Evening star., 1926-11-17
GEN. FRIES TO LAY TEACHER ROW
BEFORE OFFICIALS OF LEGION
School Board Backs Right of
Employees to Private Views
on Socialism.
Essay Incident Gets National
Attention-FIury Gives
Patriotism Stand.

Mai. Gen. Amos A. Fries, chief of
the division of chemical warfare and
District comma nder Of the American
Legion, politely rebuffed in his first
attempt to have the Board of Educa-
ton punish Henry FURY, professor
Of science at Eastern High School,
for publishing An essay on socialism.
plans to lay the case before other
officers of the Legion before taking
further action.
The Board of Education feels that
every individual Is entitled to enter.
tain his or her private views regard
ing religion and politics. Gen. Fries
said today. Does the Board of Edu-
alton believe that opinions publicly
expressed In magazine. which any
school child in Washington may buy,
are private? I think not.
Il shall lay the facts of this case
before officials Of the American
Legion. Until then I do not expect
to reply to the Board of Education.
I may ask DR.. Ballou to explain, how
ever. why Lucia Ames Mead was
permitted to argue for disarmament
in the Dunbar High School last week. ="
Miss Mead is member of the Asso-
citation for the Prevention of War.
Nation Taking Interest.
In the meantime, Gen. Fries fight
against the Eastern High School pro-
fessor is attracting the attention of
educators and others throughout the
country. Should MIR. Flury's useful:
ness as an Instructor be impaired as
result of the affair, 1t is said that
the Committee of 100 for the Intel
lectual Freedom Of Teachers. with
headquarters in New York City, Ia
prepa red to defend him.
The essay that precipitated the con-
troversy occupied less than 20 lines
OF type in the October issue Of the
Forum magazine. Besides the ma
tional publicity arising from the dis
approval aired by Gen. Fries, 1t netted
him $5. which the magazine had offer
ed for the best essay defining Social
ism. Nine other essays were printed.
DIR. F'lurys article follows;
Socialism Is a big question mark.
It asks why. with all the wonderfully
productive machinery and improved
methods of orga nization. the workers
are still slaves. 1t asks why little
children still toll in factories. 1t asks
why those who create do not enjoy
the advantages of what is created,
why those who build automobiles walk,
those who build Pulmans ride in
box cars. those who build palaces
i've III NOVELS. IL dSkS. Is Ilbl lue
Industrial civilizat tion we have created
our MASTER"
Wrote to DIR. BalIou.
Gen. Fries attention. he said. was
first directed to the essay by a mem
her of the American Legion. After
reading the article. Gen. Fries wrote
to DR.. Frank W. Ballou. superintend-
ent of schools, asking If Mr.. F'lury
were a teacher in the high schools.
and. II so. what action do you pro-
pose to take ="
THE American Legion" his letter
continued. Stands for God and coun-
try. 1t stands for vigorous America n
ism. 1t stands for nationalism and the
vigorous upholding Of the Constitution
of the United States. 1t is for that
reason that as comma nder Of the
American Legion of the District OF
Columbia I object most strenuously
to the ideas put forth in the Forum
by Mr.. FURY and against any one be-
ing kept in the schools of the District
Of Columbia who says in effect that
workmen in America are sla YES; that
our civiliza ton is cruel: that little
children still toll in factories tsome do
but very few and lessening all the
time)
ANY one who has gone to the fac
tories Of Henry Ford. or who has
taken the trouble to go where build
ing operations are in progress any
where in this city. will find that the
ma iority of workmen ride to their
work in their own automobiles. He
will probably find also that they get
paid equally we'll or better than high
school Teachers Finally in asking
the question. is not the industrial
civiliza ton we have created a Frank
enstein - he is using only in
slightly different form the statements
Of the Communist that our form Of
Government is bad"
Dr. Ballou replied that he would
ascertain whether Mr.. Flury had
taught such views in his classroom
and present the facts to the Boa rd