The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1925-07-23
WASHINGTON LETTER

Washington, July 27-With the
Tennesse evolution trial in full
swing, speculation is growing in
Washington as to its possible effects
on national legislation. Predictions
are freely made that the backwash
from this sensational legal battle will
leagve its marks on the next session
of Congress.
The possibility of a special session
of Congress being called in the event
of a coal strike increases the interest
in the Tennessee court proceedings
and the national Congress. lnasmuch
as the questions at issue involve the
power of the State in educational
matters some have advanced the opin-
ion that certain legislators will at
tempt to bring the matter to the at
tenion of he Federal government. 1t
could only be foisted upon the Con-
gress by proposed legislative meas
ures involving the principles which
are at stake in the Tennessee case.
There is some talk as to the effect
that the matter will have on legisla-
ton proposing a Federal department
of education and public welfare. The
agitation for this new department
subsidized during the last three or four
years but the publicity attending ed
Vocational issues is apt to revive in
terest. The more conservative people
seem to believes that it is matter
for the Courts to decide and not for
the consideration of the legislative
bodies. For that reason it appears
that members of Congress who at
tempt to capitalize upon the Tennes-
see publicity to further their own IN
dividual aims for public recognition
will not receive any widespread en-
enlargement. The most that can be
expected from the introduction OF
bills relating to the evolution issue,
it is said, is acrimonious debate and
revival of religious and political ha-
treds.
There is another question which
may possibly be involved and that
deals with censorship. The State of
Tennessee has exercised certain
form of censorship prohibitiong the
inclusion of scientific data relating to
evolution in text books for use IN
schools. The question is asked If
the Tennessee law is upheld how will
it affect the publication Of books and
newspapers
1t is an ordinary matter for educa-
tional bodies to protest against the
restrictions placed, on education by
legislatures that prescribe the teach
ing of scientific subjects along CEN
sored lines and the press to protest
vigorously against restrictions on its
freedom The average person does
not realize that the newspapers and
other publications are voluntarily linn
tied by the position of public opinion
on every great question, as far as 1t
can be divided, whether of war or
peace, prohibition or evolution.
Apropos of the evolution trial, one
of the foremost authorities on history
has said:
at is apparently impossible
today for the press to attempt
in it's columns to discriminate
among these different forms of
opposition to the existing order,
or to express a sympathetic in
terest in any inquiry leading to
a better understanding of the
differences among them, since
an effort to comprehend their
purpose is interpreted as an ap-
proval of it," Veteran political
leaders are really concerned
about making the topic of evo-
luton football of party politics.
One of the favorite stunts during
a dull political season is to provoke
speculation on Cabinet changes. AT
present there is considerable discus.
sion regarding the remodeling of the
Presidents Cabinet. Several likely
candidates have been trotted out and
discussion conferred around their quail
ifcations, politically and geographic
ally. Though the talk of change in
his official family grows from day to
day, Mr.. Coolidge has nothing to say
about the situation.
The busiest man in Washington to-
day is Lincoln c. Andrews, Assistant
Secretary of the Treasury, in charge
of prohibition enforcement. He has
been working out program of re-
organization with the hope of making
the Eighteenth Amendment and the
Volstead Act popular. Mr.. Andrews
will find himself confronted with
difficulties if he adheres to his an
nounced program of ignoring recon-
nnendations from senators and con-
gressmen as to appointments in pro-
hibition forces. Whatever chances
there were of keeping prohibition out
|. of politics at the outset have been lost
lin the developments since 1919. Pro-
hibition officials are meeting here this
week with view to changing the per-
sonnet and tightening up on enforce
ment throughout the country. While
Mr.. Andrews attempts to.put the dry
forces on a business basis are COM
mendable, nobody believes for min
ute that the political angles can be
wiped out.
The Treasury Department in its eff
forts to increase the circulation of pa
DER money and so economize in the
cost of production, finds the greatest
resistance factor is superstition. De-