Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-11-16
of All Private and
Sectarian Educational In
situations Precipitates Bit
ter Opposition-TakesE f-
feet in Four Years
BY C. r. HARDY
(Leased Wire Service to The Journal.)
1000

Copyright 1927
PORTLAND, Ore, Nov. 15.-Out
Of the post election fog from which
politicians in Oregon are striving
vainly to emerge, looms one shadowy
shape, one dimly illumed shadow that
is causing doubt and fear, andger,
joy, CIVILIZATION, remorse and wonder.
1t is the compulsory education
BILL" the latest triumph of Oregon's
initiative principle OF government.
The shadowy shape looks lit: it is
"a school house with the Ameri.
can flag fluttering. Behind it, ap-
parently lettering, is something else.
It is the ruin of the private school
with little children being locked out.
These include the Lutheran Schools
the Catholic parochial schools, the
Military academy, the fashionable
schools for the "poor little rich
girls" And behind them, who is
that famished looking creature stalk
ing about with no place to lay his
head? That is the man who used
to be private tutor but whose &C.
cupation-like Othello's-is gone.
That is the picture that has emerg-
ed from the fog. In the foreground
one may see huge pile of ballots,
some $4,000 Of them. They repre-
sent the majority by which Oregon
citizens decreed that every child OF
grammar school years must attend
the public schools only. But that
majority is not going down as the
seal Of an uncontested principle of
government and eudcation.
Unconstitutional, Lawyers Say
"Don't worry" lawyers are telling
Archbishop Christie, head Of the
state parochial school system in the
state, as we'll as the other chiefs of
dozens of private UNCONVENTIONAL and
non-sectarian schools. "The law is
unconstitutional"
If this is so, eventually the courts
will decree it. No attack has yet
been started. There is plenty of
time. The law does not become eff
fective for four years. BY that time,
if it is constitutional, it can be
STRENGTHENED and made workable by
supplemental legislation providing ia
cilities for housing and teaching all
the little children of particular faith,
or no faith at all, who today are
being educated outside of the little
red school houses"
I'VE haven't started any court ac-
tion-yet," explained William l..
Brewster, former city commissioner,
who led the fight against the bill
in the recent campaign. ut will,
of course, be attacked entirely OH
constitutional grounds. There is no
question about the legality Of the
election. The people have spoken,
but we agree that no one, not even
a. majority of the people, actuated as
we believe they were by religious
prejudice and the generally confused
state of public opinion, can abrogate
the constitution by compelling a par
ent to educate his child in opposition
to his religious beliefs"
Brewster represented the private
schools rather than the religious in
the recent fight, but he spoke today
after comforting with those who have
been hardest hit by the outcome of
the election.
High Mason Led Fight
H. S. Malcolm, 33rd degree Mason,
and head of the Scottish Rite bodies
in Oregon, nominally was sponsor
for the bill. He has insisted that
the measure was not directed at the
UNCONVENTIONAL school save as all
schools, other than the public in
situations, were assailed as agencies
for fundamental education. So many
foreigners are finding their way to