Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-02-15
LESH TO DECIDE
IF CONTRACT ON
BOOKS is GOOD
Attorney General Will Be
Asked for Opinion on
Possible Remedy.
HEARINGS ARE FINISHED

The question whether anything
now can be done about the awarding
of textbook contracts at figures high
er than the old contracts was being
discussed by the Senate Committee
Of Rights and Privileges today, fol-
lowing a hearing on the subject last
night. The committee desires to
learn whether the vote Of the State
board Of education to award con-
tracts to certain publishers consti-
tutes the award of a contract, even
though all the necessary signatures
have not been attached to the con-
tracts. Attorney General U. S. Lesn
will be asked for an opinion on the
subject.
Some Of the members OF the board IN
the hearing indicated they believed it
would he advisable to ask for new bids
and some Of the textbook publishers
said a lower price could now be given.
The question involved, however, is
whether the successful bidders could con-
test such action successfully In the
courts.
The investigation was made as a result
of a resolution introduced by Senator
Howard Cam Of Frankfort, who de-
manded to know why contracts were let
at this time at a price reported to be
$4,000 year more than the old price
At the committees final hearing last
night 1t developed that the board Of edu-
cation is divided in its opinion as to the
advisability Of obtaining textbooks Mt
this time and that publishers arc divided
in their opinions o i to whether prices are
lower now than in December, when bids
were submitted, and whether prices Will
be lower in the near future.
A peculiar circumstance was that DOCK
men who did not obtain contracts were
emphatic IN their statements that prices
are now lower than when bids were sun
mitted and publishers who did obtain
contracts we're 9ust as emphatic in their
statements that prices are no lower.
WITNESSES ARE
EVENLY DIVIDED.
The committee heard four representa-
tives OF the board Of education, two who
voted for adoption Of books and two who
voted against the adoption, and four yep
resentatives OF publishing concerns. tw"
who obtained contracts and two who did
not.
The first member Of tho board to make
n statement was A NJ Hall OF Indian
apolis. who voted for the adoption. He
sold the contracts were awarded heca use
many members OF the board feared =
they were made later books could not
be obtained at the opening Of the school
year. He explained that. according TO
the Indiana law, n q publisher reduces
his price IN another state he must reduce
It in Indiana. He denied the new con
tracts Will mean an additional annual
burden Of $4,000 on tie buyers OF school
books He said the difference would so
less than $4,000, or uoout % cents a
pupil. He said the grammar book costs
less than the old one. lie denied that
books must all be changed at once de-
claring classes with old books can con
tinue to use them
Have you ever known books 10 go
down in Indiana because the price has
been reduced in other states?" Senator
Cain asked.
II have not during the four years
have been a member Of the board" was
the reply.
Before the contracts were let did you
have data as to what the extra expense
would be-" the Senator asked
NO, sir. Nobody could get that" Mr.
Hall replied
did you discuss the hardship that
would be worked on the buyers Of
bOoks?"
The figures STOW that no hardship
would be worked"
Senator William NJ. Swain. member Of
the committee, asked II prices always
governed the decisions Of the board.
Mr.. Hall replied that tho quality or
the book was always the first consider
alton. In answer to a question why the
board adopted two spoilers instead OF
one. Mr.. Hall said that this was thought
advisable because no child can use the
same book eight years and would be
renuired 10 huY q new one any WY