New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-05-10
Signs
Loyalty Test
For Teachers
Lusk Measures Interfere
Only With Those Who
Advocate Overthrow of
Republic, Says Governor
Liberty Not Abridged
Teaching of Criminal Sedi-
tion or Practice of
Fraud Barred, He Asserts
From q staT Coyysspordent


ALBANY, May Ex-Governor Miller
to-day signed the two Lusk bills re-
curing public school teachers to
undergo loyalty tests and authorizing
the State Board OF Regents to censor
courses given by private institutions
Of learning. The measures were orig
Iinaily brought before the 1920 Legis-
Iature by the Lusk anti-sedition COM
mittee' They were passed at that
time but vetoed by Governor Smith.
they were reintroduced and passed this
year.
In approving the bills Governor Mil
Ter gave out statement explaining
MS action. Referring to the teachers
DILL the Governor said that in his opin-
ION 1t does not interfere with any ones
liberty, as has been charged. He char
acterized as absurd constructions placea
upon the bill by its opponents. who
charged that were it to become law
teachers might be expelled for favor
ing constitutional amendments. He
also replied to the contention that to
require teachers to take an oath If
loyalty belittles the teaching profess
sion.
i felt no lowering of dignity" ne
SAID but rather an added sense of re-
Sponslnlllty when, on January I. took
an oath to support the Constitution of
the United States and that of the State
of New York.
Aimed Only at Radicals
"The act provides that no certificate
snail De issued to person who, while
citizen, has advocated a form of gov
efhment other than the government of
the united States and of this state
or VINO advocates or has advocated "a
change In the form OF governments of
the United States or of this state bv
force, violence or any other unlawful
means Many advocates of subvergiye
doctrines and others have urged that
that would disqualify one who advo-
Gates any changes by constitutional
amendment, but so far as mere
change is concerned, it is only the
advocacy of change by force, violence
or other unlawful means that is in
hibited.
THE other clause obviously refers
TO the advocacy Of an entirely different
torn of government in substitution for
the existing government. Ours is a
republican form of government. II has
cost priceless blood and treasure to
establish and maintain it. This meas
ure is intended to prevent those who
believe in and advocate it's overthrow
from teaching in the public schools.
II any Commissioner of Education
should put the absurd construction on
the act which propagandists give 1t
the law would afford adequate remedy.
ut is urged that the bill gives the
Commissioner of Education arbitrary
power. If by that is meant that the
decision of the Commissioner is final,
the like objection applies to the power
now exercised by him and by many
other officials. Such decisions should
De final, as nothing but disorganization
could result from interference with
them either by the courts or by the
Legislature.
Safeguard to Public Schools
I'm my judgment this measure pre-
that is, whether those who advocate
the overthrow OF our government
should be permitted to teach in the
public schools. 1t may be that the
necessary freedom in the search fer
truth requires the liberty to teach
even error in the schools of higher
learning. but there certainly should
not be the same opportunity to teach
error to immature children in the ele-
mentary public schools as possibly may
be necessary in the colleges and uni
versities.
"Shall that statute be repealed? If
not, shall patriotism in the public
schools be taught by those who advo-
cate the doctrines of the Socialist
party of America, which at convention