The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1920-10-22
TEACHERS
FAVOR ELECTION
Of INDEPENDENTS
Delegation Of School Teach
ers Representing Union Sc
cure Endorsement Of Inde-
pendent School Ticket.

A delegation of public school teach
ers, headed by Miss Elizabeth Dix,
representing the teachers union, af-
filiated with the Central Trades and
Labor council, appeared Thursday
night before a meeting of the Nom
partisan league, labor political or
ganizatton, and announced that the
teachers in the public schools favor
the election of the independent can
didates for the school board, and
upon their representation the league
went on record favoring the election
of the candidates opposed to the
ticket placed in the field by the Citi-
zens' league.
The league deferred action on in
dorsing legislative candidates. al
though Jake Cohen, editor of the La,
Dor Review, favored indorsing the
entire Independent ticket, notwith-
standing Carl Larsen, of the painters
union. and l.. p. Sunderland, of the
street car mems union. are candi-
dates on the Democratic ticket.
The charge was made that some
of the candidates on the Democratic
ticket volunteered to serve the city
during the time the city was without
fire protection. on accounU of the
strike The charge will be
investigated. and II the candidates
against whom the charges were made
are found ggilty tha sentiment J. e
flle I4fagiis3efs W stffe ieagtIes Is strong
enough to give Endorsement to the
independent legislative ticket along
with it's Endorsement of the independ-
ent candidates for the school board
as urged by the teachers union.
A motion not to indorse any ticket
for the legislature prevailed when it
was not possible at the time to sub
stantiate the charge that certain
members of the Democratic ticket
served on the volunteer fire depart
ment, but Q. l. Kruger, who support
ed the motion of Cohen to indorso
the full independent ticket reserved
the right to renew his motion Wheh
the facts are ascertained.
The action Of the Nonpartlsan
league is the first movement to draw
the lines with a legislative ticket and
a school board ticket opposed to an
other legislative ticket and school
board ticket,
The Democratic executive commit
tee and the Democratic campaign
committee are interesting themselves
only with the candidacy of the NOM
inees Of the party. 1t is not their IN
tention to engage in the fight over
the election of members of the school
board. But it Is becoming evident
that the independent candidates for
the school board and the independent
candidates for the Legislature are
getting their eggs in the same basket
through the activity of organizations
that are supporting both of them.
Of Doubtful Advantage,
In some cases this will rebound
TO the advantage of the independent
candidates and In others ii may have
the opposite effect. 1t is not expect
ed that the activity of the pubhe
school teachers union Will have any
decided influence except upon Inc
teachers themselves.
great MANY persons entirely
friendly to the legitimate aspirations
of the teachers. persons VINO favor
increased salaries and even Increased
efficiency, are not favorable TO the
persistent encroachment of the
teachers upon the political situation
through the activity of their union.
Neither the independent candidates
nor the Citizens league candidates
for the school board have expressed
hostile attitude toward the teachers
union. Both appear willing to per.
it it to function for the benefit %
the teachers and in any manner cat
culated to increase their remunera-
ton and efficiency, but so far there
has been no unequivocal statement
of entire sympathy with the idea mat
the teachers are pursuing the right
course as members of organized Ia
Dor. ,....;,s
Some of the principal objections
come from members of organized 10
Dor. Skilled workmen who nave
sought to promote the weliare OF
their organizations feel that In TAX
ing unskilled persons unoer thelr
wing they may be rendering seTv-
ice to the new recruits whlch Is OF,
set nv weakening their own position.