Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-10-20
Uncle Sans Humanitarian

Of the War Department. The Secre-
tary of War last April, within three
weeks after inauguration, agreed with
Dr. Wilbur that all the national parks
should be administered by the Interior
Department, and joined with him in
recommending this change to Congress.
Wire Pulling Creates Problem.
But at once the wire-pulling began.
1t seems that these battlefield parks
provide jobs for Engineer Corps Of
ficsrs, under the present plan, and
there is a serious problem Of what as
signments to give to Engineer Corps
oficers. All Of them have friends In
Congress, and the bill proposed at DR..
| WilburS request ran up against so
many snags that it is still pigeonholed.
Which may or may not explain why
President Hoover caused an Independent
| investigation to be made of the En-
gineer Corps when recently he had to
choose another chief for that corps to
direct the Mississippi flood problem.
Dr. Wilbur has struck out vigorously
| for local self-government in education.
He thinks it extremely fortunate, for
example, that in this country'S history
there has been a development OF
privately operated and endowed insti-
buttons of higher learning. followed by
| SoJaUe uQlVerSltleS, anu eSPSSldily bho y
national universities have been almost
| wholly lacking.
Local self-government OF education,
he says, has permitted a wide range. OF
development in the public schools"
Advisers in Three Groups.
DR.. Wilbur has divided the advisory
committee on education into three
groups along much the same lines as
the child welfare organization. Group
one. under President James E. Russell
of the American Adult Education Asso-
citation, is dealing with the educational
activities of the Federal Government,
their present administration and their
future organization. Group two, under
| President Lotus D. Coffman Of the
University Of Minnesota, is dealing with
subsidies of the Federal Government to
colleges, their administration, the re-
suits obtained and future policies.
Group three, under President Frank
Cody of the department of superin-
tendence. National Educational Asso-
citation, is dealing with subsidies grant,
| ed for education Of less than college
grade, how administered, results OBJ
! tanned and suggestions Of future policy.
The possibilities of radio in connec-
| ton with education seemed important
enough to the President and Dr. Wilbur
to have special study made Of this by
| commission entirely distinct from that
on general education. For instance, one
of his lieutenants pointed out, if Charles
E. Hughes were announced to speak on
law over the radio every law student
In the country who heard about the an
nouncement would probably want to
| tune in and derive the benefit Of his
| lecture.
Radio will be a powerful force in
motivating study and in stimulating in
terest in study, DR.. Wilbur believes, even
If it should not prove a satisfactory
method of teaching subject matter
Many institutions and school organiza-
tons have experimental with radio as a
medium Of instruction. The results
have been difficult to measure. although
the possibilities are conceded to be
| great.
Educational Facilities Varied.
So DR.. Wilbur has organized a COM
mittee which embraces not only radio
experts. but also representatives of vari-
Gus educational activities, including
university extension work and such
kindred lines as the Foreign Policy AS
ISOLATION.
This committee is to report to Sec
rotary Wilbur on January / next, at
the latest. It's report is expected to
show the scope of radio instruction so
far, and what appears to be its most
significant features. It Is to describe
actual programs, methods and costs. It
is also to set forth plans for recording
educational activities which utilize
radio.
DR.. Wilbur has virtually reorganized
another bureau of the widespread de-
partment over which President Hoover
called him to preside. That is the one
dealing with pensions-all pensions
save those resulting from the World
War, which are handled by the Vet
erans' Bureau.
His first move was to place at the
| bureaus head a man who happened to
| have a distinguished record In the
World War, Col. Earl D. Church of
Hartford, Conn, but who was chosen
primarily because of his knowledge of
| the insurance business.
THE large problem of handling the
pension affairs of those having proper
places on the rolls through the declin-
ing years of life said DR.. Wilbur
| ly and efficiently both from the human
and from the financial standpoint
Honesty, fairness, justice and prompt
ness should be the aim of the Pension
ONCE. While there is every reason for
helping those who have rendered the
requisite service to their country, thare
is also every reason for not bringing in
among those so honored and helped any
who are not deserving"
In these and other ways DR.. Wilbur
is going ahead with his task Of building
the Interior Department up to its for
mer importance--making 1t more and
more a department of tn. humanities.
bringing under its direction many Of
the great humanitarian movements Of