Evening star., 1939-04-10
Roosevelt Invited
ToLewis Funeral
In Senate Chamber
Rites Wednesday
Afternoon; Recess
Is PIunned

| s~ooooo
Is PIonned
Continued From First Page)
Of the funeral day and to mount a
guard Of honor over 1t.
President Roosevelt, If he attends,
would be seated at the front Of the
chamber with members Of the Su-
preme Court. Vice President Gar
ner, with Speaker Bankhead at his
side, will preside.
White House officials said Presi-
dent Roosevelt was informed of
Senator Lewis death early today on
his way to Washington from Warm
Springs, Ga.
They said the Senator was a very
old friend Of the President-their
friendship dating back to the early
days Of the Wilson administration.
Senator Lewis died at Garfield
Hospital at 8:25 pm. yesterday Of
coronary thrombosis. He had just
returned from Chicago, where he
had voted in the municipal elec-
ton, and had been taken Ill on the
train.
With him at the time of his death
was Mrs. Lewis, his only immediate
survivor. DR.. Francis r. Hagner, his
personal physician, was summoned
as soon as the Senator reached
Washington yesterday afternoon.
To the last. Senator Lewis MAIN
tanned the courtly manner that had
won him fame. Entering the hos
pital on his wife's arm, he met
Edwin Lloyd McCulloch, local at
torney, and Martha Gold, former
secretary to Senator George Moses.
He seemed to know he was walk
ing the last mile" Mr. McCulloch
said, "yet with that knowledge he
still couldn't help being the old
time gentleman.
He graciously stopped and shook
our hands, chatting with us for a
while. Then, leaning on Mrs. Lewis
arm, he walked into the building.
We turned to each other and re-
marked that he might never come
out of the hospital alive"
Senator Lewis pink whiskers-
which In recent years had grayed
and faded-his immaculate dress,
and his f1owery, erudite speech had
made him one of the most familiar
figures in Congress.
Barkley Pays Tribute.
There was some question about
his age-Which he never told-but
his secretary, Joseph c. Mason, said
That he believed Senator Lewis was
rs years old. He lived at the May
flower Hotel.
Although he suffered from asthma,
he had conquered an attack of
pneumonia in Russia in 1885, and
only few intimates knew that he
was in poor health this spring.
Senator Barkley led the Senate in
paying tribute to Senator Lewis. He
said:
HE was one of the most brilliant
and colorful men ever to occupy the
stage of public life in America"
Secretary of State Hull paid
G41utN W 4Ao 4O4LAC1 oClldLc CO1~
league in message to the widow, in
which he said:
Il am painfully grieved to learn
Of the, passing of your distinguished
husband who throughout his career
rendered particularly meritorious
and distinguished service to his
country. His long period of public
life was characterized by great abil-
ity and the highest qualities of
leadership and his record is one of
outstanding achievement"
Ickes Praises Senator.
Secretary of the Interior Ickes
said:
The death of Senator James
Hamilton Lewis removes from public
affairs statesman whose fame
spread far beyond our borders and a
legislator whose career was dis
tinguished. The Nation mourns the
loss of a true representative of the
people, fine friend, and a splendid
gentleman. His death comes as a
shock to me-" .
Postmaster General James A.
Farley said that LAS chairman of the
National Committee, sorrow at the
loss of a great colleague; as Jim
Farley, grieve at the passing of
my intimate and beloved friend,
Ham Lewis"
"A loyal Democrat" he said, land
an intense partisan of liberalism, he
had the respect and in many cases
the intimacy of the most sincere
conservatives and convinced Re-
publicans among his associates in
the Senate. as well as those whose
political and economic beliefs
conceded with his own"
Residents of the District re-
garded Senator Lewis as one of their
best friends in Congress.
His place on the Senate District
Committee, where he had served
since 1881, probably will not be
filled for a week or more.
The Senator was co-author with
Representative Randolph, Democrat,
of West Virginia of one of the pro-
posals for District suffrage by con-
stitutional amendment pending in
Congress.
The Illinois Senator also said
frequently that the. Federal Gov