Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-14
QUICK ACTION LIKELY
On the Green Bill Defining
Teachers Position.
CHAMP CLARK'S STATEMENT
Author Of Provision Giving Right of
Trial Before Dismissal.
LAW HAS BEEN VIOLATED
In Cardozo Case and Other Gases Acted
on-Representative olcott
and Others Agree.
LAW HAS BEEN VIOLATED

the House District committee on the bill
introduced yesterday by Representative
Green of Massachusetts to define the posi-
ton OF teachers in the public school system
of Washington. The committee is practical
~ unit in the belief that the superintend-
ent OF schools and the board of education
had repeatedly violated the spirit and in
tent, II not the letter, of the law passed at
the last session of Congress, and it is their
intention to straighten matters out before
tie close of the present session.
Representative Champ Clark of Missouri,
an ex-schoof teacher and the man who for
several sessions of Congress prior to the
passage of the ney law spoke and worked
for the teachers of Washington, said touay
to a Star reporter that in his opinion the
new law had been fiagrantly violated. Mr..
Clark was the author of that portion of
the new law which provides that all teach
ers in the local system shall have the privi-
iege OF trial and representation by counsel
Before dismissal. He secured the insertion
of this paragraph when the bill was before
the House last session.
Mr.. Clark's Statement.
THAT paragraph of mine was inserted in
the law by the House to prevent just such
action as was taken by the superintendent
and board of education in the Cardozo case,
and other cases upon which action has been
had. The intent of the law was to cover
all classes of employees. 1t doesn't make
any difference whether it is teacher or a
principal the spirit of the law was to give
fair trial and hearing to the accused per-
son, or the person with whom dissatisfac-
ton was felt, before action was taken on
their case. There has been plain and open
violation of the spirit and intent of the
law certainly, and l think that the letter
of the law has been vioiated as we'll am
very glad, indeed, that Representative Green
OF Massa chusetts, who was member OF
the subcommittee on schools and who
knows. as do the rest OF us. just what the
law IVES intended to do, Just what II means,
and just how 1t should be carried out. has
introduced bill upon which hearing in
the way of inquiry can be had. and which.
when passed. will straighten matters out
and force the local school authorities to
obey the statutes in Intent and. spirit, az
well as in letter.
Mr.. Clark said he was very anxious to
see action on the bill at once and when
1t got before the House would do what he
could to help it along.
Mr.. olcott's Views.
Representative Olcott of New York, who
was also a member of the school SUBJ
committee, took about the same view of
the situation.
Il have not gone over the Green bill!
very carefully, said Mr.. Olcott, but
from what I understand I think it is a
very admirable measure. Certainly some
thing must be done without delay. The
intent of the law is very plain. 1t is like
wise just as plain that the intent of the
law has been violated by the superintend-
emit of schools and by the board of edu-
cation. 1t was certainly the intent of the
makers of that law, as am in position
to know, to make 1t imperative upon the
uf In hor r.
give every teacher a fair and square
hearing before dismissal. That has not
been done. certainly should have taken
some action in the matter myself had no.
Representative Green introduced his bill
But the authorship of a measure Is no.h-
ing to me SO long as 1t can accomplish
the end In view, and So, believing Mr..
Green's bill to be very timely and to he
directed toward the Accomplishment Of
an admirable purpose, I shall support it
heartily. - -
II don't think any long drawn out hear
ing on the bill will be necessary. We had
enough and even too much of that at the
last session of Congress, when the measure
which Is the present law was in process
of formation. Mr.. Green will have no
trouble, however, in getting all the hear
ings he thinks may be necessary upon his
bill before the House District committee,
and 1 don't think there will be any trouble
either about its practically unanimous
passage when it comes before the House.
THE school question was not only dis
cussed at length last year, not only in
committee but on the floor of the House.
and q great many members were interested,
some in disinterested way. some in an
academic way, others personally, others
sentimentally. So a large proportion Of the
membership Of the House is familiar with
the law, it's purpose, spirit and intent. and
when the facts are presented to them will
be able to see very readily that the spirit
they intended has been violated. So action
should be easy, and think it will be good
thing for everybody concerned II this ever
lasting muddle was cleared up for good and
ALL
General Sentiment.
These views indicate what appears to be
the general sentiment of members of Con-
gress who had anything to do, directly or
Indirectly, with the passage of the school