[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E129-E130]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

JOSEPH THEODORE'S GOOD WORKS

______

HON. BARNEY FRANK

of massachusetts

in the house of representatives

Monday, February 14, 2000

Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, last year, too late for
inclusion in the Congressional Record for 1999, I received a very
inspiring packet of material from a resident of South Dartmouth, MA,
Joseph Theodore, Jr. As the accompanying article from the New Bedford
Standard Times points out, Mr. Theodore decided nearly 30 years ago to
respond to the anguish that our country was undergoing as a result of
the debate over the war in Vietnam by flying a flag 24 hours a day from
a very prominent spot in the city of New Bedford, which I am privileged
to represent. As the column by Hank Seaman notes, every day since 1971,
a total of 341 flags--``which had draped the coffins of SouthCoast
servicemen, have flown from the former fire station observation spire
overlooking Route I-195'' in New Bedford. In addition to his wonderful
gesture with regard to the permanently flying, illuminated American
flag, Mr. Theodore has devoted his efforts to calling attention to the
44-year-old U.N. Peace Tree. Mr. Theodore three years ago called
attention to this tree, which had been planted by 25 New Bedford
residents in 1955, as a symbol of dedication to world peace. At a time
when some have unfairly doubted the importance of the United Nations, I
think it is worth some attention that thanks to Mr. Theodore's efforts,
the city of New Bedford has re-dedicated this tree as a symbol of our
hopes for world peace.
John Doherty's article from the New Bedford Standard Times describes
the impressive ceremony in which Mayor Frederick Kalisz, Jr. and
members of St. Paul's Methodist Church congregation joined Mr. Theodore
in rededicated the tree.
Mr. Speaker, the efforts of Mr. Theodore to celebrate our country
through the permanently illuminated American flag, and to reaffirm our
dedication to world peace with the U.N. playing an important part, are
good examples of how a citizen can take actions which bring out the
best in us. I commend Mr. Theodore's example to others and hope that it
may be an inspiration to people elsewhere in the country and submit the
aforementioned article for the Record.

Hometown Snapshots

(By Hank Seaman)

If ever New Bedford has had a super patriot, Joe Theodore
is the one.
The man is so committed to the concept of love of country
that he'd like to see a United States flag fly from every
public building and private home--at all times.
``In the 1960s and early '70s the Vietnam war was tearing
this country apart. I was ashamed * * * angered * * *
saddened by the division. I thought the country was dying. I
wanted to do something to encourage our fighting men, and
promote peace and unity at home.''
He hit upon the idea of flying a flag 24 hours a day--
``Illuminated from dusk to dawn with a light for peace''--in
what is now known as Old Glory Tower.
Every day since 1971, a total of 341 flags--which had
draped the coffins of South Coast servicemen--have flown from
the former fire station observation spire overlooking Route
I-195.

[[Page E130]]

All thanks to Joseph Theodore Jr.
Better still, over the years, many American communities
have started to follow New Bedford's lead, and now illuminate
flags above their own public buildings.
But the retired New Bedford wiring inspector would love to
go one step further. If he had his way, every nation's flag
would be similarly lighted.
``My No. 1 goal is to get the United Nations to illuminate
each country's flag.'' Not only in the United Nations, he
emphasizes, but over every national capitol as well. ``I want
to illuminate every flag, everywhere, with lights for world
peace.''
A lofty objective?
Certainly.
But it is fueled by one man's genuine desire for global
harmony and love of country. And he comes by this love
honestly, he maintains.
``Uncle Sam grabbed me the day I got drafted for World War
II * * * and he's never let go.''
And while the self-described ``just a little guy from New
Bedford'' downplays his four years of U.S. Army infantry duty
with the 26th Yankee Division during WWII, his two Purple
Hearts tell a different story.
Anyone wounded twice when two different vehicles were
blasted out from beneath him by land mines is a pretty big
man by anyone's yardstick. And when you couple that with how
Joe Theodore went on to become an unwitting eyewitness to
history in three entirely different--though equally
impressive--ways, it does nothing but improve his statute.
One proud memory was his time spent as President Truman's
unofficial bodyguard at the Potsdam Conference in July 1945.
His job was to chauffeur the secret service group charged
with protecting the president for the nearly month-long
series of historic meetings with British Prime Minister
Winston Churchill and Soviet Premier Josef Stalin.
``I would see President Truman and Winston Churchill nearly
every day,'' he recounted. And when he got one glimpse--
however brief--of the highly protected Soviet premiere, as
well, he calculated he was one of the few American GIs to do
so.
That month-long Potsdam stint, however, is perhaps the only
period of Joe Theodore's entire WWII experience that is not
equated with horror and sadness.
Whether inspecting Hitler's underground bunker in Berlin
mere weeks after the end mad architect of World War II
committed suicide, or reacting to the repugnance of naked
bodies piled high in the concentration camps, Mr. Theodore
viewed some strange, horrible sights.
``Many things I'd like to forget,'' he adds softly.
Even more than he could possibly have known at the time,
these experiences instilled a revulsion to war that has only
deepened with the passage of time. ``Wars are stupid. We
simply have to learn to live with one another. Today we are
friends. Tomorrow, we're killing each other.''
And he has been on a quest for peace--and the illumination
of flags--every since.
``I'm living two lives,'' Mr. Theodore explains. ``One for
my family (his wife of 58 years, Hilda, their two children,
and one grandson), the other for Uncle Sam.''
Having seen the carnage of war firsthand, his rationale is
simple. ``When I saw those piles of naked bodies I didn't
know whether they were Jewish, Polish, German * * * or even
American * * * All I knew was they were human rights
beings.'' He shakes his head sadly.
``That was enough.''

