The Washington times., 1919-05-06
REDS
ARE AIDED BY
DC, TEACHERS
Union Head Calls Reports
InSidious and Uniust-Sees
Miss Wood Case as Cause.

"Insidious and unjust propaganda
This was the remark made today by
Miss Alice Deal, president of the High
School Teachers Union, in comment
| ing on reports that a small but Sc
lect" group of Bolshevists were using
the High School and Grade School
Teachers Unions of Washington to
cloak their activities.
! There are, to the knowledge OF
the teachers unions, no reds 'parloT
Bolschevists,' so-called philosophical
anarchists or other radicals in teach
ers organizations of Washington" said
| Miss Deal. IF any such persons were
found they would be promptly dealt
with by the officials. The teachers
unions do not defend Bolshevism.
None of the members are interested
in the spread of Bolshevist pTopa-
ganda in the United States. We shall
not tolerate any such propagandists
in our organizations. We are true
Americans and believe in the Ameri-
can Government.
Despite our differences in the case
of Miss Wood, and the general ques-
ton of teachers rights, l think the
Board of Education will bear me out
in these statements.
Il presume the report has been re-
ceived with some credence, because
of the linking Of the term "Bolshe-
vism' with the case of Miss Alice
Wood, the Western High School
teacher. who was suspended for a
week for her discussion of current
events. among them Bolshevism. and
which case will be taken to the courts
this week.
Miss Wood Not BOISheVIst.
Miss Wood, however, never de-
Tended BoIshevism. She merely ex-
planned BolsheVism. She is not Boil
shevist, but an American-whose an
cestors have lived in this country for
several generations. and who fought
ia the American revolution. She is as
patriotic as any other American.
''In carrying the case of Miss Wood
TO the courts, the teachers union will
not be putting themselves in the posi-
ton of defending Bolshevism. They
are merely questioning the legality
of the action of the Board OF Educa-
ton in suspending Miss Wood without
a hearing.
81 do not see how a report that
the teachers unions are cloaking the
movements of a group or bolshevists
can just spread. when the actual pur-
poses of the unions are outlined and
explained.
I'VE are demanding no whit more
than any other branch Of organized
labor-that of the right of collective
bargaining-the right OF the. en-
pIoye to deal with his employer. Sure
ly no one has accused the labor
unions of preaching Bolshevism, be-
cause the labor unions believe in the
right OF collective bargaining.
Endorsed By Unions.
1.-THE Central Labor Union, Fedora
ton OF Federal Employees. and other
unions, whose very watchword is
Americanism, have Endorsed the fight
Of the teachers unions.
The spread of such reports. which
I have been obliged to answer be-
cause Of the insistence of their ma
ture besides being unjust tend to be-
cloud the issues at stake. They
viciously menace the welfare of the
school children of Washington. by
making more difficulty the settle
ment Of the problems which the
teachers are endeavoring to solve.
DR.. John Van Schaaick, jr.. MEM
Der OF the Board of Education. who
was scheduled to speak at the pub
lie mass meeting for the discussion
OF the educational problems Of the Ma
tional Capital today informed Miss
Deal that he would be unable TO at
tend. but would speak at a similar
meeting on May %