New Britain herald., 1925-07-23
PLANS COMPLETE
 EVOLUTION TRIAL
Wittner in Washington Case
 Will Hear Scientists

| W oSlllllSlOll' July -O Wf-SSltllCt will have its day In court on the question of teaching evolution If Loren H. Wittner. an avowed athe- ist realizes the object of his suit brought here to test a provision of federal legislation which he con- strues as forbidding 1t.
 In making clear that he was at tacking from the evolution side" a provision of the current District Of Columbia appropriation bill barring payment Of salaries to any public school official here who teaches or permits the teaching of "disrespect | for the Holy Bible" Wittner declar- ed the purpose of his action was to make possible the teaching Of all theory and fact in the schools
 He and his attorneys believe the injunction proceedings brought yes- terday against pay officers of tho i district and federal government to prevent further payment of certain salaries will open the way 10 a con stitutional tests of the question of teaching evolution In a manner that the proceedings in the Dayton, Ten nessee, case did not long permit. They further believe 1t will open the door wide 10 direct evidence in court from scientists as well as fun damentaIists and thus achieve an ohiect that the defense failed 10 gain in the Dayton trial.
 "No. am not an agnostic; I am an atheist" declared Wittner, who is 2 government enploye and once candidate for congress from Illinois, in discussing the motive of his suit.
 Congress Is trying 10 stife edu- cation" he said "The difference between the Scopes trial and the present case is juet this: Tn the Scopes trial the issue was Whethe, the state legislature should prescribe the curriculum in the schools. Here congress says that all curricula mus be narrowed 10 a point where it vii agree with the innate ideas of peo pie of 2,oOO years ago. Congress simply is gloritving ignorance"
 Wittner made this statement jus . liter he had srent an hour al tn Zoo posing with monkeys for { group of photogra phers.
 On the question of the constitu tionality of the clause involved which was inserted as 3 rider to tn
 appropriation bill and sponsored b
 Representative Summers, republican Washington. Francis L. Stevens, cor
 poration counsel of the distrct, wh
 pill defend the district officials i, the suit, expressed the of hand
 opinion that 1t vas in conflict wit the first amendment 10 the conStitu
 ton
 "The provision In question" h
 said, "seems 10 me 10 be an indirec ! way of legisIating an 'cstablishmen
 Of religion and my impression that congress had no right 10 enac
 tt."
 . Wittner expressed surprise toda
 at the statements his suit has draw from William Jennings Bryan, an | Clarence parrow, leading figures i the Dayton trial, both of whom h thought evidently were under th ] impression that he had brought th | proceedings as an anti-eNolution, Mir. barrow, commenting at Day | ton, said he believed the proceed | tngs were probably an exhibition ( | riEotry and crankism' and that Il had no doubt t will fail" whil Mir. Bryan indicated that he we comcd 1t as an opportunity 10 she more light on tho issue Of eyolutio l and revealed religion.
 | The suit recalls that the Amer l can association of teachers, at I
 recent convention in Chicago, adop | cd q resolution conforming 1T
 Summers amendment, r. q. Stocke | secretary of the association, in
 statement last night said tho teacl ] CTS regarded the amendment as il | tended 10 intimiIato them pith | red scare" and insure against Til | eral vi"Vs and teachings
 | Another provision of the Sun | mers rider prohibits teaching part
 san politics or that ours Is an i, | ferior form of government" IT | house debate ccntered largely on q | teaching Of partisan politics ar / there vas nothing in the debate . indicate whether the author had . mind the evolution question. J When tho show cause ruling I
 sued by Justice Siddons in the Dl
 trict of Columbia supreme cou
 yesterday against Frank Whit
 treasurer of thn United States, ar
 tho district officials is argued (
 July cS tbe interests of the fe, eral government Vill be represen
 ed hv the department of justic
 The school officials to whom fu
 thor payment of salaries would denied in thr suii are Frank V
 Pallou. superintendent and ". Q Hay. head Of ths department