[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 105 (Monday, July 29, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1435-E1436]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 IN MEMORY OF ARIEL MELCHIOR, SR., CO-FOUNDER OF THE DAILY NEWS OF THE 
                             VIRGIN ISLANDS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                         of the virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 26, 2002

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute 
to Ariel Melchior Sr., co-founder of the Daily News of the Virgin 
Islands, died Tuesday night, July 23, 2002 at the Roy L. Schneider 
Hospital on St. Thomas in my district, the U.S. Virgin Islands. Members 
of his family were at his bedside at the time of his death. He was 93. 
Together with the late J. Antonio Jarvis, Melchior started the 
newspaper on August 1, 1930 and headed the publication for almost 50 
years before it was purchased by Gannett Co. Inc. in 1978.
  Melchior, Sr. is survived by two sons, Earl and Ariel, Jr.; six 
daughters, Marjorie Preston, Valerie Wade, Rita Watley, Norma Gomez, 
Laurel Melchior, and Juel Love; stepchildren George Dudley, Jr. and 
Rita Grant. A sister, Zelina Petersen, also survives together with many 
grand and great-grandchildren.
  A giant among his fellow men, even though very few are aware of his 
intense love for his community or of his courage to stand by his 
decisions, Ariel Melchior, Sr., was a quiet but forceful champion of 
human rights. Chief among his contributions to his society is the 
establishment of the Daily News, a newspaper which has become a 
substantial force in the territory. Appearing on the newsstand on 
August 1, 1930, the paper was a joint effort of Mr. Melchior and the 
late Jose Antonio Jarvis, a teacher. Throughout the years, Melchior 
served on the paper in several positions, including business manager, a 
post he held for about 10 years.
  When Jarvis sold his interest to his partner, Melchior then assumed 
full ownership and served as editor. Under his guidance, the paper 
observed almost half a century, never missing one day's publication. It 
was also

[[Page E1436]]

