May 25, 1995 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E 1133

belonging to Sen. Milton Marks. Burton’s ultimate decision, though, will take into account whether Willie Brown runs for mayor

of San Francisco or Marks’ seat.

‘‘I think it’s important for somebody to be

doing battle with the right-wing Republicans, who are more and more taking over

the Republican party in this state,’’ said

Burton. ‘‘To thwart their efforts to cripple

public education, cripple environmental protection and take away women’s right to

choose. These are tough times, and you

should get in the fight and stay in the fight—

not drop out and kind of bitch and moan.’’

Burton’s name has been mentioned for The

City’s mayoral race, but he doesn’t see himself running. ‘‘My mother didn’t raise me to

cut back on libraries or playgrounds or AIDS

funding, or go after poor people on the

street,’’ he said.

Lately, San Francisco has been ‘‘penny

wise and pound foolish,’’ added Burton. ‘‘But,

to be fair, the city just doesn’t have the resources.’’

It doesn’t seem that long ago that Burton’s

best friend, George Moscone, was assassinated at City Hall on Nov. 27, 1978. But it’s

been a long time, and—for Burton—a hard

road.

Moscone was his friend from the day they

met in 1946 until the day the mayor was shot

to death with Supervisor Harvey Milk, said

Burton, who still can’t understand the

killings.

‘‘It was such a f——g nutty thing,’’ he said,

looking down at his hands. ‘‘I heard some political forces were egging (Dan White) on—

‘Somebody ought to kill that f——r,’ things

like that. I don’t know.

‘‘During that period I was, shall we say, involved in doing drugs, and I started doing

more,’’ Burton said. ‘‘I don’t know if what

happened to George was the reason for it,

but I guess I used it as a reason. I mean,

George was as close to me as my brothers.’’

Burton found himself hooked on ‘‘what

they call crack now, called it free-basing

back then. I would get so depressed I

couldn’t move. I’d stop for a couple of days

and had to start again, just to get energy.

‘‘I got into nitrous oxide, too,’’ said Burton. ‘‘I’m a very addictive-compulsive person

* * * went on a four-month run once, like

you see on TV or in the movies, the guy’s OK

one day and the next he’s in the gutter.

‘‘I learned you can’t quit for six months

and go out and celebrate with a couple of

toots or a couple of tokes and quit the next

day. The only way to do it is not to do it at

all.’’

By the time of Moscone’s death, Burton

was already known for stream-of-consciousness speeches from the floor of the legislature that made no sense. In ‘‘A Rage for Justice: The Passion and Politics of Phillip Burton,’’ a biography due out this fall, Sacramento political columnist John Jacobs

writes, ‘‘John Burton was going downhill

fast. Rumors surfaced that a dry cleaner

found packets of cocaine in his coat pocket

* * * friends feared they would find him dead

somewhere.’’

Burton got the message himself, calling an

end to his brief Congressional career two

days before the filing deadline for the 1982

elections. He remembers the date exactly:

Sept. 30.

‘‘I went back to vote against the balanced

budget amendment. That was on Thursday.

Sunday, I flew down to a hospital in Arizona

and checked myself in. It was easy after I

really decided to do it, after I acknowledged

half-assed to myself that I’ve got a problem,

instead of, ‘It’s no big deal.’

‘‘Haven’t had a drink since then,’’ he said.

‘‘Not too long ago I was at a party where

they had that Australian beer—Foster’s—I

took a little sip and I could feel it going

down. I knew I’d be in trouble if I took a

good gulp. And nonalcoholic beer? I had

some once and the guy says, ‘Tastes good,

huh?’ and I said, ‘Yeah, it does taste good. I

better not have anymore.’

‘‘I don’t miss it,’’ Burton said. ‘‘I don’t

really like being around people who drink.

Three drinks and they have a heat on, don’t

even know what they’re saying. Women who

take a drink and just get silly.’’

Burton, who has been married twice and

remains divorced, smiled and said, ‘‘I’m sure

it breaks their hearts, but I just have to

pass.’’

In Jacobs’ book, one Republican argued it

was worth keeping Burton in office because

‘‘at least John Burton stood back in his stupor and didn’t do much but vote wrong.’’

