The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1927-11-25
BY ARNE SWABECK.

SAGE 10 make hlng GEORGE keep MS
royal snoot out Of Chicago" is COM
ing to a Successful" close. The tim
orous citizens, inoculated with the
virus of bunk, may now look back at
the narrowing ordeal and again
breathe freely, FOR they have been
rescued from the royal clutches.
Prior to his election as mayor of
the city Big Bill" vowed to chase
King George off Plymouth Rock and
kick his "stool-pigeon" McAndrew,
out of the Chicago schools. He since
made it big patriotic bunk shooting
campaign which in reality was moth
ing but q smoke screen hiding much
more fundamental issues, affecting
the whole Chicago school system, the
teachers organization and the city
taxation problem
"Hotbeds of Sedition.
AS big Bills" campaign developed,
he discovered various hotbeds of
British Propaganda. School books
on American history seemed even to
dispute whether Sergent Jasper had
actually nailed the flag to the staff
at Fort Montrie and excluded the
story of Molly Pitcher The Chicago
University, the Rockefeller institution
was found to be a British Castle set
ting the British lion upon the Chi
cago school pupils. John Bull propa-
ganda was found lurking upon the
shelves of the Public Library. This
sedition was to be stamped out COM
pletely and the Objectionable books
burned Big BilPs" campaign won
the approval and endorsement of the
Grand Dragon of the Illinois Ku Klux
Khan, while some Chicago preachers
sent resolutions of sympathy to his
majesty King George.
Historical Precedent.
This reminds me of a story, now
going the rounds, of the mayor in
Minneapolis, twenty years ago, who
removed all the bibles from the Ii
brary of that city because they re-
ferred to st. Paul, but made no men
ton of Minneapolis.
1t is said that the advisers to big
Bill" Thompson proposed to run Nc
Andrews, the superintendent of
schools land the Kings stool-pigeon)
out qh small stuff, such as splitting
on the ceiling; but Bill said this is a
bigger thing: "The issue here is
America First Making this sort
of an issue had a far wider purpose,
but that is another story.
The Political Steam Roller.
McAndrew began his term as
superintendent of Chicago schools in
1924. According to his own admis-
sion he was brought here from the
East by powerful business interests
"to loosen the hold of an invisible
empire within the Schools" meaning
the teachers organization, and in par
ticular, the teachers councils func-
tioning within the schools. Also to
establish the platoon system of edu-
cation and junior high schools based
upon intelligence tests. Politically
he belonged to the camp opposing
"Big Bill" Thompson.
Teachers Wages.
Prior to the last mayoralty cleo
tons new salary schedule for the
school teachers was proposed, pro-
viding for increases for certain
categories, with no funds with which
to meet it. In fact the schools
treasury was depleted and nothing
further came about the proposal. The
teachers have had plenty of expert
ence, during a number of years of
wage increases being voted by the
School Board just before mayoralty
election, with no funds available. to
be followed by a wage cut i'm
mediately after the elections.
ThOmpsOn's "Man Friday"
When Thompson became mayor he
proceeded to get control of the vari-
Gus city institutions, including the
School Board. His man Friday"
J. Lewis Coath, was placed in the po-
sition of president Of the board. His
first act was to threaten teachers
wage cut and to fire McAndrews be-
fore the fall school term began
charged with INSTRUMENTATION and
later also with being a "stool-pigeon
of King George"
In the subsequent trial, conducted
before the school board, and still go
ing on, McAndrews was gradually
lost sight Of. The issue became the
one Of British propaganda. Writers
of history were accused of being sun
American" Thompson brought wit
nesses from all over the country; a
former congressman, John j. Cor.
man; former justice of Washing
ton State Supreme Court, Frederick
Bausman and a former editor of the
magazine "Fatherland" suppressed
during the war, Frederick Schrader
who is now accused by others of be-
ing "pro-German," as we'll as the
erstwhile socialist Charles Edward
Russell. II. L. Mencken, as another
staunch American, was also invited
to testify but declined.
Bringing in City Library.
From this trial the campaign
against British propaganda developed