Evening star., 1935-11-27
How Best to Interpret
Communism ssTeaching."
To the Editor of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
Communism is now the governmental
policy of the u. 8. g. r., the Russian
Soviet Republic. This national entity
embraces all the Russias, with popula-
ton of some 150O00,00O and the largest
standing army in the world, nearly
100000 men. It is military oligarchy
of the proletariat, ruthless and cruel in
the imposition and maintenance Of its
rule. The organization within this
oligarchy whose mission is to keep the
flame of communism at a white heat
and spread its doctrine is the Third IN
ternational. Most of the high officials
of this are also officers in the Soviet
government-the directorates are inter-
locking. The avowed aim Of the Third
International is the overthrow Of the
co-called capitalistic governments Of the
world, one of which is the United States
of America, and the establishment of the
dictatorship of the proletariat upon their
ruins.
What, now, was the broad intent Of
Congress when 1t enacted that COM
munism should not be taught or advo-
Gated in the public schools of the Dis
trict? Could it have had primarily in
mind the exclusion of the Endorsement
and advocacy of communism, Of the pro-
fessed and active attempt to undermine
and overthrow our Government? Is 1t
rational to believe that our National
Legislature feared the public schools
might actually favor such an attack upon
the organic fundamentals of our Gov
ernment? That its primary considera-
tion was to shut out the advocacy Of
communism? Such conception is pre-
posterous; the mere statement constitutes
a reductio ad absurdum. What, then,
was the broad aim and purpose Of this
legislation? Evidently 1t was to preclude
any instruction that might, whether in
territorial or not, leave the slightest doubt
upon immature minds of the character
and purpose of this onslaught upon our
free and democratic institutions; to ex-
clude the possibility of any misguided,
colorlesS, partial presentation of the SUBJ
ject that concealed or omitted the dam
nable fact that as to free government
communism is heresy. In republic
the only patriotic, sensible, rational
method to teach" communism is to con-
demn 1t utterly, root and branch. Any
other 'factual" teaching is what the
Congress sought to exclude.
rlIldlly, uilQeT CIllS QedQ, 10 JUSTLY
factual instruction our Board of Educa-
tion must in the said act construe teach
ing" as synonymous with advocating"
Were this construction intended the act
would have used the conjunctive instead
Of the distinctive, would have been
worded teaching and advocating" in
stead Of teaching or advocating" Two
things, then, are forbidden by the act.
Teaching is prohibited, for the reasons
above given, and carries the main intent
of Congress, and advocating Is also pro-
hibited as matter entirely secondary
and of course-unless it is contended that
our national legislature feared the open
advocacy in the schools of its own aboli-
ton.
In my humble opinion, no one believing
In or favoring communism as practiced,
which openly advocates and pursues by
fair means and foul the overthrow of
our Government, should teach in any
department of our public schools. And
no one is fitted to be superintendent of
such schools who assumes the attitude
and pursues the course that Mr.. Ballou
has assumed and pursued.
WILLIAM L. HILLYER.