancers among 
Washington bachelors. And Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter once 
said that Theodore Green was ``the most charming dinner partner your 
wife could have.''
  When Senator Green claimed the longevity title in 1956, Senators 
Lyndon Johnson and William Knowland, the majority and minority leaders, 
presented him with a gavel supposedly made from the oldest tree on the 
Capitol grounds and proclaimed he had outlived all the surrounding 
flora. Senator Green often spoke of serving till he would be 100, but 
in 1960, aware of failing eyesight and hearing, he decided to step 
down. He died 6 years later, in his 99th year, in the house where he 
had lived all his life in Providence.
  As I said at the time of his death, I was then and have always been 
greatly in his debt. I benefited by his wise advice and counsel and 
gained by following his example. He truly was my role model. And I 
shall always appreciate his willingness to serve as chairman of

[[Page S1624]]

my campaign committee when I ran in 1960 to succeed him. He was truly a 
great gentleman and statesman and his legend lies on in affectionate 
memory of the people of Rhode Island. And, Mr. Speaker, for myself as 
the longest serving Senator from Rhode Island, I know I share in this 
memory.
  Mr. CHAFEE addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Chair recognizes the Senator from Rhode 
Island.
  Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, as many of my colleagues are aware, 
tomorrow our friend and colleague, Senator Thurmond, will become the 
oldest sitting Senator in the history of the U.S. Senate. This is a 
remarkable achievement. In so doing, he surpasses the late Theodore 
Francis Green of Rhode Island who retired in January 1961 to be 
succeeded by Senator Pell. He retired at the age of 93 years and 93 
days.
  Senator Thurmond will be 93 years and 94 days old tomorrow, so he 
will exceed the record of the oldest Senator to serve, which was set by 
Theodore Francis Green.
  I congratulate Senator Thurmond on the great things he has done in 
his 40-plus years of Senate service, and I congratulate him on 
achieving this milestone.
  On the last day before he breaks this impressive record set by 
Senator Green, I would like to take a few minutes to talk about Senator 
Green's exemplary Senate career.
  Theodore Francis Green, as Senator Pell has mentioned, came to the 
Senate in 1937. Previously, he served one term in the Rhode Island 
State Legislature, the house of representatives, and two terms--we had 
2-year terms in those days--as Governor, for a total of 4 years. He was 
a strong supporter of President Roosevelt's New Deal programs, and he 
was an advocate of important farm and unemployment relief legislation, 
and he fought vigorously for increased Federal aid for education.
  He did his level best to ensure that Rhode Island got its fair share 
of Federal funds. And most significant in achieving Federal funds was 
when he secured President Roosevelt's support for a new naval base in 
our State constructed at Quonset Point. This was the site of 1 of 12 
new Navy bases that were built in the late thirties and early forties. 
Knowing that the Senators from New York and Massachusetts were just as 
anxious to land a new base for their home State, Senator Green pressed 
his successor Governor and the State legislators to cede land to the 
Federal Government as quickly as possible. Once Congress began its 
consideration of the matter, Senator Green took the lead in shepherding 
the necessary authorization and appropriations bills through the 
Senate.
  It was in foreign affairs that Senator Green truly made his mark. He 
joined the Foreign Relations Committee just as the United States was 
turning away from its isolationist policies and toward taking its place 
as the greatest military power the world had ever seen. In those days, 
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was where a good deal of the 
action took place.
  Senator Green demonstrated his spirited efforts to implement the 
lend-lease plan, and his early support for the Selective Service Act 
was up to the challenge.
  While many of his colleagues called for the United States to retreat 
into isolationism once World War II drew to a close, Senator Green was 
adamant that the United States should participate in creating a 
workable, collective security arrangement to avoid future global 
conflicts. He worked diligently to ensure that American assistance to 
war-torn nations--the so-called Marshall plan--was implemented, and he 
worked hard for the establishment of the U.N. Relief and Rehabilitation 
Administration.

  As Senator Green's influence in the Foreign Relations Committee 
increased, he provided key support for the chief foreign policy 
initiatives of the Truman administration, particularly with regard to 
Greece and Korea. But his internationalism was not limited to 
Democratic administrations. On the contrary. Senator Green argued just 
as firmly against proposals to curb the President's power to conduct 
foreign policy during the Eisenhower administration. In 1957, as the 
new chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, he led congressional 
support for Eisenhower's request to use American troops to combat 
communism in the Middle East--the so-called Eisenhower doctrine.
  Now, much like Senator Thurmond, Senator Green attributed his 
longevity to two things: A healthy diet and regular exercise. As 
Senator Pell just mentioned, he walked every morning from the 
University Club on 16th Street to the Capitol--every day, up until his 
retirement. Here he was in his nineties, getting up toward 95, 96, and 
the New York Times heralded him as the Senate's undisputed champion 
diver, swimmer, and handball player. I am not sure how much competition 
he had as a diver, but nonetheless he was a champion.
  Although Senator Green will no longer hold the distinction to have 
been the oldest person to have served in this body, he will long be 
remembered for his accomplishments, his compassion, his loyalty, his 
honesty, and his good humor.
  Upon hearing of Senator Green's intention not to run for reelection, 
Senator Fulbright said of him, ``I had hoped and expected that he would 
stay until he reached 100 years of age.'' On the eve of this historic 
day, I wish the same to the very distinguished Senator from South 
Carolina. I would hope and expect that he will stay until he reaches 
the age of 100. Indeed, we have said to Senator Thurmond that we hope 
we are here when he reaches 100. He said, ``If you get exercise and eat 
right, you will be here.''
  I look forward to many more years of serving with our distinguished 
Senator from South Carolina, and I congratulate him on breaking the 
record set by a Rhode Islander for being the oldest Senator to serve in 
this body.
  Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for 
the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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