But Burton’s legislative record has been

anything but passive.

‘‘At one point, before the Republican governors got ahold of it, our aged, blind and

handicapped had a better standard of living

than the aged or blind anywhere else in the

country,’’ said Burton, who sponsored SSI

bills for the handicapped. ‘‘And our autistic

children’s program was the first in the nation.’’

Burton was also proud of his ‘‘asset forfeiture law—keeping law enforcement officers

from just coming in and grabbing property

without cause.’’

But he acknowledges his own political career doesn’t compare to the record of his

brother, Phillip.

Some of Burton’s best memories come

from sharing the spotlight with his brother

back in Washington. ‘‘I kept thinking about

what Phil and I together were doing to all

those conservatives in the Old Guard. Driving them up the wall. I laughed my ass off.

‘‘You look at what Phillip’s done, it’s awesome. There hasn’t been a minimum-wage

bill since he did it, and he’s been dead 10

years. Redwood Park, Golden Gate National

Park, miners’ lung legislation, and on and on

and on. He just brought me along for some of

it.’’

And Burton enjoyed the ride, every minute

of it. He remembered walking down the steps

of the Capitol with his brother, making up

words to a song about angry Republicans,

then making them angrier with new legislation.

‘‘Nowadays, there are so many intrusions

into people’s rights to live decently,’’ said

Burton. ‘‘If I did something for the quality of

life for people, just helped a little, who gives

a s— whether they erect a statue to you or

not?’’

Having his political life wrapped up in the

wonder of California has made it all worthwhile, Burton said. ‘‘California’s got so

much, you know? Like Pat Brown used to

say—‘When I fly over this great, big beautiful state of ours. . .’’’

Burton, whose desk holds a glass ball that

beams, ‘‘God Made the Irish #1’’ and a nameplate with shamrocks on either side, reminisced about the power of Irish districts

when he first started out, when ‘‘the Mission

was Irish, Noe Valley was Irish, the Sunset.

Around the Castro it was the Scandinavians,

the Excelsior was Italian, Potrero Hill—Russians and Slavs, the Richmond was kind of

Irish, kind of Russian, there was Manila

Town off Kearny, and the Haight was a mixture.

‘‘The mix has changed, but it’s still a melting pot, and it’s wonderful. You can’t beat

it,’’ said Burton, grinning all at once.

‘‘San Francisco. You’ve got to fll love

San Francisco,’’ he said. ‘‘I remember once

when I went out to eat at a restaurant, must

have been down around Westlake, and there’s

all this fog. I got out there, wound up just

walking around the parking lot for 10 minutes, maybe more, taking it all in.

‘‘The woman I was with must have thought

I was nuts, but being away from San Francisco and coming back to the fog . . . you’ve

got to love it.’’

Burton looked around his office, filled with

photos from three decades of political handshaking and head-shaking and hand-wringing

and loud singing in the front room with people from the Mission and Sunset and

Bayview. He smiled to himself, hummed a

bit of ‘‘Big Rock Candy Mountain,’’ and said

once more ‘‘You’ve got to love it.’’

UNION CITY, NJ, CELEBRATES ITS

70TH ANNIVERSARY

f

HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ OF NEW JERSEY

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 25, 1995

Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today

to recognize an outstanding community, the

city of Union City, NJ, and to congratulate the

residents on the celebration of the city’s 70th

anniversary. This is a special anniversary because this year the city, which I am proud to

call home, is opening a new addition to its historic city hall.

Union City was originally comprised of two

smaller and separate communities, named

West Hoboken, incorporated in 1861, and the

town of Union Hill, incorporated in 1864. In

June of 1925, the two towns merged to form

the dynamic, bustling place we know today as

Union City.

Union City typifies this Nation’s proud immigrant heritage. It has always been home to immigrants seeking a better way of life. The

founders of West Hoboken and Union Hill

were German and Dutch immigrants who

moved to the western shore of the Hudson

River to escape the crowded conditions of

Manhattan. In fact, many of the original municipal documents were written in German.

In the 1870’s, industry discovered Union

City and the population began to grow. Woods

and fields were transformed into homes and

businesses. Streets were cut through, and

sewer, water, and gas mains laid. Breweries,

silk, chocolate, cigar, and pencil factories

moved to the city. It became a hub of the U.S.

embroidery industry.

