The New York herald., 1922-02-04
SCOLDS THE NEWSPAPERS
Hirshfield, Assailing Pro- Brit
ish Propagandists, Objects to
Ridicule by Press.

The occasion was the first public hear.
ing held by the Commissioner in hi:
investigation of the subject
Commissioner fIirshfield made it plair
that ne regarded some of the objection
able matter particularly that alleged
to be ro-Brithish in character. as part
of scheme Of propaganda. fostered by
the Rockefeller and Morgan interests
through the Rockefeller Foundation fol
Educational Service.
The speakers were Alvin Owsley
National Director of the Americanisn
Commission of the American Legion
Charles Grant Miller OF Staten Island
whose pamphlet attacking British
utterances by number Of authors first
brought public attention to the ques-
ton; Col. III. B. Fairbanks of the
Americanism Commission Of the Vete-
rams Of Foreign Wars; Joseph T. Grif-
fin. public school principal; Julius
Hyman. who described himself as a
plain American citizen" Mrs. John
Jerome Rooney. and William Pickens
representing the National Association
for the Advancement of Colored People.
"An Uphill Proposition"
Commissioner Hirshfeld opened the
hearing by declaring that he was
engaged in an uphill proposition in
view of the strong anti-American propa-
ganda so readily supported by some OF
our largest newspapers and big business
interests''
1--WE have not been given the support
we had hoped for and were entitled
to-" he said, land because a member OF
the city. administration, Is making this
investigation we have been made the
butt of shafts of ridicule and satire"
When Charles Grant, Miller stated
that the schoolbook agitation had
spread throughout the country. and
steps had been taken to do away with
certain textbooks in Louisiana, Califor-
MIA, Oregon. Nebraska, Colorado. Michi-
gan, Massachusetts, and other States,
Commissioner Hirshfield declared that
the trouble in New York city was that
many authors Of histories were teach
ers or principals of public schools. and
there was q reciprocal arrangement
among them whereby each should pur-
chase the others books.
.sGraft" I'm Textbooks.
One of Mr.. Miller's charges was that
publishing houses maintained expensive
staffs of Smooth tonrued promoters"
who spent money lavishly in the schools.
and 1t had been found in one of the
Western cities where the same question
came UP that one of the principals was
so friendly with the publishers repre-
sentative that he fatty refused to reject
certain textbook.
The milk and water philosophy con-
tained in recent history written by
Prof. Charles Beard, one-time instructor
at the Rand School and now a member
Of the faculty of the School for Social
Research, came in for severe berating
by Principal Griffin. OF Public School
114 Prof Beard resigned from Column
bia University during the war as pro-
test against the expulsion of several
other professors.
In referring to Prof Boards de-
rogatory attitude toward the aid of
fered by, the French. Mr.. Griffin ex-
claimed "Tf Gen. Pershing had read this
school book when he was young boy
he probably would never have stood at
the tomb of Lafayette and said Lafay-
cite, we are here"
Jewish Revolutionary Heroes.
The names of Asa Levy and Haym
Solomon. the Philadelphia bankers who
offered financial aid to the Revolutionary
cause, were strangely missing in our
histories, complained Julius Hym,n Of
1919 Madison avenue. and he made a
plea that the Jewish people be given a
rightful place. Hyman suggested. and
the suggestion was received with favor
by the audience, that a copy OF the
Declaration of Independence be inciuded
in every history book used in the schools
William Plckens then made plea for
the negro population, citing deecs OF
valor performed by members OF his race
from Revolutionary days down to the
world war.
Charges were made by Mr.. Miller that
the committee appointed by DR.. Ettinger
to consider these books were holding
secret meetings with the publisher
and were at present engaged in framing
a defence of the books and of Themselves
for having allowed them to enter the
schools. Commissioner Hirshficld sup
plemented this statement by saying lie
had asked Edward Mandel chairman Of
the committee, for copy of the report
month ago, and had received no reply
The report. 1t Is understood. Is 10 be
issued within week, and although Com
missioner Hirshfield may not know II
the committee has severely condemned
several OF the books.
Col. H. B. Fairbanks OF the Veterans
OF Foreign Wars agreed that facts.
tnged with romance. were OF Just the
sort that appealed TO the schoolboyF im-
agination and tended TO inculcuate a re-
spect for the courage of bygonc heroes.
We want to emphaticaiy protest
against the use in our schools OF any
book casting aspersions ON those respon-
sible for the founding Of our country"
he said. Director Owsley OF the Amer
ican Legion spoke In the same vein. He
said the pathways OF peace begin at the
Schoohousc" and n was tbora that the
true facts OF history should be dssem-
mated
lf our patriots are being maligned."
said Mr.. Owslcy. ut is 10 the interest OF
the American Legion to see that true
histories be written We doe not chal-
lenEe any mans work. but we want our
children to learn and understand the
true facts regarding American history
The legion. he said. heartily approves
y thorough investigation Of the subject
The hearing was adjourned until 10