Evening star., 1923-03-30
|PL0T CHARGE MADE
| BY yEX-SCHOOL HEAD
Daniel Edwards Claims He
Was Victim of Conspiracy.
Raps Critics.

conspiracy instigated by his enc
mics forced him out of the school
system. Daniel A. Edwards, former
president of the board OF education,
charges in a mimeographed state
ment. prepared. he said, at the re-
quest of his many friends. Mr.. Ed
wards denounces his congressional
critics in the statement and presents
what he terms actual facts" in the
sensational controversy which re-
suited III his resignation from the
school board more than a year ago.
From a friend, Mr.. Edwards said
he learned that the criticism of Rep
resentative Davis of Minnesota,
chairman of the appropriations SUBJ
committee of the House. was not di
rected at him but at the school sys
tenn and the board of education which
was working hand in hand with
the Washington real estate ring for
the purpose of selling schoolhouse
sites"
Declares story False.
Summarizing the case Mr.. Edwards
declared that his only offense was be-
ing secretary of an organization that
had published seven articles which
were appropriate for eighth grade
day of school. All of them. he said.
were written on the order from
teachers outside the District, and
not one was ever sold to child any
where.
The conspirators. who for private
reasons worked up this case. planned
and carried it out most skillfully."
said the statement They invented
one story and told it persistently
where it, would help their case the
often told and well stuck to is as
good as the truth" The story was
that We had circularized the eighth
grade children of Washington schools
and were selling them essays they
were supposed to write in their Eng
lish courses. The story was abso-
lutely false.
Each year we sent out just six
catalogues unsolicited in Washington.
One went to the superintendent of
schools and one each to the princi-
pals of the high schools, the same as
to every other city in this country.
I am confident that. outside of our
own families. there was not one child
in the District of Columbia who had
ever heard the name of the Column
bian Information Bureau.
Yet for that. and that alone, !
was denounced as few men have been
denounced in the District of Column
bia They charged me with teaching
children to cheat 'commercializing a
public position, and many other
things equally false and equally alb
surd.
Scores subcommittee.
The members of the subcommittee
were not escaped inmates of an in
stitution for the feeble minded, but
were great statesmen CD, who were
zealously guarding the rights of the
people, 50 when they learned that a
District of Columbia. official was af-
filiated with a publishing house which
had printed seven pieces for children
to speak on the last day of school
their indignation knew no bounds.
Surely the affairs of the nations
capital are safe in the hands of such
intellectual prodigies."
Mr.. Edwards further declared that
a few days after he had resigned
from the school board. Superintendent
of Schools Ballou and Assistant Su-
perintendent Kramer made a two
hour personal investigation of the
Columbian information bureau. and
that the former said. You are GER
tainly doing very commendable
business" DR.. Ballou, however, de-
MES that Mr.. Edwards quoted him
correctly