Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1919-07-17

With all Difference TO the excellent
intentions of Seeker After Truth, Tin
attempting q defence of the Smith.
Towner Educational Bill (H. r. I; S.
lOl7l,-for many people of good in
Intentions are captivated by the pres
ent craze for paternalistic measures
il Is not possible TO dismiss the patent
objections TO this piece of legislation
by a wave of hand, and the cheerful
remark that sail is wellr'
The more the bill Is analysed, the
more IL appears as an elaborate ex-
pedient which, in the words OF Senator
Thomas, of Colorado Congressional
Record, June 4, p. 6i0l proposes that
the States shall release themselves
from still another burden, and require
the Government of the United States
20 assume the duty and bear the ex-
Pense of educating the people of the
country" In plain English: LET
the Federal Government do it." This
issue Seeker After Truth quite
cheerfully evades
No chain is stronger than its weak
est links, and, IL anyone is looking
for analysis, let him analyze Section
Is OF this same bill Is lO17, which is
simply q substitute for the original s.
$685.. According TO this section the
Secretary of Education has full power
10 withhold the Federal apportionment
from any State, whenever he shall
determine that such apportionment or
apportiOnments made TO said State for
the current fiscal year are not being
expended In accordance with the pro-
visions OF this act" 10 is up 90 the
ardent defenders of this bill to show
that this section has any other inter
probation than that the Secretary Of
Education has final power TO rule upon
the competence of the local community
to educate its children, and 10 enforce
his ruling by the withdrawal of FEEDER
al funds. Studies, programs, methods
of training teachers, and a hundred
other things are TO be subjected to the
absolute Judgment of a political APP
pointee in Washington. We are asked
now To believe that our Baltimore or
st. Mary's county public schools, for
instance, will still, In some magical
way, he ''locallv controlled" when
they are financed and governed by n
bureaucrat in Washington.
It Is all well 20 talk blandly of SEQ
oDeration with the Federal Govern
ment, " of Federal stimulation" but
the bald fact remains that IL you do
not submit 10 this stimulation after
the hearts desire of an appointee in
Washington, you are simply penal
lied by having your funds Withdrawn.
The same champion of this bill bids
US not To worry about taxation. What
Is q dollar moro or less a year 10 us
farm folksY Unfortunately, our peo-
pie are given to worrying about taxa
ton, and they have q traditional dis
like for being taxed, not for their own
benefit, nor for the benefit of their own
community, but for the benefit of CON-
munities whom they have never seen.
and without any guarantee rs 20 how
or under what efficiency OF manage
ment their contributions 10 the Nation.
nj Treasury are 10 be expended. Itl
would be of interest 70 US all, IN in
their analysis of the Towner Bill. lis
defenders could point out where such
guarantees are tn be found.
However. we need not concern our
selves about such old fashioned OBJ
lections as that, since the Seeker AZ
ter Truth" quite frankly Acknowledges
that the bill Is sectional In its charac-
ter. What we had already nointed
out, he declares even more drasticalIy
The purpose of this bill, IL we take the |
plain meaning of his words, Is 10 re-
pair the crime" which was committed
ffty-four wears ago by the North |
against the South. This reparation
is admirably performed by casting 10
the winds the old-fashioned doctrine Of |
States Right, (which, At least In the