The sun., 1918-09-09
The Senate Debate on the Admin
istratlOn's Mysterious Edu-
catiOnal Plan.

vision for the new Junior class of
draft registrants the Senate is as
much at sea rs ever as to the purpose
Of the Government In working out an
educational scheme under the powers
granted-or to be taken as granted.
The latest discussion of the subject
was started when Senator WATSON
succeeded in having read into the
Record an article written by DAVID
LAWRENCE, the Washington CORE
spondent Of the Erening Post.
The paragraph in the article which
was most commented upon and Ques-
toned reads as follows:
IF a boy of IS can pass an exami-
nation set before him he may conceiv-
ably have spent six months as a pri-
vate In the army and be sent as a re-
suit OF an examination to enter Yale,
Harvard or Princeton or any of the
numorous colleges with which the Gov
eminent will have contracted for stu
dent instruction"
Senator WATSON wanted the chair
man of the Military Affairs Committee
to inform him what the article meant;
Is the Government To take over the
education Of all youths between IS
and p for general education, or Is 1t
proposed by the provision of the man
power bill to give education in en-
cheering. chemistry and medicine to
those Junior registrants who give
promise to relieve the army and navy
shortage In engineers, chemists and
doctors? Senator CHAMBERLAIN re-
GREETED that he could not give the
information asked for. IT do not
know" he said, from whence this
article emanated, whether It was au-
thoritative as having come from the
Commander in Chief of the army and
navy" His knowledge Of what he
supposed was the Governments pur-
pose he received In the committee
hearings when DR.. MANN of the Uni
versity Of Chicago stated that he is
member of commission (which
Is branch of the training section
Of the War Plan Division of the Cen
eral Staff"
Senator LoDox understood, he said,
that the provision we inserted in
the draft extension bill was designed
for boys under 81 who had served in
France" and that the Government
was to educate them for period
equal to the time Of their service in
France.
Then once again Chairman CHAM
BERLAIN, with faith simple and al
most pathetic in statutory language
as a monitor and guide for admins
trative performance, read the educa-
tional section of the bill, and once
more the Senate was informed that the
expressed purpose OF Congress was
that the Secretary Of War be au-
thorized to assign to educational in
situations for special and scientific
training" junior reglstrants in such
number and under such regulations
as he may prescribe.
Thus enlightened several Senators
insisted that that provision does not
authorize the Government to take
over 400 colleges and universities be-
ginning the first of next month, as
promised in the quoted article, and
fill them with Junior registrants, tut
ton and board free, to receive AGA
demic education. Senator WATSON
pointed out that the 400 colleges and
universities could give educational ia
cllities to only 100000 students, but
that nearly 100000 juniors will be
drafted. Who was to select the lucky
10000? 1.-THE taking over of these
institutions Is but an additional step
in the socialistic programme that has
heretofore been adopted In our gov
ernmental affairs by men in high
places who are socialists" added the
Indiana Senator.
Senator WADswoRTH thought the
article upon which the discussion was
based was propaganda. He said:
II note that the article is written by
Mr.. DAVID LAWRENCE, which explains
great deal to me. 1t Is well known
that he Is fairly actively engaged from
time to time In what may be called po-
litical propaganda, and the spreading
Of this article over the United States,
where i have no doubt 1t will be read
by thousands OF parents and young boys,
is calculated to give the impression
that as a partial Offset for whatever
hardship may be incurred as the re-
suit of the new draft a paternal Gov
eminent Is to step in and educate free
Of charge every boy in the country who
Is IS years old. The vice of this arti-
Gle Is that It Is deceIving the American
public, and II is not the FIRST article OF