The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1944-07-20

| 1t had been the intention to write
column this week lambasting the
tendency toward censorship and the
menace that lies therein. It's bad. But
that will have to wait We can give
the brass hats their lacing some other
time
This column must be about a man
| a man who has passed away and
whose passing hurts in that small
| place where you count your friends.
John b. Colpoys was that man.
Just five hours elapsed between the
time John was stricken with kidney
ailment and the ringing down of the
final curtain.
1t hadn't been more than two or
three days since our last conversation
over the telephone.
We had talked about moral values
and labor unions-and some about
few of the great figures of the past.
John Colpoys was an upright and a
kindly man. And in the eyes of what
ever supreme power there may be
those two qualities may come very
near to marking out man as great.
1t is that combination of qualities
- uprightness and kindliness - that
make John Colpoys worth writing
about. 1t is that combination that
makes his loss one sure to be felt by
many men and women.
United States Cancellation Service,
John never yeered from the pathway
of honesty integrity, fairness.
No man can ever say that John Col
poys ever did an unkind act or was
untrue to a friend.
And many a person, young and DID,
owes a debt to this man grown white
in service-grown white but never old
John was gregarious he loved
people and he had hosts of friends in
every walk of life. But those he cher
ished most were among the humble
folks of his world
/ had called John to ask him what
to do about an old revolver. | explained
to him that it had been given to me
by the chief of police of Ell Paso when
accompanied Samuel Gompers to
Mexico some quarter of a century ago.
had never registered it and it had
lain forgotten for years until | un-
covered it among box of mementoes.
l thought l ought somehow to get
rid of it legally. Keep it," said John.
Keep it by all means. 1t was associ-
ated with our grand old man-keep it
as a mementO."
And that brought ON a discussion of
Samuel Gompers, labor's greatest man
kindly man who loved to
hold out the hand of helpfulness.
And there was little talk over the
phone - John Colpoys calculating his
of life. Over and over again
he dwelt upon what some folks call
the homely virtues. But really they are
the rules of decent living. Some never
learn them-and never will.
John was a member of long, long
list of organiZations-the kind of or
that seek out men whose
word holds good, who give of their
effort for their fellow men.
AS an editor John Colpoys was just
what he was in his private life He
was fair. He was never vicious in his
life. He was tolerant He
stood four square for principles. Where
principles We're at stake he couldn't
De budged.
But the axe was not among his
weapons. He sought always to talk to
men, to convince them, to win them
never to drive them or to bludgeon
hem.
These are inadequate words. Words
always seem poor and inadequate
hings when it comes to passing along
he story Of life. Life is So far beyond
Is, SO lacking in palpable qualities
hat we can at best but try to give
orm to our thoughts.
so it is. A spirit that gave and gave,
hat loved humanity and that lowered
high in its great integrity, has gone
rom this finite realm. 1t is sad that
{ is so-but it is SO good, SO very good,
hat this man lived among us.-CMW.