The immigrant tradition continued throughout the years, drawing Irish and Italian immigrants during the first half of the 20th century.

Cubans fleeing the tyranny of a brutal dictatorship came in growing numbers during the

early 1960’s. They established hundreds of

thriving businesses along the main commercial

strip, known as Bergenline Avenue. They were

followed by immigrants from throughout Latin

America, who make up the largest segment of

the current population. During a short walk on

Bergenline one can sample the cuisine of dozens of nations. Goods and merchandise from

around the world are sold on the bustling

streets.

The people of Union City have always been

its greatest asset. Diversity in our schools and

in government is viewed as a strength not an

impediment. I was proud to serve the residents as their first Hispanic mayor from 1986

through 1992. Earlier, I served on the city’s

board of education and later as chief financial

officer for the school system. Union City is in

the forefront of promoting the use of computer

technology in the classroom. The new city hall
E 1134 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks May 25, 1995

addition is another example of a city that is

not content to rest on past accomplishments.

Its programs for the elderly and recreation programs for its youth are second to none.

Union City is a city on the move, ready to

take on the challenges of the 21st century.

The residents are proud of where they have

been and proud of where they are going. I am

proud to be a resident of Union City. I ask my

colleagues today to join with me in honoring

Union City, a great place to live and raise a

family.

TRIBUTE TO MR. CARL

GERSTACKER

f

HON. DAVE CAMP OF MICHIGAN

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 25, 1995

Mr. CAMP. Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness

that I rise today to honor and pay tribute to a

man who devoted much of his life to helping

and improving the lives of others. Mr. Carl

Gerstacker passed away recently and took the

heart of a city with him. Midland, MI, my

hometown, was the proud recipient of Mr.

Gerstacker’s generosity and leadership for

most of his life.

Carl was born in 1916, and received the

typical upbringing of a child in the Midwest. In

1938, he received his engineering degree from

the University of Michigan. Two years later,

Carl, like many of the brave young people at

the time, answered the Nation’s call to duty

and enlisted in the Army. He valiantly served

his country from 1940 to 1946 and returned

home to a grateful nation and community.

He began working for the Dow Chemical

Co. Although he possessed an engineering

degree, his abilities with numbers and figures

won him praise from his superiors and he was

placed in charge of the finance department.

His powerful character and charisma came to

the forefront and his proficiency and demeanor

made him a highly respected manager. In

1948, he became a member of Dow Chemical’s board of directors at age 32 and was

later named chairman of the finance committee. In 1960, he was elected chairman of the

board.

Carl’s business and personal talents made

him a vital component of Dow Chemical’s senior management team. He assumed responsibility of the corporation as head of a company with $820 million in annual sales. His

hard work and determination inspired others to

achieve the most and when he left the company 26 years later, Dow Chemical had sales

of approximately $4.9 billion. This enormous

increase in sales was partly due to Carl’s business acumen but more importantly it was his

ability to recognize talent in his employees

and his ability to inspire their best work and

loyalty to the company.

Carl was a strong advocate for education.

He served on the boards of several universities and worked tirelessly on behalf of students. His hiring practices were among the

most progressive of his era not because he

was trying to institute social policy, but because he constantly sought the best people.

His investment in them reaped tremendous rewards. His policies went beyond company

profits to ensuring the company invested in

the people and community.

Carl was committed to environmental protection. He helped institute many of the reforms that made the Dow Chemical Co. a

leader in environmental protection and accomplished this while continuing to expand job opportunities and assisting the community.

Carl had the power to understand people. A

tireless champion of community projects, Carl

established the Gerstacker Awards in 1956,

which honors outstanding citizens. Teachers,

law enforcement officers’ and firemen are

among those who have received the

Gerstacker Award for outstanding community

service. In addition, Carl established the Rollin

M. Gerstacker Foundation in honor of his father to help fund civic projects in the Midland

area.

Carl donated his home to the local church

as a parsonage and later bought it back to

provide office space for local foundations. He

gave generously to the city to help build housing for seniors. Although his financial contributions helped fund the projects, it was his time,

effort, and encouragement that made these

projects successful. His commitment went beyond financial contributions to include personal

involvement.

