European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 29, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Daily Magazine John Stennis looking ahead at 83 by Lawrence Knutson associated press John Cornelius Stennis sits in a wheel his left leg lost to his body still bearing the scars of the bullets that nearly killed him a dozen years lifting his head like an aging he Points to a Small plaque in his Senate office that look that part of my philosophy look says who at 83 is the oldest senator and the most a pillar of military preparedness under eight As a Young lawyer i used to have to listen to people lamenting the you cant do you have to look i realize lifes not altogether what you make but that a Good part of what you make the Stennis voice is Strong and booms off Walls bearing the trophies of a life in it is a voice that has roared countless times in defense of the nations military Stennis was chairman of the Senate armed services committee from 1969 until the republicans took control of the Senate in he now is the ranking Democrat of the appropriations serving on its defense Hes the presidents Man on always has regardless of which party is in says Senate he always went with the hell always be associated with in the the Stennis voice also was raised vigorous some would say in defense of the traditions and institutions of a segregated Stennis was one of the authors of the Southern Mani which condemned the supreme courts 1954 school desegregation he voted against civil rights but in Stennis broke the voting for an Extension of the voting rights i didst want to go Back to All the Days of Misander he said i didst want to turn around and go today he says he was never against Opportunity for even though he thought his Region was being treated i always rejoiced to see Blacks or any one else have better he and i think weve made even though its not a lawyer and a former Mississippi circuit court Stennis has built a reputation for fair mindedness and fair play that transcended political and policy differences with his he was the first Democrat to publicly denounce Joseph saying if the Senate failed to censure the Wisconsin Republican something big and Fine will have gone from this Stennis had celebrated a Quarter Century in the Senate in the Winter of he was robbed by three men As he returned Home from a after taking his his Gold pocket watch and his Phi Beta Kappa the robbers pumped two bullets into the 71yearold senators stomach and Leav ing him bleeding on the five hours of surgery were needed to repair a slivered full recovery took More than a Senate democratic Leader Robert Byrd of West who Calls Stennis a senators recalls turning to a colleague one Day and in afraid weve lost president emerging from Sten Hospital said the senator would survive be Hes got the will to live in after his Stennis said it seemed to me i had to make a special Effort if i was to i deliberately considered the matter of living or and i made up my mind if i could be i wanted to make the fight to to overcome this about 12 years surgeons at Walter Reed Hospital amputated Stennis cancer rid Den left for the first few weeks after the Stennis spent his Days in the Senate and his nights in the Hospi Senate carpenters have built a platform to enable Stennis to Roll his wheelchair to his desk in the rear of the Senate discouraged i suppose everybody had his ups and but Ive never Stennis in Many its a different world for he but people Are the same and friends Are the same and there Are just As Many things to be interested in As not As much physical but leaving that it now confined to a John Stennis is still a Force in the up photo All things Are rather much the in gradually get Ting Back my capacity for i get physically but i i dont want to throw in the sponge As to facing the problems and a Stennis Rex says the senator is increasingly really Back to his old really Back in the Middle of every and that he has moved Back to his Capitol Hill apartment full Buffington says the senators doctors have assured him that Hes completely Clear of Coy Hines his wife of 52 died two years associates say that was a harder blow to Stennis than being but As he sits in his wheel a pile of papers on the table before a leather folder in his Lap and his aluminium Walker on the floor by his Stennis wants to talk about the present and the in just like a Roundup he grinning Over an expanse of White starched shirt his cuff links display the great Seal of the United his Gold Lapel pin bears the single things Are boiling up he tells an were a Long ways from Home on the financial these weve got to change our keep that Money More in going to be a lot of hair pulling Here this its hard the conversation ranges from his parents childhood memories of the civil helped Bury the family Silver to the depression every time you saw a line of people on the Street you knew another Bank had Banks were popping All Over the How would i like to be remembered 1 Haven thought about that a whole Stennis you  give me a finer compliment than to just he did his i get satisfaction about doing the Best i and if that Best Doest turn out Well you still have that personal he in Public which Ive thoroughly in Ive had plenty of opportunities to come in Contact with the Ive never run from and Ive never gotten tired of in the what difference does 38 years make we dont Converse with each other As much a we he i was in the Senate cloak room the other Day and there were 20 or More senators in there we we rent talking to each other at not at everybody was just looking at the we were not exchanging problems with each Stennis won his seventh Senate election in it was the Only time since 1947 that he faced Republican and the Issue was his on election Stennis overwhelmed his John Haley then aged and returned to Washington and a Job be Calls my Hes doing what he thinks senators ought to said one longtime Stennis Hes living and ing for the May 1985 the stars and stripes Page 13