Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-17
LANE IS AGAINST
UNIVERSITY PLAN
Secretary of interior Gives
Reasons for Opposing
the Fess Bill.

Opposition to the Tess bill providing for
the establishment of national university
In thisscity was voiced by Secretary Lane
OF the Interior Department in a letter
sent today to Representative Fess. Secre-
tary Lane pointed out that efforts at bet
tering education should be confined at
this time to Increasing the efficiency OF
the common schools of the country. At
the cabinet meeting Mr.. Lane informed
President Wilson Of the stand he had
taken in the letter to Representative Fess.
7 doubt very much" said Secretary
Lane in his letter. 1.-The wisdom Of pro-
viding out Of the national Treasury
for a national university at this time,
for these reasons:
First. Private enterprise and the
states are meeting the demand for
higher education through the great
universities OF the country.
Need Of Rural Schools.
Second. Whatever is done for edu-
cation by the nation should, in my
judgment, be confined at this time to
increasing the efficiency of our common
schools. which. especially in the rural
districts. are on far too low a plane
believe that the nation could aid
the states greatly by having a corps
of experts who would be able to ad-
wise the state. county and municipal
ofncials as to school organization
school architecture. school sanitation
and methods of study; and until such
work Is undertaken I doubt the wis.
dom OF taking upon ourselves the crea.
ton and maintenance OF a national
university. attractive and beneficial al
such a project might be. So long al
we pay our teachers less than we dc
our farm laborers, as is the case In
many OF our states. we cannot expect
teaching to be regarded as a profess
sion of dignity and first Importance
Therefore. 1t would seem to me wise
to give direction and help to states ir
handling their common schools rather
than add another to our great institu-
tons of learning"
Urged by DR.. Wiley.
Dr.. Harvey W. Wiley. pure food expert
today urged the House committee on edu.
cation to report a bill creating a ma
tional university in Washington. Dr.
Wiley opposed the proposal that the uni
versity should be open only to students
holding a master of arts degree from q
university.
Edison, Faraday and many other men
of brains would be barred by a require
ment that students hold a master OF arts
degree" he said. I'VE want a national
university for all who are capable Of
pursuing its courses"
For Research Work.
Members Of the committee in discuss
ing the bill with DR.. Wiley proposed that
the university should be an institution for
advanced research work.
Prof. A. Christen. formerly Of Wash
ington, but for the past few years To-
Gated in New York. appeared before the
committee today to make a plea for the
teaching of Esperanto in the public
schools Of Washington. Prof. Christen
asked that a resolution presented in Con-
gress in Ill by Representative Bartholdt,
who ts a member Of the United States
branch Of the Interparliamentary Union.
be adopted. and that a subcommittee OF
the committee on education be appointed
to investigate the claims OF Esperantists
that the so-called world language should
be taught in all public schools.