Evening star., 1925-06-13

The whole question of State con-
troll of education is reviewed in dis
cussion which has followed the
United States Supreme Court deci-
sion declaring invalid the Oregon
law against private and parochial
schools. 1t is pointed out that sim
liar legislation proposed in Michigan
is directly affected, and many oh
servers believe the decision also in
dicates what may happen II the
Tennessee evolution case ever gets
to the highest court.
Quoting from the court, "A State
may not pass a law abrldging the
right of children to attend private
schools" the Portland Oregon Jour
nal declares that the outcome was
freely predicted and believed by
many when the campaign for It's
adoption was on" Referring to its
general effect. the Journal says: The
significance in the Oregon case is
the bearing the decision may have
on the Tennessee case, which Will ul-
timately come before the high tri-
bunal. If a State may not lawfully
ordain that children of certain ages
must attend public schools and no
other, how can 1t ordain What
branches of study they may not pur-
sue?" Both the Oregon law and the
Tennessee law, the Chicago Tribune
argues, "are contrary to the essen
tial spirit of American institutions,
and this is the most important fact
in both controversies over their le-
gality. They both represent an In
vasion by religious issues of the
field of government and OF the field
Of private conscience"
1t'is the right to teach plausible,
scientific theories for which the in
dicted teacher in Tennessee will con-
tend" asserts the Savannah Press.
I'm oregon the fight was for the lib
erty of the parent. In Tennessee the
contest will be for the liberty of the
teacher. But the principle seems to
be the same in EACH
The New York Times points to the
Importance to the Nation of such
powers as are exercised by the United
States Supreme Court, and continues:
1.-THE need of having some Federal
tribunal to maintain the rights or the
citizen when they are invaded by local
legislation has never been more evi-
dent than In the case of this oregon
school law. In the decision of the SUI
preme Court against it we also get an
encouraging lOTeCdSl VI WlldI Will Ildp-
pen when the Tennessee anti-evOlu-
ton school law reaches the Supreme
Court" 1t is largely on technical
rights, "such as were raised in the
Oregon case" that the Tennessee case
will hinge, according to the Pocatello
Tribune which believes that 1.-The op.
ponents of the Tennessee law will de.
rive encouragement from the decision
In the oregon case" Even more pos
tive is the view taken by the
Lansing State Journal in the state.
ment: THE outcome in the Oregon
case determines in advance what the
ultimate outcome will be concerning
the litigation now pending in Ten
nessee. Though the subject matter is
not at all the same, the essence is al
most identical"
1.-The decision was expected" states
the Lynchburg News, land freedom
from a menace that was never really
great is not something to waste time
in Growing about But the owners OF
private schools in Tennessee have
good cause for perking upNfor. as the
Norfolk Virginian Pilot reminds
while the Supreme Court was affirm
ing their right to be, the legislature
was doing its best to enlarge their
patronage" The inquiry, after Ore
gon, what of Tennessee?" is made
by the Wico Dispatch, and
it proceeds to reply: There, unfor.
tunately, the case is not so clear. 1t
is, we know now, unconstitutional for
the State to exact attendance at pub.