The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1919-06-24
CATHOLICS SHOW
STRONG PROTEST
AGAINST BILL
Vermont Catholics Object TO
Smith-TOwer Bill
CHURCH DENOUNCES LAW
Says 1t Endansers Personal Freedom,
State Sovereignty and Religious
Freedom
CHURCH DEN0UNCEs LAW

One hundred thousand Vermonters !
have. through their congressman and !
senators at Washington, voiced their |
protest against the Smith-Towner
bill now before Congress providing
for the Capitalization of educational
control in the hands of cabinet mem
Der In every city, town and village
in Vermont Sunday, citizens of Catho-
lie utilization denounced the proposed
law and sent or arranged TO send
messages OF protest to Washington.
Already some of the towns have re-
ceiyed answers to their messages say
ing that every consideration would
be given their demands.
In Burlington Sunday. Catholic yot
ers OF the city unanimously took act
ion condemning the general scope of
the bill on the grounds that ii plans
to take control of education from State
authorities and thus interferes with
parental supervision of children's
schooling. II is also claimed that the
Smith-Towner bill will establish an
educational autocracy that will hold
sway over the individual and peculiar
needs Of each community Another
ground of protest was that a
cabinet member, in control of educat-
ion. could arrange all the branches
of studies in different schools, choose
the teachers, etc In the protests the
opinion was also expressed that fed
eral ca1G9, CT education provided for
positions to be filed by political APP
pointments and would thus bring such
vital thing as education into the
maelstr6m of politics.
| According TO the belief of represent
alive educators present at the meeting
throughout the State and of many
business men interested in the ques-
ton. private seats of learning, such as
the local Cathedral high school. a
Hall, under Episcopalian supervisor
Catholic institution, Bishop Hopkins
Holy Cross College or Brown Univer.
sity, sectarian institutions. could UNI
der the provisions OF the bill, be com
PEELED to shape their courses accord
ing to the dictates of the director of
education appointed by the President.
This claim those who are protesting.
would interfere with religious liberty
fundamental principle Of American.
ism.
The Rt. Rev. J. j.. Rice in letter
10 the Catholic population Of Vermont
Sunday, June Is, condemned the bill
His reasons were generally those ex-
pressed in the protests sent to Yer
mont congressman Bishop Rice treat
ed the Smith-T0wner bill not from a
Catholic standpoint but as some Of
the provisions of the bill affected
citizens of every race and creed. He
condemned the bill as being too elastic
yesting too much power in one indiyid-
ual and by its terms allowing meas.
ures which If carried out might create
an educational system in this coun-
try similar to Germany's. Bishop
Rice also heavily scored the bill as
diminishing personal liberty and des-
troying the right Of parents to have
their children educated as they saw
fit
The bill, which was originally intro
duced by Senator Smith of Georgia
provides for federal control OF educat.
ion and the centralizing of all educat.
ional authority in cabinet member
at Washington. 1t has aroused nat.
ional discussion and some sharp
criticism.
The Catholic people OF the State of
Vermont are taking action on this
measure, they say, not because il in.
terferes peculiarly with Catholic inter.
ests, but because it seeks to break
down State sovereignty, individual
freedom. and, TO some extent religious
liberty.
AS lar as can be ascertained, this is
the first time that such a large body
of people of Vermont have ever pro
tested TO their representatives al
Washington. The meetings through
out the State, have been largely at
tended aud in all cases a careful study
OF the proposed law. has aroused un
animous protest against its adoption
In Burlington yesteray several thous
and voters voiced their objection tC
the bill.
.