The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-02-07

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express purpose of providing
for new and safer school build
ings. The new tax rate pro-
vides for something like $4,-
100000 additional revenue
yet nothing is done.
Fake Cry of Poverty.
Cries Of Economy and "save
money" are the answers Of the Chi
cago board of education to pleas of
parents in the fretrap school neigh
borhoods. They justified their re-
fusal to build by saying that they had
no money. They sang this song of
poverty before the new tax rate went
thru and they still continue to sing
the same song-while the parents
who have protested see the lives of
their sons and daughters endangered
and know that if they fail to send
their little ones into the firetraps that
the truant officer may come and they
may themselves be arrested, instead
of the authorities who are to blame.
The DAILY WORKER in exposing
this fretrap condition is exposing
nothing new. The schools Of Chicago
have not become unsanitary, danger
Gus firetraps overnight. For more
than 80 years the city's growth has
been outstripping the school system.
The school board continues to do
nothing now as it has done nothing
in the past, but its culpability is all
the greater since the additional
source of revenue was voted the
school board for a construction pro-
gram.
Mayor Hazards Kids Lives.
The only statement of city official
on the condition Of the public schools
was the recent message of the mayor
to the city council in which he said
that he realized the seriousness of
the situation but that he would not
close any Of the schools. He hoped
that until next vacation tragedy
might be averted and then he would
advocate emergency action. In two
months he proposed to remedy a stu
alton that has been growing on the
city for more than 30 years.
The plans Of the present board Of
education to meet the situation fac
ing them in the public schools is to
have a white washing investigation
conducted and to assure the workers
that there is nothing to be alarmed
about.
so Firetraps, Admits Engineer.
The chief engineer of the boxal of
education has warned the people of
Chicago that there is something to
be alarmed about. The bureau of fire
prevention says the same thing. They
say that more than fifty of the build
ings used as schools are a menace to
life.
The attitude Of the present board
of education on the building crisis in
the schools is expressed in the pro-
gram advanced by the superintendent
of schools regarding additions and
repairs on old buildings. According
to this program only such changes as
will be needed at once will be made.
Additions will be made only where
proof exists Of the need for additional
space. The measure of proof being
the use Of portable buildings or the
double shift system in schools asking
additional space.
Millions 70 Spend; Do Nothing.
At the pr/sent time the school board
gets S12,O50,000. Under the new tax
they will get S16,00O,000. They have
not outlined a plan for spending
either amount.
School districts that can show
political influence to the city officials
and politicians can get things from
the board Of education. Working
class districts that cannot muster the
politicians go without.
To replace the present old school
buildings with new, decent and ade-
quate structures it is essential that
a complete building program be made
out. A program that will have no
place for political influence but will
consider only the needs of the work.
ing class districts.
To build new schools the board of
education has at. its disposal tens Of
millions Of dollars and yet it has no
p1on IN which II ru0rlrc in cnoudiuo