[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 8 (Tuesday, January 28, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S697-S698]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              JEFFREY ST. JOHN KNEW THE MEANING OF AMERICA

  Mr. HELMS. Mr. President, a week or so ago--it was on January 13, 
1997, to be exact--I was among those present at what proved to be a 
delightful memorial service for a gentleman whose life had demonstrated 
his understanding of, and his fidelity to, both the miracle and the 
meaning of America. His name was Jeffrey St. John who had died on 
January 3.
  I attended the memorial service not because I was a close personal 
friend of Jeffrey St. John--I wish I could claim to have been, but 
because I admired so very much his remarkable talent and his unyielding 
courage in defending principles that deserve to survive. So just about 
everybody else present that afternoon had known Jeffrey St. John, and 
everybody else was equipped with personal anecdotes that more often 
than not demonstrated the good humor of their departed friend.
  Mrs. St. John, Kathryn is her name, was there, of course--a charming 
lady who undoubtedly was a great source of strength to her husband 
during the years that he so unfailingly stood in defense of 
conservative principles.
  Mr. President, following this occasion, which Mr. St. John would have 
enormously enjoyed--and, who knows, there's a better than even chance 
that he was indeed sitting on a cloud up there somewhere--I asked Paul 
Weyrich, one of America's most effective defenders of conservatism and 
freedom, to prepare for me a brief personal history of Jeffrey St. 
John.
  Mr. Weyrich readily agreed to do so despite his own hectic schedule 
as president of the Free Congress Foundation and its myriad of 
activities.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Mr. Weyrich's review of 
Mr. St. John's life be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

[[Page S698]]

               Jeffrey St. John--Journalist and Historian

                           (By Paul Weyrich)

       On January 3, 1997, a great American passed away at his 
     home in Randolph, VA. Jeffrey St. John was a noted author, 
     journalist, broadcaster, and historian. He was one of the 
     first conservative news commentators aired on national radio 
     and television; his career included work as business 
     correspondent for the Today show, a long-time news 
     commentator for CBS-TV, CBS Radio, and Mutual Broadcasting, 
     and as a news director for ABC radio. He produced and 
     moderated TV and radio shows for stations in Washington, San 
     Francisco, and New York. He wrote and narrated Headlines and 
     History, a daily radio feature translated into 26 languages 
     and broadcast by the Voice of America. Over the years, he 
     received two Emmy Awards for his work in television.
       Mr. St. John was a prolific author and columnist. His 
     commentaries were carried in the New York Times, the Wall 
     Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, and Christian Science 
     Monitor. He was a syndicated columnist for Copley News 
     Service, and wrote regularly for Saturday Review, Barron's, 
     and Nation's Business and other publications. He was the 
     author of eight books.
       One of Jeffrey St. John's greatest works was a trilogy on 
     the formation and adoption of the Constitution, establishment 
     of the first Congress, and drafting of the Bill of Rights. 
     The trilogy was published during 1987-92 by Jameson Books. 
     Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Warren Burger, was 
     so impressed with Mr. St. John's historical works that the 
     Chief Justice wrote the foreword to each of the three 
     volumes. Chief Justice Burger then, as chairman of the 
     Bicentennial of the United States Constitution, distributed 
     the set to every high school and college library in America. 
     Jeffrey St. John used the unique approach of writing about 
     these crucial historical events from the viewpoint of a 
     reporter observing the developments.
       His journalistic efforts earned for him numerous awards. He 
     received the Benjamin Franklin National Press Foundation 
     Award for his writings on the Constitution from the U.S. 
     Press Foundation; and the George Washington Medal of Freedom 
     from the Freedoms Foundation in Valley Forge for a radio 
     series on the Life and Legacy of George Washington.
       Mr. St. John covered the Korean War as a combat writer and 
     photographer for Pacific Stars and Stripes and in 1956 was an 
     on-the-spot reporter for the Suez crisis. He subsequently 
     served as a correspondent at the United Nations and at the 
     White House during the Eisenhower administration. In 1966, he 
     was the Conservative Party candidate for Congress for the 
     seat vacated for New York Mayor John Lindsay.
       Jeffrey St. John loved his country. He proudly served in 
     the Marine Corps. He cherished our Constitution and other 
     documents of our Founding Fathers. His life and journalistic 
     efforts provide unique documentation of high quality for the 
     preservation of democracy. America has lost a true patriot 
     and a journalistic giant.
  Mr. HELMS. I thank the Chair.
  I yield the floor.
  Mr. KYL addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Arizona is recognized.

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