His community activism continued far into

his retirement years. He served on the board

of the Midland Rotary Club, and the Midland

Red Cross. He founded the Midland Community Foundation and served as campaign

chairman for the United Way of Midland. He

was a man who wished to be measured not

by what he could get out of something but by

what he was able to give back.

Carl Gerstacker’s unbounded generosity

and exuberance inspired everyone he met. His

sense of humor put people at ease and his

ideas and dreams challenged people to think

and challenge themselves. Carl Gerstacker

helped build a city and a company, but more

importantly, he helped build a community and

a family. His loving wife, Esther Gerstacker;

family members including our colleague, Bill

Schuette, Bette, Lisa, Sandra, and Gretchen

continue in his path of community service and

dedication. As a neighbor, Carl’s counsel and

wisdom were invaluable to my family and

friends and his words and deeds continue to

influence us today.

Mr. Speaker, I know you will join my colleagues and me in honoring Mr. Carl

Gerstacker, his many contributions, and his

enduring legacy. He has provided us with the

tools to succeed; now it is up to us to continue

his work.

COMMEMORATION OF THE FIRST

AFRICAN-AMERICAN CONGREGAfTION IN NEW JERSEY

HON. DONALD M. PAYNE OF NEW JERSEY

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 25, 1995

Mr. PAYNE of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker,

this weekend a very special ceremony will be

held in Newark, NJ to commemorate an event

of historic importance, the founding of the first

African-American congregation in our State

160 years ago.

It was on April 27, 1835, that 37 freed

slaves and free-born blacks left the Old First

Presbyterian Church and resolved to become

the First Colored Presbyterian Church of Newark. In May of that year, the Presbytery of

Newark acted upon the resolution and they organized into a Church with the Reverend John

Hunt as their pastor. The Church later became

the Thirteenth Avenue Presbyterian Church,

which merged with Clinton Avenue Presbyterian Church in October of 1967.

The establishment of the Church in 1835 by

37 men and women of courage and vision reflected their determination to affirm their own

culture and identify in their worship.

Now, 160 years later, the pastor and the

congregation continue the proud tradition of

the founders. In a spirit of love and service,

the Church continues its commitment to the

community.

This weekend, on Memorial Sunday, a Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving will be

held. It will include the lighting of 37 candles

to honor the founders of the Church; a dramatic presentation by the Youth Group; a

wreath laying ceremony in honor of loved

ones and friends of Thirteenth Avenue whose

names will be recorded in an Annual Memorial

Booklet, and the dedication of a Computer

Learning Center to provide training for the

youth of our community as a commitment to

the future and a renewed affirmation of our

self-determination.

I have asked that during the memorial service a wreath be laid to honor Mr. Marcellus

Marble, a long-time member of the church.

During my childhood, Mr. Marble and his wife,

Jeanette, showed great kindness in including

me in special church-related activities. I remember with great fondness the yearly church

picnic, held at Eagle Rock Reservation, where

youngsters were able to enjoy games and

other recreational activities.

I will always be grateful to Mr. and Mrs.

Marble for the guidance they gave me during

those years and the positive role they played

in my development.

I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of

Representatives to join me in honoring the

pastor of the Clinton Avenue Presbyterian

Church, Reverend Dr. Alfred B. Johnson and

the entire congregation in wishing them many

more years of success, joy and spiritual

growth.

PHYLLIS A. WARD AND FOREST

CRUMPLEY HONORED AS OUTfSTANDING VOLUNTEERS

HON. ZOE LOFGREN OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, May 25, 1995

Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise, today,

to acknowledge and extend my heartfelt congratulations to Phyllis A. Ward and Forest

Crumpley, who are being honored by the

Committee on Political Education [COPE], as

Outstanding South Bay AFL–CIO Labor Council Volunteers. Ms. Ward and Mr. Crumpley

will be honored at the COPE Award Banquet

on Friday, June 2, 1995.

COPE is about working people joining together to participate in our political process.

Since 1955, COPE has fought to secure full

rights for working people and to increase government responsiveness to the needs of the

labor movement. This responsiveness includes

a commitment to public service.