Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-28

Newspapers laud the court decision
in Chicago in favor of William Mean
drew, superintendent of schools, who
was ousted by the board Of education
on charges now thrown out by the
court. McAndrew was accused Of in
subordination and use of text books
which were alleged to present pro- Brit
ish propaganda.
"Dr. McAndrew did not need this
formal vindication." in the opinion of
the Chicago Daily Tribune. HE stood
higher perhaps in the esteem of the
sincere men and women Of Chicago
after his illegal dismissal at the hands
Of the school board than he did before.
But the courts rebuke OF the school
board removes the merits of the tragic
incident beyond all contention and ex-
poses beyond refutation the motives.
Dr. McAndrew was the one obstacle to
the invasion of the school treasury by
the machine. Furthermore, he was an
impossible obstacle. So long as DIR.
McAndrew remained in charge of the
educational system the school funds
would be administered properly.
Immediately after the expulsion Of the
distinguished superintendent the great
raid upon the school was started APP
pointments to the educational and adj
ministrative departments were dictated
by precinct captains. Capable and ex-
perienced members Of the school system
were dismissed to make room for cleo
ton huStlers."
The New York Sun remarks that 1.-The
| absurdity of the charges against Will
liam McAndrew made no court ruling
necessary" and the decision of the
Illinois Superior Court" simply con-
firmed 1.-The opinion always held by dis
interested observers"
Previously the man who had been
the chief witness against the Superin-
tendent confessed that he did not know
what he was talking about. and apollo
gized to a prominent historian whose
text book had been used as the basis
Of the political campaign" records the
South Bend Tribune. AS is
usual when politicians play foot ball with
school system, the public is left hold
ing the bag. Chicago taxpayers have
lost the services of perhaps the ableSt
superintendent OF schools that ever
functioned in that city. The taxpayers
can't sue for damages, and McAndrew
probably wouldn't return to Chicago for
any money Thus satisfaction with the
outcome of the case Is restricted to a
very small group"
"As a result of that decision" accord
ing to the Terre Haute Star, "the for
mer official Is in position to sue the city
for back pay amounting to about Sc, 5000,
but he has announced that no such
action will be taken, Vindication being
the sole aim in pressing the case.
The courts ruling, of course, was moth
ing but legal formality. The people
of Chicago and the country generally
have known all along that McAndrew
was not guilty OF the charges" The
Rockford Star states that 1t Is happy
to witness a good mans Vindication, -
recalling that there was a spirited
battle over the custer OF the educator,
who had been brought from New York
City TO direct the Chicago school sys-
tenn" but that he was removed under
| a barrage of trumped-up charges. Since
his removal" continues the Star, MT
McAndrew has been endeavoring to be
indicated. Court action gives him this
Court did not think 1t pertinent to ex-
anime the alleged pro- British text books
which served to remove the Superin-
tendent from Office. and squaShed all
records OF the disgraceful affair"
"Mr. McAndrew having come in from
a distant part of the country, and nat
urally being ignorant of the Chicago
way of doing things in schools and poll
tics" says the Kansas City Tunes,
made his initial blunder by checking
the school graft which local politicians
had practiced for years. That was I'M
pardonable, but obviously the superin-
tendent could not be brought 10 trial
on that kind of issue. There must be
3 real issue. 1t was found in the In