Evening journal., 1922-06-28
.SMITH-TOWNER
BILL IS SCORED
Congressman Layton Says
It's Additional Menace
to States Rights
CITES THIRTEEN
POINTS" AGAINST 1T

]
| of the House today. Representative
Layton is skeptical of the continued
encroachment of States rights. and
said that It was claimed by the pro-
ponents of the bill that the rights
Of communities and of the States will
not be interfered with"
"On the contrary" said Or. lay
ton, every one knows. who knows
anything about such matters, that
every department and every bureau
and every commission, in fact. Gre
ated by Congress has gone far be-
yond the original purpose OF Con-
gress year by year"
Discussing the blu. Representa-
tive Layton said: First 1t creates a
department Of education. of equal
authority and position with the
other departments OF the govern
ment such as the Department Of the
Treasury. of the Interior. OF the
Army, Navy. and so forth II will
have, OF course, a secretary of edu-
cation. who will be entitled to
seat in the cabinet upon the same
plane with the other secretaries of
departments The salary of this sec
retary of education will be $4,000 a
year and with assistant secretary of
education at salary to be fixed
later by Congress. together with full
complement OF employees which of
necessity is included in a great de-
partment OF the government
The department will start with
~ n ~ sfaf lon
which, following the inevitable ex-
pansion, attached to all government
will grow into millions !
more. This fund is to be used as
follows; For the instruction OF IL |
literates, IA years OF age and over; |
for the instruction Of immigrants IA /
years of age and over in the Eng
ish language and in civics; for the /
partial payment OF teachers' salar-
es; for the physical education and
in the principles Of B.
health and sanitation; for the i'm
OF teachers in service and 1
'or the more adequate preparation /
IF prospective teachers.
at is claimed by the proponents
II this bill that the rights OF COM
nunities and of the States will not
be interfered with. Great stress
S laid upon this assertion, and to
emphasize it those who favor this
Measure point to the repeated decla-
-ations in the bill that the States
will not be interfered with by the
of Education Il created
Of course. such arguments are silly
Ind scarcely deserve considerations:
certainly not by intelligent people.
When in the history of human af-
airs was any function of govern
nent content TO rest within the
ounds of its original limitations?
What department or bureau of this
government can be cited as an in
lance of this contentment?
"On the contrary every one knows. .
-ho knows anything about such ,
atters. that every department and
very bureau and commission. In 4
lct. created by Congress has gone /,
lr beyond the original purpose of r
ongress and year by, year has as :,
imed more and more authority and :,
)ntrol, not only executing the orig !
al purpose whereby and wherefore I.
ley were created but has reached
1t even brazenly and created new u
lrposes. If in any way they were Il
,rrelated Herewith" p
Representative Layton's thirteen |;
oints' why this bill should not be 81
lssed are: s.
First. The plan is unnecessary also 81
scause illiteracy is declining in the il
nited States and not increasing. &
Second. The plan is unnecessary a
so because the people OF the var o.
us states and communities ex-
md now sufficiently enormous C
nds for education for rational c,
irposes. W
Third. The plan would destroy al
cal control of education; and the al
cal keen interest in all school in
alters.
Fourth. The plan would rob the Ie
ople Of their control over the A
mount of taxation. as well as de- h,
i've them Of their power to ex- a,
nd it. 81
Fifth. The appropriation is in a,
equate. Even a few hundred mil N
ms of dollars would not be a drop N
the bucket for the carrying out n,
such a scheme if enacted into a,
". when billions are now spent .,
r this purpose by the various COM l.,
unities and States of the Federal a,
lion. ~
sixth. such legislation would be 70
Timely. even if expedient, under of
e present conditions of this coun- a
y with the intolerable burden OF to
nation already existing =
Seventh. The plan would produce :,
iiformity in education This would Y
the distribution Of a highly de- II
able and splendid diversifcation II
American thought and character. II
Eighth. The plan would inevita- II
y lead to political appointee, sub II
TT TO the same political influences II
appointment that all other Cabi- II
t appointments are subject to.
Ninth. The plan would invite and II
woke a religious controversy. which II
1uld be regrettably undesirable II
ON a national standpoint. II
Tenth. The plan is undemocratic II
d American. and plainly bor- II
we'd from European and especially II
'rman sources. II
Eleventh. Education in a democ- II
ry is essentially a home and COM II
nifty matter-where the children II
the home belong to the parents, II
d not to the State-as the Social II
Americans. would be captured. II
have been increased II
cause the Mexican situation has
en- dormant for so long. and Off III