Extensions of Remarks

February 1, 1973 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 3071' of America to the United Nations with the Under Secretary of State for Economic tiary of the United States of America to rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary Affairs. Italy. and Plenipotentiary, and the Representative Donald Rumsfeld, of Illinois, to be the U. Alexis Johnson, of California, a Foreign of the United States of America 1n the Se U.S. Permanent Representative on the Coun Service Officer of the Class of Career Am curity Council of the United Nations. cil of the North Atlantic Treaty Organiza· bassador, to be Ambassador at Large. Kenneth Rush, of New York, to be Deputy tion, with the rank and status of Ambassador Secretary of State. Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. (The above nominations were approved William J. Porter, of Massachusetts, a For John N. Irwin II, of New York, to be Am subject to the nominees' commitment to eign Service officer of the class of career bassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary minister, to be Under Secretary of State for of the United States of America to France. respond to requests to appear and testify Political Affairs. John A. Volpe, of Massachusetts, to be before any duly constituted committee of Wi111am J. Casey, of New York, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipoten- the Senate.) EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS DEATH OF RALPH J. MENCONI verse and the famous Liberty Tree on the Academy of Design in 1941, a grant from the reverse, proved extremely popular with the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation in 1947, public and 547,322 orders were received for and a won a competition for the National HON. MARK 0. HATFIELD the 1¥:i-inch bronze memento the first Jefferson Expansion Memorial, 1947-48. OF OREGON month alone. His funeral service was conducted Novem His Men in Space series, commemorating ber 21 at the Emanuel Lutheran Church in IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES the flights of Apollo, were also popular. Pleasantville beneath a pair of reredos he had Wednesday, January 31, 1973 Apollo 11 through 16 each had been memo designed and donated. rialized on a fine art medal by Menconl, For Ralph Joseph Menconi his works will Mr. HATFIELD. Mr. President, in No with portraits of the astronauts and scenes live on for a long time for his admirers to vember 1972 a man who I have admired from their walks on the moon, lift off, splash remember. for his distinctive creative ability died down, and support teams. of a heart attack, and in memory of his In fact, Mr. Menconi had completed a week friendship and in tribute to his work, I before his death, the models on the Apollo BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION ACT ask unanimous consent that the press re 17 medal, the launching of which had been OF 1973 lease by the Medallic Art Co., of Connec announced for December 6 and a planned walk on the 1unar surface December 11 ticut, which was issued following Mr. through 13. Ralph J. Menconi's death be printed in He often worked ahead of schedule, and for HON. EDWARD I. KOCH the Extensions of Remarks. him a deadline in the production of an art OF NEW YORK There being no obj ectior., the release medal was something to beat. He was always was ordered to be printed in the RECORD, cooperative according to the employees of IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES as follows: Meda.Ilic Art Company, which had produced Wednesday, January 31, 1973 all his medals other than the mint medal. RALPH J. MENCONI "SCULPTOR OF PRESIDENTS" Mr. KOCH. Mr. Speaker, I would like DIES AT 67 He worked well with clients, other artists and associates. to bring to the attention of my col (By D. Wayne Johnson) The tasks he had set for himself over the leagues a bill I introduced today, H.R. Ralph J. Menconi, who had been called last decade would have been gruelling for a 692, with 28 cosponsors, entitled the Bi the "sculptor of presidents" for his medallic lesser man. Since 1962 he had produced a cyle Transportation Act of 1973. work bearing the portraits of all the United minimum of a pair of models a month for his This bill would allow States and com States presidents and for the official presi various series (all issued by Presidential Art munities to use highway trust fund dential medals including the NiXon Inaugural Medals of Vandalia, Ohio), plus accepting Medal, died of a heart attack in his home single commissions for medals, plus other moneys for the development of bicycle town of Pleasantville, New York, November sculptural commissions, often of heroic pro- lanes or paths. It also provides that such 18. He was 57 years old. · . portions, plus he was active in civic, profes