The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1921-05-06

ed, or when menace is imagined,
the sword is drawn and battle is i'm
mediately waged.
The basic error was in permitting
a religious institution to have control
over any school or institute OF learn
ing other than those employed for
the training of it's priests or clergy,
men. Religious instructions should
be impaired in the Sunday schools
and churches, all of which are right
lv under the control of religious Or
ganizations, but secular educ alton
should always have remained in the
sole control of the state.
IT is because the Catholic church
believes that the Smith-Towner Dill
will weaken the parochlal schooi anu
at the same time strengthen the pup
lie school that this desperate hght
against the measure is being MADE by
the Catholic institutions. They are
carving their fight into every VII
lace. town. city and state; they
threaten to defeat any congressman
who dares espouse the measure; tney
campaigned actively against former
Senator Hoke Smith, one OF the
authors of the bill, when he came up
for reelection before the people OF
Georgia last fall, and the influence
thew exerted undoubtedly contributed
materially toward his defeat and the
election of a former popul1st.
Religion should have no place In
politics-church and state should De
Forever kept apart, but the out
snoken opposition of the Catholic SO,
cieties to the federal education Dill
is dragging religion into the lowest
mire Of politics. 1t would be foiiy
to suppose that the upholders OF the
public-school system would stand ldiy
bv while it's enemies are attacking IL
on every side; when it is plainly seen
that anfagonism to the Smith-Towner
bill is animosity toward the america
public school and love for the AMEN
parochial school. -,
There is no sense in trying TO hlde
the motive which is behind the OPP
nosition to this worthy measure; II
would be cowardly to refuse tomeet
the assault squarely, and it woulo pc
a mistake to mince words when as
cussing the question at issue. Noun,
inc whatsoever should be permitted
to stand in the way of the advance,
ment of our public schools, and
every individual or organization that
opposes their improvement and ex-
tension should be looked upon as an
enemy of our institutions and our
country. =, eth
When arguing against the smith
Towner federal education Dill Ine
Catholic societies and organizations
use spacious and spurious reasoning
they talk about the bill being oes-
tructive of the rights OF the IN
dividua state to control It's eouca-
tional system. tBut the bill in no
manner interferes with that right.
On the contrary, it expressly pro-
vides against any infringement upon
II On that question the bill states:
"All the educational facilities en-
couraged by the provisions OF this
act and accepted by state shall be
organized, supervised and administer
ed exclusively by the legally consti-
tuted state and local educational au-
thorities of said state" Language
could not be more direct and explicit;
nor could greater provision be mace
for keeping the school management
in the control of local and state au-
thorities.
The American people, irrespective
of race. creed or condition, should
line up behind this deserving meas.
ure and insist on it's being enacted
into law. individuals would do well
to write their senators and represen-
tatives at Washington, stating that
thew favor the passage of the Smith
Towner federal education bill and
asking them to give their influence
and vote toward causing it to be
favorably acted upon. 1t is an ex-
.cellent measure and should prevail.