Evening star., 1926-12-18

tunlty. we cannot meet TOO frequent
| ~ to rediscover to ourselves those
things that underlie our security, our
happiness and our peace. We shall
reach higher levels of efficiency in
every department of our public serv-
ice when we give to those who un-
self1shly assume its burdens the best
that we have to give of favor and
support In effecting those ends that
we commonly hold as indispensable to
our permanence and prosperity"
Justice Lauds Friendship.
Justice Siddons. in presenting the
testimonial to Mr.. Rudolph. spoke as
| follows:
| Friend Rudolph:
by the choice of these many Of
your friends, old and young, assem-
bled here tonight. acting through a
most representative committee of citi.
Zens OF the Capital, composed of those
who for T1any years have been your
near associates, the happy privilege
has come to me to take part on this
occasion, and in doing so, to testify
their sincere regard for you as a man
and friend, and their deep apprecia
ton OF your service as a public serv.
ant 10 this. our beloved city. And in
selecting me. like to think that they
did SO. knowing that long since you
and had, to paraphrase the eloquent
Garfield, gathered the flowers of
friendship that bloom over the garden
| wall of party politics.
| Thirty-Seven years ago you came
among us from your ativeBaltimore,
and for n generation you have been
one of us. in heart and in active, use
full citizenship. And after 90 of those
years, and tested by them, you were
1 fSa1 11sal fr ~. tNf 4.x.,
trative officer of our local government
and for nearly 10 years you have
| served that government and the peo-
pie OF this community. And then you
| sought and obtained release from
your labors, that you might experience
what a we'll earned leisure may mean
| to q man who has lived a life Of un-
| relnitting work. And now, as that
leisure begins, your friends want you
to know what they think of your life
among them and spent, In so large
a part. for them, and for all other
| citizens of the chief city of the Nation.
This is not an occasion for biography.
You have written your autobiography
during the years of your citizenship.
and 1t is to be read in the archives
and records OF our commercial organi.
| cations, our public welfare and phil
anthropic agencies, our educational in
stitutionS and of the government of
the District of Columbia. This. how.
ever, may and should be said Of you
at this time and in this gathering:
Called "City Builder"
while you have been in the fore
front of those who have ever taken a
glowing pride in the physical beauty
of the Capital City, and have been as
determined as any that it should con-
tinue to grow in that beauty, you have
had the vision to perceive that this
physical beauty will be of little avail
unless as a component part, its citi-
| zenry, shall be worthy of it, and II
OF them. For you have known Of the
ruins of ancient cities of former COM
manding architectural grace, that
today are but melancholy reminders
that they were wanting in the graces
of citizenship. and are now one with
Nineveh and Tyre
"A city builder you have been. not
alone of broad avenues and monu-
ments. butts, what Is more vital, of q
citizenry that has grown and is ever
growing In enlightenment, education,
culture.
For services such as these we, with
grateful hearts, now render you our
thanks.
Your leisure has begun. But 1t
will not be, 1t cannot be for you, a
period of mere idleness. It will mean.
rather, opportunity to further enrich
your life in travel, in good books, in
close association with those you right
ly claim as your friends, and, best of
all, in sweet intimacies with the gra-
cious lady who adorns your home.
so spent, the coming years will be
years of broadening vision, an ever
widening philosophy and a greater toll
erlnce Of our old mortality.
I'VE hope. dear friend, that the
words you have listened to tonight.
spoken with all sincerity, have fallen
pleasantly upon your ear, and will
linger long in the haunts Of memory.
But we are not content that the occa-
sion pass with words alone, nor that
our testimony to your worth be verbal
only.
And so. remembering that philos-
opherS and tea have been close COM
panions since the comforting beverage
was introduced to the lips of the wise
for did not the renowned Samuel
Johnson drink 1t prodigiously, and be-
tween draughts give expression to
the great range of his knowledge, and
did not our own CHEEKY poet and phi
losopher. DIR. Oliver Wendell Holmes,
over the >teacups' teach the lessons of
wisdom?--we present to you a silver
! service for tea, which, in Hamlet's 8
phrase, we ask you to accept with
our love and friending."
Rudolph's Reply.
Mr.. Rudolph responded to the trib-
utes and accepted the gift presented
by Justice Siddons in the following
words:
Tonight, more than ever, my limi.
tation to command words that will
adequately express the very deep ap-
| probation Of this generous compli-
ment you pay me comes home to me
with no small degree Of regret. Be-
iieve me when / say that your kind
ness to me has touched my heart in n
way that nothing else In my long ca
| reer has ever done.
For more than nine years of the
most resourceful period of my life
have applied my efforts exclusively
to the duties of the responsible and
exacting office of Commissioner of
the District, and l feel that / must
seek relaxation from the physical and
mental strain those duties entail and
to find leisure to devote to the atten-
ton Of my personal affairs.
my decision to retire from official
| life was not reached without reluc-
tance; for. while the duties of the Office
were arduous and confining, they were
intensely interesting and ever more
appealing and satisfactory in the feel.
ing that they were given in a public
service which every dutiful citizen
should feel honored and privileged in
performing.
MY attachment to the position was
further enhanced by the congenial and
loyal companionship and cooperation
of my colleagues in office and the
faithful, efficient and cheerful perform
| ance of duty bv the municipal officials