Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-01-31

| 81
pull the wires behind BIO
the scenes and make
| the other members M
move at will, as skillful IA A3
| shoWmen make puppets I'll
perform. These makers
and managers Of con- Ass.S
vention machinery are
| called "the leaders," ~
and they generally as senn
compose "the commit ssan
! tee on resolutions" to M V ssSssM
which all motions in gs
troduced are instantly S A a
referred on their in @@aS~&SS"~ &A"
PRODUCTION.
When this committee of leaders" make
| their report (alWays during the closing
| hours of the cOnVentiOn), their findings
are generally adopted with little or no dis
cussion, and adopted without adequate con-
sderation. Indeed it is considered bad
form, if not disIoyalty to the body when
any member presumes to express dissent
from their conclusions Moreover. dissent is
port, has been fixed" by 1.-The leaders
whose business it is to manipulate the
meeting from start to finish.
On the adjournment of the session 1.-The
cut and dried report of these manipulators
IS published as the matured convictions Of
all the members, although most of them
know little about it and care less
This method Of the convention mechanics
to promote their ambitious schemes and dan
gerous devices is a most pernicious form OF
personal propaganda. 1t is no more trust
worthy than the prospectus of "a wildcat
oil company" whose "gushers' do not exist
outside of gushing advertisements.
Religious and educational conventions
constitute the special preserve-"the happy
hunting ground of these machine gun
men," They find particular delight in
bringing down religious workers and school
teachers, who, in their unsuspicious good
ness, are easy game for these marksmen of
the committee room and the platform.
A case in point was staged at the recent
meeting Of the Student Volunteers at Indian
apolis. That body is composed of college
students who are supposed to be volunteers
for foreign mission work, although most of
them Will probably never go to the foreign
neId. But the meeting drew together several
thousand of these pious young people. and
the word was sent forth that they all had
approved enthusiastically the doctrines of
pacltlsm and social equality Many of them
nave denied that any such action was taken
by them. If they had done so, what has a
convention of school boys and school girls
met to consider foreign missions. to do
with such matters? What qualification
nave caIIoW youths for passing on such is
sues?
Another instance of "machine-made" wis
dom was the attempt Of the managers of the
North Carolina Education association to con-
n
that great State in the Federal Congress to
support the mischievous measure known as
the demonstrating bill" The manipulators
of the association secured the abortion of res
buttons fayOring the passage of the bill and
the secretary of the body, in sending copies
OF TINS action to the members Of Congress
from North Carolina, stated that it expressed
the sentiment Of $4,000 white school teachers
in the State, although it may be doubted that
as many as 1000 Of them know, or care. any,
thing about it,
That able and patriotic Senator, Hon. Lee
5. OVerman, made candid and courteous re-
ply to the secretary Of the association which
answer, fortunately, has been published. 1t is
clear and cOgent exposition of this danger
GUS bill and it deserves the widest circula-
ton and the most careful considerations
The admirable reply of Senator Overman to
the communication Of the secretary was as
follows:
Il thank you for sending this resolution
to me, and assure you 1 shall be glad to give
it due consideration, etc.
Il feel, however, that the teachers Of North
Carolina are making a grave mistake when
they ask the Federal government to interfere
with our schools in North Carolina This
Demonstrating bill will take away the State
supervision of our schools and give it to the
Federal government. 1t does not appear so
on the face of the bill, but that will be an
easy IIldJLt1 WIleu the feuGrdl government
once enters into this sort Of administration.
When it takes control the teachers will have
to submit to the dictates of the Federal gov
eminent. [ also fear the negro question and
mixed schools, if this matter is given over to
the Federal government. We have to meet
these questions every day, and they would be
absolutely forced upon us if this bill passes
and becomes a law.
81 assure you I respect the voice Of the
teachers of the State, and will give it my
sincere consideration. l feel if this Iegisla-
ton were fully explained to the teachers
however, that they would not be heartily in
favor of its passage"
The views of Senator Overman, expressed so
kindly, will commend themselves to the ap-
prevail of the great majority Of the teachers
of North Carolina who have been mised, and
then misrepresented, by the association han
dIers
1t is encouraging to note that the people
are beginning to understand and condemn this
unWise demonstrating" bill. The more
carefully they consider it, the more strongly
viii they oppose it. 1t is worse than the old