funds can be used for the construction Mr. Menconi, who was a prolific medallist, sional, numismatic and cultural affairs. of bicycle shelters and parking facilities, was also a noted sculptor and active in the His most recent commissions prior to his and for bicycle traffic control devices. National Sculpture Society. He was first vice death were a medal for the United States The concept of this bill is essentially the president of that group of professional Capitol Historical Society-to be released artists, a position he had held since 1968, same as that underlying the develop later this year-and a fountain for Pace Col ment of preferential bus lanes in our and had been active in its educational activi lege on Park Row in New York City. Previous ties among others. ly this year he had also prepared portrait highway system. Federally aided bicycle It was his medals issued in uniform suc models of Senator Mark O. Hatfield (he had lanes would be constructed so as to be cession, beginning with a series on U.S. presi donated the models to him, the two are close part of an interstate system, an ABC dents, which had brought him his most friends), J. Edgar Hoover, as a memorial road, or a designated urban system. public acclaim, particularly among the col medal, W. Clement Stone for the Combined Bicycles are an important transporta lecting fraternity of America. He had be Insurance Co:rr.pany of America, V. M. Gold· tion resource and can make a definite gun-and had completed-the series of 36 schmidt for the Geochemical Society and presidents and a series of 50 statehood contribution to municipal transporta Judson B. Branch. tion-they should not simply be regarded medals. He had come within ten medals of He had maintained memberships in the completing a series on all 56 Signers of the National Sculpture Society since 1950, The as only recrea.tion vehicles. Many com Declaration of Independence; and he created, Century Association since 1965, the Muni muters, when given the option of safe within the last year, 16 of a projected 25 bicycle travel, will choose to pedal to medals on the Great Religions of the World, cipal Art Society of New York (where he was a theme which particularly held his interest. a director 1954-60) since 1950, the American work rather than ride by car or bus. In all, Mr. Menconi must have produced Numismatic Association since 1962 and the One of the nice things about bicycling in the la.st 20 years over 600 medallic models Collectors of Art Medals since its inception, is that it has benefits in addition to the resulting in nearly 300 fine art medals-a 1970. transportation it provides; these include record unsurpassed by any contemporary For the American Numismatic Society he its contribution to mental and physical artist in America. had served on their standing committee on health and the lessening of air pollution While his knowledge varied over wide medals for two years, 1967-68. Awards had recently been conferred upon and crowding. It is remarkable that we areas he had taken a specific interest in the have a vehicle that emits no pollution, coming celebrations of the bicentennial of him, particularly in the last two years, rec American Independence, undoubtedly ognizing his sculptural and medallic accom makes no noise, takes up little room, and spurred by his researches for his series on the plishments. He received l. Doctor of Fine Arts even contributes to the physical fitness Signers of the Declaration. from Hamilton College, where he once at of the rider. And when provided with He was a panel member o! the coins and tended, the Michelangelo Award from the their own bicycle lanes, bicycles have a Sons of Columbus, and the Sculptor of the very low accident rate. medals committee of the national American Year from the American Numismatic Associa Revolution Bicentennial Commission. He had tion, all in 1971. There is a danger, however, for cyclists also produced the first medal for the Com, In 1972 he had received the Freedoms who are forced to use roads heavily con mission, one recently struck by the U.S. Mint Foundation Award for Historic Medals and gested with automobiles. And thus, if bi and released to the public early in October. the Golden Plate Award from the American cycle transportation is to be encouraged, The bicentennial medal, with a portrayal Academy of Achievement. Previously he had we need to develop bicycle lanes and of Houdon's bust of Washington on the ob- received the Speyer Award from the National paths. 3072 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS February 1, 1973 Perhaps the most famous bicycle city concerning further large Russian pur You meet selfishness and stupidity and hy in this country is Davis, Calif. This city chases of wheat and other U.S.

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