Evening star., 1941-07-16
Hazen Funeral
Set for | pm.
On Friday
Condolences Come
From Persons in
All Walks of Life

All WOIkS OF lITS
A host of his many personal
him only casually or in an official
way are expected to go to the Ham,
line Methodist Church at l pm
Friday to attend funeral services
for Melvin c. Hazen, District Com
missioner, who died suddenly yes
terday at his desk at the District
Building.
Interment will be at Manassas,
Va, where the Commissioners wife
Is buried
The six men who had served on
the Board of Commissioners with
Commissioner Hazen today were ap-
pointed honorary pallbearers, the list
being restricted to present and for
mer Commissioners because Mr..
Hazen had such a large number of
personal friends. The honorary pail
bearers, not all of whom are expected
to be able to be in Washington for
the rites, are Commissioners John
Russell Young and Charles w. Kutz,
and former Commissioners George
z. Allen, Mai. Gen. Dan Sultan,
Col David McCoach, jr, and Col.
John c. Gotwals.
Pallbearers Named.
The active pallbearerS, named by
the Hazen family group. will be H.
Lynn Colvin, E. Milburn Colvin, jr.;
Melvin Hazen Colvin, Edward A.
Dent. who succeeded Mr.. Hazen as
District surveyor: Kenneth G.. Fer
nald, assistant surveyor, who worked
with Mr.. Hazen for many years in
the surveyors Office, and Richmond
3. Keech. corporation counsel.
The Commissioners directed that
the District Building be closed at
noon Friday out of respect to the
Commissioner and to permit Dis
trict workers to attend the services
at the Hamline Church.
From President Roosevelt down
10 humble District residents. friends
Of the Commissioner lavished praise
on him as friend, gentleman and
District off1clal.
See Sacrifice to Duty.
Belief was expressed by many of
his co-workers and friends that had
he chosen to save himself and take
sick leave or vacations" he might
have lived for long time, but that
his devotion to duty led him to go
to his desk many times when his
strength was unequal to the task
Mr.. Hazen had revealed to a few
of mis- close friends several weeks
ago that ne had submitted his res
igna Gion to President Roosevelt, due
to the condition of his health, but
that he had asked not to be relieved
until next October because he
thought he would be a Stacker" to
quit earlier. since there were so
many important issues pending in
which he had had an official re-
sponsibility.
Evidently, he anticipated his heart
would fail him, as it finally did,
for he told reporter for The Star
recently when the retirement of
Police Supt. E. w Brown was re-
ported pending: Maj. Brown will
be police chief long after l have
gone"
Lord Halifax. the British Ambas-
sador, today added his condolences
to the expressions of regret that
have come from the legion of friends
and acquaintances over the death
OF Mr.. Hazen.
The Commissioner, it was recalled,
participate ted officially in the recep-
ton of the King and Queen of Eng
land on their visit to the Capital
and also officially welcomed other
representatives of the British gov
eminent and its navy.
Halifax Voices Sympathy.
Lord Halifax wired Commissioner
John Russell Young: Greatly re-
gret to hear of Commissioner
Hazen's sudden death. Please ex-
press my sympathy with his COL
leagues"
Among other messages of condol-
ence received by the Commissioners
was one from Frank A. Jelleff of the
Board of Indeterminate Sentence
and Parole of the District, vaca-
tioning at Gloucester, Mass, who
wired:
Il am sorry, indeed. to hear of
the distressing news of the death
Of Commissioner Hazen, who has so
long and so ably served the people
OF the District of Columbia. The
Board of Parole particularly will
miss his ever stanch support"
Police Supt. Brown, who said re-
Gently he was continuing in Office
ut the personal request of Commits
sioner Hazen, said:
His passing is personal loss to
me. I have known him for many
years and we have been closely as
sociated since he became Commis-
sioner. I considered him one of the
finest gentlemen ever to fill the
post"
From Fred A. Smith. president
OF the Washington Board of Trade
came this tribute:
1--WE are deeply shocked to hear
OF the sudden death of Melvin C.
Hazen. His interest in and love for
this city were characterized by the
depth and sincerity which only come
to one who, like him, has spent a
lifetime in its service. His record of
achievement on behalf of local resi-
dents may we'll serve as a model for
all who follow him.