Southwest Washington labor press. [volume] (Hoquiam, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1924-08-08

unanimous adverse opinion of the
Chicago City Council and of some of
the most famous educators in Amer
lea.
The executive board of the Chicago
Federation of Labor has analysed the
situation in a 5,0O0-word report sub
mitted to the local central body,
which body has authorized the execu-
tive board to raise money to defray
the expenses of a public speaking
campaign and for the printing and
distribution of literature.
Sees Sensational Menace
Of the so-called intelligence tests
and other Objectionable features of
the new system the report submitted
by the executive board of the Chi
cago Federation of Labor, makes the
following sensational charges:
HAS a new natural law been dis
covered which binds each individual
to a place in society and against
which protest or struggle is hope
less? Are the intelligence testers Of
fering something new? The fact is
that they have brought into America
the ancient doctrine Of caste and are
advocating under the authority of
public school boards, precisely the
same philosophy of life as governs
the Hindu caste system, under which,
by alleged divine or natural law, the
people are organized according to the
occupations for which they are sup
posed to be fitted-the merchant in
the merchant caste, the teamster in
the caste Of the teamster, the car
penter in the carpenters caste, and
so on through the long list of voca-
tons. Thus they are challenging the
political philosophy of the American
nation and defying the basic prin-
ciples of every religion of the West
ern world. Do they know What they
are doing?
THAT the intelligence test method
of classification is to be used is clearly
indicated by statements made under
the authority of the Board of Edu-
cation by representatives of that
Board to meetings of school princi-
pals. Developments in other cities
show the classification of pupils into
so-called superior and inferior
groups, the former of which are en-
couraged by official 'counsellors' to
go on into the high school, while the
latter are advised by these vocation
al counsellors' to end their school life
at the age of fifteen years when the
Junior high In other words, it is
assumed that only those of inferior
mentality will enter industry and
commerce as productive workers.
Thus the brand of inferiority is to
be placed upon all productive work
ers through the medium of propa-
ganda emanating from the public
schools.
''The ultimate effect, if the scheme
is to be carried on to its final con-
clusion, will be either to utterly de-
moralize American industry and COM
merce through the refusal of Ameri-
can youth to enter such occupations
because of the brand of inferiority
placed upon them, OF American So
ciety must be Europeanized by the
acceptance of distinct and more or
less permanent class divisions among
the people. We firmly believe, how
ever, that when the true significance
of the proposal becomes apparent to
the people of the different communi-
ties, they will repudiate the whole
scheme and will insist that the chill
dren of all classes of citizens and,
indeed the citizens themselves of all
classes, are entitled to a full educa-
ton no matter what occupation they
may follow.
Labor Has Public Duty
"In this grave emergency, the Chi
cago Federation of Labor and its af-
filiated trade pnions have a great
public duty to perform. The Board
of Education has refused to give heed
to our protests. Only one course
now remains open to US. We must
arouse the people of Chicago to the
dangers ahead"
The Chicago Teachers Federation
characterizes the platoon system as
"the factory system of labor applied
to the education of the child" The
excuse offered by the proponents of
the platoon system is shortage of
school revenue" The teachers an
swer this argument by saying that
only 10 per cent of the $4,000, 0O0,-
900 of taxable property in Chicago is
assessed. In this connection the Chi
cago teachers make the following
serious charges:
illegal tax evasion by the rich is
loading the tax burden on the poor
and at the same time robbing the
children of their rightful educational
opportunity.
vicious interlocking, tax-fxing
syndicates in Chicago, composed of
tax officials and other officials, cor
porations, coal dealers, insurance
agents, contractors, owners of valu-
able buildings and sites in the loop
and elsewhere, are benefting enor-
mously by assessment fixing These
syndicates are a rich source of cam
paign funds for political parties and
candidates.
"These campaign funds are used
to elect tax officials and other public
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