under his leadership that the paper was the recipient of several awards 
and citations. A partial listing of these tributes include certificates 
of appreciation from the Junior Chamber of Commerce, St. Thomas (1961), 
Boy Scouts of America (1961), The National Safe Boating Week Committee 
(1966), a Public Service award form the United States Department of 
Labor (1970), and an anniversary award from the Charlotte Amalie High 
School (1971).
  On occasions of various anniversaries of the paper, letters of 
commendation have been received from prominent National, International, 
and Local figures and organizations. Some of these are Dwight D. 
Eisenhower, President of the United States (1959); John D. Merwin 
(former), Governor, U.S. Virgin Islands (1961); Hubert H. Humphrey, 
Vice President of the United States (1965); Fred Seaton, U.S. Secretary 
of Interior (1959); Lord Mayor of Dublin (1954); Erik Eriksen, Danish 
Information Services (1967); William H. Hastie, Judge United States 
Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (1954); Syril E. King, Governor, 
U.S. Virgin Islands (1975); Women's League, St. Thomas (1966); Ralph M. 
Paiwdonsky, Governor, U.S. Virgin Islands (1975); The Very Reverend 
Edward J. Harper, Bishop, Roman Catholic Diocese, St. Thomas, V.I. 
(1975).
  These expressions attest to the successful role the newspaper has 
played in fulfilling its obligation to protect the democratic process 
and to provide for good, clean government. To achieve these goals, Mr. 
Melchior even took his cause to the courts.
  A classic example in which he challenged violations of the 
Constitution was the case of Melchior v. St. Thomas Park Authority, et 
al., 1966. In that case, Mr. Melchior contested the action of the local 
Park Authority for prohibiting or restricting the use of any part of 
Magen's Bay on St. Thomas to the public because the beach was conveyed 
from Arthur S. Fairchild for the use of the people of the Virgin 
Islands in perpetuity. The court agreed and granted a permanent 
injunction against the Park Authority and the Government of the Virgin 
Islands.
  In another instance via the Daily News, Mr. Melchior's charge of 
irregularity in Government was brought to the public's attention during 
congressional hearings on the Virgin Islands Elective Bill on June 20, 
1968. Remarks made at this hearing by representative John P. Saylor 
indicated that there was a violation of the Hatch Act by Government 
employees. The Daily News further charged that the persons involved 
were duly notified and warned. In the conclusion of his remarks, Mr. 
Sailor gave credit to the paper for its commitment to preserving good 
government.
  Always a champion in civic matters, in 1939 Mr. Melchior intervened 
when the name of Alvaro de Lugo, the first native born U.S. Postmaster 
was omitted from the bronze plaque which was being installed in the 
U.S. Post Office in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. He brought the 
omission to the attention of the U.S. Fourth Assistant Postmaster 
General, Smith W. Purden. As a result, the name of the Postmaster and 
the Governor, Lawrence Cramer, were included.
  Besides the power of the press, it was also through personal 
involvement as a concerned citizen or through his civic affiliations 
that Mr. Melchior has continued to contribute his services and 
expertise to the community. After the sale of the Daily News in 1978 to 
the Gannett Publishing Company, he concentrated on several other goals. 
He established the Ariel Melchior, Sr. Foundation, an agency which 
among other activities rented scholarships to students or other persons 
with interests in journalism.
  In addition, the foundation, along with the St. Thomas Historic 
Trust, in 1980, erected a bust of the late Antonio Jarvis, an 
outstanding Virgin Islander. The life-sized bronze statue is based on a 
six-foot marble pedestal. Areas depicting Mr. Jarvis's specialties are 
attached on six ``books'' on which his arm rests. The memorial is 
housed in the educator's park in St. Thomas.
  Another of his personal accomplishments is the publication of 
``Thoughts Along the Way'' (1980). A compilation of selected Daily News 
Editorials, the book gives an in-depth look into life in the Virgin 
Islands. A second publication, ``Commentaries--from the Archives,'' is 
a compilation of several letters of special significance, a photo file 
and copies of awards and citations to him and the Daily News. Earlier 
publications are a ``Souvenir of the American Virgin Islands'' (1953) 
and ``Virgin Islands Magazine'' (1936-1963). This periodical was 
awarded a scroll of honorable mention in 1952 from the Professional 
League of Virgin Islanders in New York for its ``excellent example of 
modern magazine make-up and journalistic content.''
  Many of the organizations with which he has been affiliated have, 
through the years acknowledged his contributions. A member of the 
Inter-American Press Association (In 1969 he was named vice chairman by 
the president of the association, James S. Coplen). In recognition of 
this position, he was commended by prominent figures in the newspaper 
publishing industry. In 1973, he was among seventeen residents honored 
by the V.I. Academy of Arts and Letters for the contributions to the 
cultural heritage of the territory. In addition, Mr. Melchior received 
a plaque as evidence of his membership in the association. He was also 
awarded a plaque in 1979 for his outstanding service to the Rotary Club 
of St. Thomas. In 1979 he was awarded a service award in recognition of 
outstanding service as a senior member of the Governing Board of the 
Virgin Islands Port Authority. In that same year he received a 
certificate of appreciation for his personal interest in making the 
intensive care unit at the Knud-Hansen Memorial Hospital a reality. 
Other agencies recognizing his contributions include Virgin Islands 
National Guard, Boy Scouts of America, Junior Chamber of Commerce, and 
executive board of the Rotary Club of St. Thomas. A few other 
outstanding certificates include the Navy League's certification of 
Life Membership, the United States Congressional Advisory Board's 
Certificate in Grateful Recognition of his Outstanding Services and the 
1982 Trustees Distinguished Achievement Award from the College of the 
Virgin Islands, now the University of the Virgin Islands. He is 
currently a member of the board of Overseers of the University and was 
its keynote speaker at the 1982 graduation ceremonies. The Virgin 
Islands Legislature has publicly recognized the contributions of Mr. 
Melchior on two separate occasions. In 1950, the fifteenth Legislative 
Assembly approved a resolution on the event of his twentieth year as a 
newspaper publisher, and in 1975 the eleventh Legislature approved a 
resolution in honor of his 45th year as a publisher.
  It was Francis Xavier Cervantes, Regional housing director, who in 
1975 best summarized Mr. Melchior's impact on his community with this 
quote, ``The past of the Virgin Islands is wrapped around him like a 
cloak, and the future will regard him as the elder statesman that he 
is.''
  Formerly married to the late Violet Cruz, he was the father of their 
seven children: Earle, Marjorie Melchior Preston, Valerie Melchior 
Wade, Ariel Jr., Rita Melchior Watley, Norma and Laurel.
  He and his second wife, Gertrude Lockhart Dudley Melchior, are world 
travelers who have visited many countries in Europe, Asia, Central 
America, South America, and the Caribbean. An avid sportsman, Mr. 
Melchior enjoys deep sea fishing and sailing.
  Mr. Speaker, the description of Ariel Melchior, Sr.'s accomplishments 
which I recite here today, is taken from a book entitled ``Profiles of 
Outstanding Virgin Islanders'', written by Ruth Moolenaar of St. 
Thomas.

                          ____________________