Evening star., 1924-03-31
TEACHER PAY BILL
TAKEN Up IN HOUSE
Gilbert Measure Set Aside in
Favor of District
Legislation.

The teacher pay Dill was taken up IN
the House today. after agreement had
been obtained to lay aside other busi-
ness in Difference to District legisla-
ton.
When il was shown that there was
considerable opposition to the Gilbert
bill for prevention and control of
socia, disease, which was the un-
finished business for district day,
Representative Ralph Gilbert, demo-
crat, of Kentucky, although intensely
interested in this measure, agreed it
be set aside in order that the time
could be given to consideration of the
teachers salary and other uncontro-
versial District measures.
When the House went into the COM
mittee of the whole, with representa-
the motion of Representative Sanders
of Indiana to strike out the enactinS
clause on the Gilbert bill was pending.
Asks Time for Sanders.
Representative Blanton, democrat.
of Texas asked unanimous consent
that Representative Sanders be al
lowed ten minutes in which TO state
his objections. Representative Blan-
ton assured the House that the COM
mittee had carefully considered the
Gilbert bill during the last three
years and was unanimous in urging
its passage.
Representative Wingo. democrat. of
Arkansas objected TO the unanimous
consent, stating that he had waited
two years to vote on the teachers pay
bill and did not want debate on the
Gilbert bin &c prevent action.
A standing vote on the Sanders mo-
tion to strike out the enacting clause
was 40 to SO. in favor OF the motion.
Representative Blanton called for a
vote by tellers. and the House by a
vote of 20 to ~ refused to strike out
the enacting clause. The Gilbert bill
vas then formally set aside.
BIanton Hits officials.
Representative Thomas l.. Blanton.
democrat, Texas, who filed a minority
report opposing the substantial in
creaseS in salary TO Supt. BalIou and
other officials of the school depart
ment, led the opposition to the bill.
He made it plain. however. that he
emphatically supports the entire
schedule for the active teachers and
that his opposition is only to the
larger increases allowed the supervis-
ing force.
Representative Blanton censured
the officials for efforts to have their
own salaries increased whenever a
teachers pay bill is brought in. He
reviewed what he had stated in his
minority report and showed how he
proposed to bring the Kellar bull
within the limits of the budget with
out reducing the salary of a single
teacher"
Chairman Smell of the House rules
committee challenged Representative
Blanton, saying that he had been as
haf nf
200 for the superintendent of schools
and the salaries for other officials would
not apply to those now in office, who
would have to start at the minimum
salary.
Representative Sherwood of Ohio en-
phasized that the proposed salary of
$4,000 for DIR. Ballou was larger than
that paid members of Congress.
Defends DIR. BaIIou.
Representative Blanton several times
said that he was willing to admit that
DR.. Ballou was d very efhcient edu-
Gator and a good man for the position
he holds. He called him the right
man in the right place and said that if
Congress wants to authorize $4,000 for
any superintendent of schools, he was
perfectly willing to pay it to DR.. Ballou.
Representative Bankhead of Alabama
suggested an amendment to make the
minimum salary for officials apply to
those now in office. Representative
Rlanton replied, If you start making
any such amendments you will have
half the gallery turning somersaults,
because what they want is this lonSev-
ity pay increase.
Representative Cranlton of Michigan,
republican, asked if the superintendent
of schools has not enough work to en-
gage his attention without lobbying in
the halls of Congress. Representative
Blanton replied that if any one was
going to lobby he was perfectly willing
to let DR.. Ballou do the lobbying, and
said he had done it better than any one
else he had seen.
Representative Lehlbach, republican,
of New Jersey, and Representative Mar
win Jones of Texas engaged in a Spir-
tied debate, the former trying to show
that the maximum salaries would not
apply to present officials, and Repre-
sentative Jones contending that the
language of the bill showed that they
would become Immediately operative.
keller Bill Backed.
Representative Mcleod of Michigan
spoke strongly in support of the KEEL
Ter bill. Representative Gasque, dem
ocrat, South Carolina, himself a state
superintendent of schools, emphasized
that the people have overlooked the
Importance of good teachers.
we are dependent upon them for
che right kind of citizenship he
said THE character and patriotism
is built in the schools. 1t takes more
than an ordinary man or woman to
make a good teacher. These people
devote themselves to the school work
because they love their profession, not
for the salary.
Tn private business" he pointed
cut, 1--WE find far higher salaries paid,
and the teaching of our children Is
the biggest business of the nation
The capital wealth of the state is in
direct ratio to the amount spent for
the schools"
He presented a list of cities paying
superintendents Of schools $4,000 or
more. The school system of the
District should be the best in the
nation and we should pay salaries
that will attract to Washington the
best school officials in the nation,
he said 81 am surprised that the
gentleman from Texas should bring
up the matter Of local taxes. That
is not a matter which is under the
control of the people of the District.
Tt Is in our own hnads and we should
not consider it in relation to this
bill
Would Cut BaIIou Figure.
Representative Smell spoke briefly
denying that the maximum salary
carried in the bill would be paid to
the officials automatically. Repre-
sentative Black of Texas spoke in op-
position to the bill. Representatives
Raker of California and La Guardia
of New York both spoke in favor OF
generous provisions for teachers and
p school board officials salaries and