Evening star., 1936-06-17

the N. E. A., declined to comment, ex.
cept to say that he had not yet" re-
ceived the QUESTIONABLE.
DR.. Higbie's attitude was taken by
several other school principals and
education leaders.
Ofhcials Of the National Education
Association are absent, for the most
part attending the national convention
in Portland, Greg. and attaches Of the
Office here declined to comment.
I'VE haven't heard Of it at all, ex-
cept through the newspapers" one em-
ploye said.
Speaker Bankhead and Representa-
tive O'Connor of New York, acting
majority leader, declined to comment
on Blanton's QUESTIONABLE, but Chair
man Norton of the House District
Committee said:
II do not understand why the per-
sonal views of the teachers in the
schools of Washington are any busi-
ness of Mr.. Blanton's or any other
member of Congress. We have a Board
of Education that is supposed to keep
the schools out Of politics, and ! re-
gret such a move. I hope we have
not yet reached the place in American
government when our schools are to
be controlled by any dictator"
Representative Scott, Democrat, of
California. said:
THE teachers should write across the
| top of Blanton's QUESTIONABLE None
of your damn business and send II
back to him. What business is it Of
Blanton's? He's got no control over
the school teachers and neither has the
Appropriations Committee. The only
way that Blanton can force the teach
ers to appear before his Appropriations
Subcommittee would be to get the ap-
proval first of the entire House. doubt
| whether the House would approve such
| action. Blanton's action in my opinion
constitutes an interference with con.
stitutional rights Of the teacher"
ChriStianson Opposed.
Representative Christianson, Repub-
lican, of Minnesota said;
"A teachers religion and political
views are his own concern"
IT am absolutely against any pro-
cedure Of that SORT" remarked Repre-
sentative Kahn, Republican of Cali
fornia. 81 think it is nobody's buSi-
ness. I'd like to know what q per-
sons religion has to do with his abil-
ity to teach school"
Representative Smith, Democrat OF
Virginia, said he had not read about
the Blanton QUESTIONABLE because he
had been away for the last several
days attending the Virginia State
Democratic Convention and therefore
declined to comment.
"Cockroach Terrorism"
Representative Marcantonio, Re-
publican, of New York described
Blanton's QUESTIONABLE as cheap
cockroach terrorism"
My advice to all teachers" said
Marcantonio, "is to throw the ques-
tionnaire in the waste paper basket.
This House will never permit Blsn-
ton to force any teacher who refuses
to answer it to appear before the Ap-
preparations Committee"
Representative Fish, Republican, Of
New York said: Il don't think indi-
viduals should be asked their views
on politics, religion or anything else"
Teachers are entitled to the same
thought and action as any other citi-
zen," declared Representative Hull,
Progressive, Of Wisconsin, q member
Of the District Legislative Committee.
Sent TO Stop Communism.
Representative Jacobsen, Democrat,
Of Iowa and a member Of Blanton's
Subcommittee on Appropriations, re-
vealed that the QUESTIONABLE was sent
to the teachers to stop communism
in the schools"
Il am member Of the committee
and Endorsed the QUESTIONABLE, said
Jacobsen. The questions are simple
and easy to answer. don't think
there should be any controversy over
the answering of the questions. 1 be-
lieve we should watch communism.
The questionnaires were sent to the
teachers to stop communism in the
schools. From our hearings on the
appropriation bill, have discovered
there are some text books in use In
the schools here that are not at TO
be read"