The Washington times., 1935-08-31
Politicians
Directing
n. Y. A.
By James T. Williams, Jr.

NAOW "AACAA I4lC CcOcIdk OIIlC0
OF Education was denied any eff.
fective supervision of Federal
aid for American youth in need
Of education.
Here was Federal agency,
dating from the presidency Of
Abraham Lincoln and charged
by law with the responsible task
OF advising state, county, and
local school officers regarding
the administration and improve
ment of SchoolS-in other words
leading the country in promot.
ing public education.
Here was a Federal agency
which has been closely cooperat.
ing ever since it was established
with state superintendent of
education and other public
school officials throughout the
Union.
Under the leadership Of the
Federal Office of Education
and its national council consist
ing of the state superintendent
of education, the Administration
had at hand the best possible
agency to carry out a sound
program for allocating Federal
aid to needy Americans of school
and college age.
Instead of utilizing this well
organized and highly respected
administrative body new
agency has been set up, not un-
der the Federal Commission Of
Education but as a subordinate
unit of its Federal Emergency
Relief Administration of which
Mr.. Harry L. Hopkins is the
head.
APPOINTMENTS
Mr.. Hopkins does not even
pretend to be either an educa.
tor or an authority on educa-
ton. He was a welfare worker
and is now Federal distribu-
tor of public relief.
And the political basis Of
the bureaucratic RECOMMENDATION
which the National Youth Ad.
ministration is now attempting
to establish over needy Ameri-
cans of school and college age
is exactly what might have
been expected when the poll
ticians successfully protested
against the Federal office of
Education being given super.
vision of this work.
Take, for example, the DO
litical appointments already .
announced by the National
Youth Administration. Instead
of calling upon the State super.
intendentS of education to as
sist the Federal Government in
this work without additional
compensation, 100000 has al
ready been allocated to pay
the salaries and other expenses
Of the State directors Of the
N. Y. A.
These appointments, in many
cases. have apparently been OBJ
tanned after consultation with
the political organization of
which Postmaster General Far
ley is the head. Certainly they
were not recommended by the
State superintendent of educa-
ton.
In one State an investment
banker interested in zoology has
been appointed State director Of
the N. Y. A.
In another State the job went
to a commodity distributor on
the payroll of the Federal Sur
plus Relief Corporation.
In a third State the politicians
appear to have finally agreed
upon the private secretary Of a
Congressman.
Other selections as State di.
rectOrS of an educational move
ment that ought to have the
expert supervision of public edu-
Gators of experience include the
following:
A former president Of a COL
lege Democratic club who after
brief service in the Department
of Justice became an investi-
gator for the Federal Emergecy
Administration of Public Works.
An organizer and vice presi-
dent of the general council Of
a sectarian youth agency.
A consulting engineer in air
port design who has been a
contributor to trade and tech
nical journals and a deputy
code administrator under the
MIRA.
A deputy administrator of
the Works Progress Admins
tration who has been fire.
quent contributor to scientific
journals on unemployment in.
surance, labor organizations
and kindred subjects.
A woman press agent for a
local community chest.
UNFAIR ADVANTAGE
An insurance agent and vice
president of a loan and mort
gage company.
A preacher who has held
several pastorates. been a coun-
try newspaper editor and &C.
tive KiWanian.
A member of the grievance
committee of one of the rail"
way brotherhoods who has
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