9224 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS May 11, 1999 genocide, torture, and other gross violations of shown to be a story of an apathetic world— duct between peoples and nations. Together, human rights and international law. Had the a world full of callous dispassion and moral let us Remember. Thank you. United States government not ignored the insensitivity with a few individual excep- plight of the St. Louis refugees sixty years tions. But more, it has been shown to be a tale of victory—victory of the human spirit, f ago, had it substituted compassion and empa- of extraordinary courage and of remarkable thy for bureaucracy and rigidity, the children of endurance. It is the story of a life that flour- TRIBUTE TO MS. KATHERINE that ship might still be alive today. ished before the Shoah, that struggled PHILP While we cannot rectify the wrongs of gen- throughout its darkest hours, and that ulti- erations ago, we can apply the lesson of the mately prevailed. St. Louis to the crises of today. In the Europe After the Holocaust, as we rebuilt our HON. MICHAEL F. DOYLE of 1999, innocent civilians are once again lives, we also built a nation—the State of OF PENNSYLVANIA Israel. This was our answer to death and de- being deported, abused, raped and murdered. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES While the scale of Serbian atrocities in Kosovo struction—new life, both family and national life—and Remembrance. Minister Ben David, Tuesday, May 11, 1999 does not approach the enormity of the Holo- please convey to the people of Israel our soli- caust, the precedent that would be set by ig- darity with them as they, too. Remember on Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to noring this ethnic cleansing cannot be toler- this Yom Hashoah. honor Katherine Philp from Woodland Hills ated. As Benjamin Meed, one of America’s Today, our thoughts turn back sixty years. School District. Katherine is the top winner of most prominent Holocaust survivors, noted at On May 13, 1939, the SS St. Louis sailed from Hamburg bound for Cuba with more than the 1999 18th Congressional District High the Days of Remembrance ceremony: ‘‘All of School Art Competition, An Artistic Discovery. us must remain vigilant—always aware, al- nine hundred passengers, most of them Jews ways on guard against those who are deter- fleeing Nazism. For these passengers it was a Katherine’s colored pencil still life entitled desperate bid for freedom that was doomed ‘‘Tissue and Fruit’’ was chosen from an out- mined to destroy innocent life for no other rea- before it began. Politics, profit and public son than birthright.’’ standing collection of entries. Katherine is a opinion were permitted to overshadow mo- young woman of considerable talent and is Benjamin Meed was born in Warsaw, Po- rality, compassion and common sense. It is land. He worked as a slave laborer for the so painful now to realize that not only Cuba sure to have many successes in her future. Nazis, survived in the Warsaw Ghetto, and but our own beloved country closed their I look forward to seeing Katherine’s artwork was an active member of the Warsaw Under- doors and hearts to these People of the Book displayed along with the artwork of the other ground with his wife, Vladka. A member of the who could see the lights of Miami from the competition winners from across the country. I United States Holocaust Memorial Council decks of the ship but were not permitted to am pleased to be associated with Katherine’s since its inception, he chairs the Museum’s disembark. This group of over nine hundred artistic talents. could have been saved, but instead the voy- Days of Remembrance Committee. He is age became a round-trip passage to hell for Congratulations Katherine. I wish you all the President of the American Gathering of Jewish many of them. Less than three months after best of luck in the future. Holocaust Survivors and a leader of a number the St. Louis docked at Antwerp, the world of other organizations. Mr. Meed founded the was at war. And, in less than three years, the f Benjamin and Vladka Meed Registry of Jewish ‘‘Final Solution of the Jewish Problem’’ in Holocaust Survivors permanently housed at Europe was fully operational. COMMENDING THE REVEREND the United States Holocaust Memorial Mu- Could this happened today? Hopefully, not. JESSE L. JACKSON, SR., ON SE- seum. But we—all of us—must be vigilant—ever CURING THE RELEASE OF U.S. mindful that once such a course of destruc- Mr. Speaker, I submit the full text of Mr. tion of a people has been chartered, it can be SERVICEMEN FROM CAPTIVITY Meed’s Days of Remembrance address to be followed again, and again, and again. IN BELGRADE, YUGOSLAVIA placed in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: And what lessons did we derive from these REFUGE DENIED: THE VOYAGE OF THE SS St. horrible experiences? The most important SPEECH OF Louis lesson is obvious—it can happen again. The Members of the diplomatic corps, distin- impossible is possible again. Ethnic cleans- HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON guished members of the United States Sen- ing, a genocide, is happening as I speak. It OF TEXAS ate and House of Representatives, members can happen to any one or to any group of of the United States Holocaust Memorial people. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Council, distinguished guests, fellow sur- Should there be another Holocaust, it may vivors and dear friends, be on a cosmic scale. How can we prevent it? Tuesday, May 4, 1999 All of us must remain vigilant—always Welcome to the 20th national Days of Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. Rememberance commemoration. aware, always on guard against those who For at least a decade, the magnificent flags are determined to destroy innocent human Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a great that surround us now have been part of our life for no other reason than birthright. American leader, the Reverend Jesse Jack- annual observance here in the nation’s Cap- There are some passengers of the unfortu- son, Sr. He is one of our true leaders in civil itol. Every time the American flag and the nate voyage of the SS St. Louis who are with rights and the protection of freedom for those flags of the United States Army that liber- us here today. Like most of us Holocaust around the world. Having already proven his ated the concentration camps are brought survivors, they are in the winter of their leadership during the Civil Rights movement, lives. Even so, all of us look toward the fu- into this hall for this commemoration, a spe- Reverend Jackson has been instrumental in cial pride as an American citizen sweeps over ture, because we believe that, in sharing our me, as I am sure it must for all Holocaust experiences—by bearing witness—there is gaining the release of prisoners in several in- survivors. These pieces of red, white and blue hope of protecting other generations who stances. Most recently, he secured the release cloth were the symbols of freedom and hope might be abandoned and forgotten, robbed of three U.S. servicemen, including S. Sgt. for those of us caught in the machinery of and murdered. The telling and retelling of Steven Gonzales from my home state of death. Discovery of the Nazi German con- the stories of the Holocaust with their pro- Texas, captured in Macedonia and held cap- centration camps by the Allied armies began found lessons for humanity must become a tive in Belgrade, Yugoslavia. On April 29, the process that restored our lives. Although mission for all humankind. In this way, fu- 1999, Reverend Jackson led a delegation of ture generations—particularly future gen- we have many dates this month to remem- religious and civic leaders to Yugoslavia to ber, we recall with special gratitude the date erations of Americans—can Remember and of April 11, 1945, when American troops, in use the power of this knowledge to protect achieve this successful mission. their march to end the war in Europe came people everywhere. This is only one of many delegations Rev- across the Buchenwald concentration camp. In these great halls of Congress, we see erend Jackson has led to free prisoners from We will always remain grateful to the sol- symbols of the ideals that this country rep- Iraq, Syria and Cuba over the past two dec- diers for their bravery, kindness and gen- resents. It was the collective rejection of ades. These missions have enhanced his rep- these ideals by many nations that made the erosity. We will always remember those utation as a leader in humanitarian and civil young soldiers who sacrificed their lives to Holocaust possible. Today, let us promise to bring us to liberty. keep an ever-watchful eye for those who rights efforts around the globe. Reverend Many revelations over the last half-cen- would deny and defy the principles of liberty, Jackson’s diplomacy and skill in negotiation tury have unveiled the Holocaust as a story equality and justice and for those who would serve as a model to all. I stand today to pay of massive destruction and loss. It has been defy the rules of honorable and peaceful con- tribute to his accomplishments.

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