Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1921-03-17
oppose Smith-Towner Edueatjona,
Bill as Despotic, Costly and
SOcialistic.
Each State Would Best Attend to
Its Own Educational
Affairs.
WORTH LITTLE.

Recommending that the Govern
ment expend the 100000. 900 pro-
Nided in the Smith-Towner educa-
non bill on disabled veterans of the
war lnstead OF on a redupficatton
OF eduaction work already done bv
the separate States, the Knights OF
columbus, through Supreme Secre-
tary William ]. Mckinley, have is
sued the following final statement
OF opposition to the Federal educa-
tion bill:
The knights of Columbus are
opposed to the Smith, Towner edu-
canon bill, and supporting the
knights of Columbus in this oppo-
sition is the entire ecclesiastical and
lay organization of the Catholic
Church in. the United States. be-
cause the bureau whose creation "a
called for in the bill is unnecessary.
despotic, costly, and finally the en-
tering wedge of socialistic paternal-
ism in our Federal Government
Briefly the Smith-Towner hilA would
appropriate 800, 100000 and more
annually for the maintenance of a
Federal Education Bnrsau to SUPER
'NFN NNuNhIiOil III dill lIit JtATHfS ana
to set up whatever machinery the
Federal Secretary of Education
might see Mt to carry out that SUI
pervision. To enjoy Federal assist
ance a State would have to comply
with the standards set> by the Fed
eral Bureau and permia what
amounts to dictatioh from the bu-
reau in all principles.
Judge Towner has amended his
bsH to certain extent by Calling
tor the creation of a Cancellation
board to act as arbitrator between
the State and the Federal bureau.
But that is simply concession as
to a detail, a concession that would
be worth very little in practice be-
cause the Federal authority, with
complete control of the purse
strings. would overawe subordinate
authority.
THE Knights of Columbus have
always been interested in education.
and our interest has led us to in
veStigate the various educational
systems throughout the country.
We are supporting 500 young men
In college and we have recently
perfected a chain of 107 night
schools in the principal cities of the
country and a national system OF
extra-mural forum courses for the
general public. We know some
thing of the educational problem
confronting the United States, and
we know that that problem can
better be met by each State attend
ing TO its own educational affairs
than by the Federal Bureau of Ed
Ducation attempting to supervise all
States. The STATES have each an
educational body quite capable, IL
sufficient pressure is exterted from
executive power. OF attending to the
educational concerns OF the State
If, for Instance Georgia is back
ward in education, that is no rea-
son why New York should be COM
PEELED 10 pay any part. OF Georgia's
education bill when the citizens OF
Georgia, If aroused. would demand
efficient educational administration
no matter what the cost Under the
Smith-Towner bill New York would
have to pay without receiving pro-
portionate benefits for it's payment
and this amounts to taxation with
out representation. Usder the
CiiNlA- iOVutT Ulll lll0 CdlnOllC pa
rochial schools would never be
guarded against invasion by the
Federal authority. no matter what
protection they enjoyed from the
State.
ut has been said that parental
rights over the child. which the
provisions of the Smith-Towner bill
would ultimately invade, are in
ferior to the rights of the child it.
self in its own future, in it's own
education. But who is ito define or
interpret the rights of the child?
The State or the parent? The
knights of Columbus believe the
parent must be supreme, with the
State providing regulatory power
guaranteeing the education of the
child And State Governments are
competent to do this without Fed
eraIl interference. They have done
tF axra,- ci,,na Calnria1 doxr-