____

[From the New Bedford Standard Times]

(By John Doherty)

New Bedford--City officials and members of the St. Paul's
Methodist Church congregation hope the United Nations takes
notice of a small ceremony held last night.
St. Paul's congregants joined Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz Jr.
last night in lighting a ``peace tree'' at the church on the
corner of Rockdale Avenue and Kempton Street.
The tree, a stately ginkgo, was planted 44 years ago as
part of a worldwide observance of the formation of the United
Nations.
``This will alert all people who enter the city from the
west side of the dream of peace we all share,'' said the Rev.
Dogba Bass, of St. Paul's.
Several of the schoolchildren--grown now, of course--who
participated in the planting of the ginkgo in 1955 were
present at the lighting ceremony last night.
The tree, strung with 200 white bulbs, is scheduled to stay
lighted through the rest of 1999, and is one of the features
of the planned millennium celebration in New Bedford.
The city was one of about 200 communities designated a
Millennium City by the White House.
Joseph Theodore, a member of American Legion Post 1 in New
Bedford, originally pushed for the lighting.
In remarks last night, he likened the lighting of the tree
to another tradition that began in New Bedford.
The first American flag lit up at night as a symbol of
peace was lit in New Bedford.
Now, American flags around the country and at U.S.
embassies worldwide follow the example set here.
Trees were planted all over the world in observance of the
formation of the UN, said Mr. Theodore, and it is not
unimaginable to think the lighting at St. Paul's last night
could be duplicated elsewhere.

____

Mayor To Light 44-year-old United Nations Peace Tree

New Bedford--Mayor Frederick M. Kalisz Jr. and The Rev.
Dogba R. Bass of St. Paul's United Methodist Church will
participate in a tree lighting ceremony this evening, to mark
the 44th anniversary of the United Nations Peace Tree located
in New Bedford's West End.
The peace tree, which stands in front of St. Paul's United
Methodist Church at Kempton Street and Rockdale Avenue, was
planted in 1955 by children of the congregation to
commemorate the 10th anniversary of ``U.N. Charter Day,'' or
``World Order Day.''
Chartered Oct. 24, 1945, the United Nations offered hope as
a new forum for resolving conflicts before they escalated
into war.
Mayor Kalisz is lighting the peace tree as part of the
city's millennium celebrations, the theme of which is
``illumination,'' Mayor Kalisz said. ``The children of St.
Paul's Methodist Church gathered on this very spot to plant
this tree as a gesture of hope that all governments would
join the United Nations and work toward world peace.''
The suggestion to incorporate the event into the city's
millennium celebrations was made by Joseph Theodore Jr., a
longtime Americanism officer for New Bedford Post 1 American
Legion.
Director of Tourism Arthur P. Motta Jr. researched the
tree, a Ginkgo, and said it is a rare and ancient species
that dates back to the Permian Period of the Paleozoic Era,
some 230 million years ago.
``The Ginkgo survives today because the Buddhist Monks of
northern China considered it to be sacred, cultivating it in
their temple gardens,'' said Motta. ``Because of its high
resistance to disease and its medical value, the Ginkgo has
been referred to as the `Tree of Life.' ''
Several of the children who participated in the original
ceremony in 1955 are expected to attend the event. The
ceremony will take place on today at 6 p.m.

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